“You took me home, took care of me, stayed with me all weekend, watched insanely stupid movies with me, let me cry, and simply were there. I made you promise not to tell anyone because it was just too hard at the time. Later, I found out you canceled everything for me, which caused some problems in your own life. And all for me. Even though you could’ve left after taking me home that night.”
She avoided eye contact, determined not to reveal who it was.
“I told Logan about the baby, but never mentioned this.” She leaned back, resting her head on Logan’s arm. “We have the best friends, honey.” Logan kissed her forehead as he held her tighter.
“So, thank you,” she murmured, addressing the unknown friend. Ava moved next to Norah, hugging her. Everyone else joined in. It was such a magical moment, but it was clearly their own. I didn’t want to overstep.
But then, Norah opened her eyes, looked at me, and said, “C’mere.” I dove into the warm embrace of this incandescent, effortless beauty, letting myself belong. All together—stoned and happy.
When we finally let go, some wiped away tears, others sat in quiet admiration.
“Who was it?” Logan asked, his gaze sweeping the circle, sharp and searching, as if he could puzzle it out just by looking hard enough.
“That’s against the rules,” Norah laughed. “It wouldn’t be a secret then.”
Logan groaned, then swiped his misty eyes, but smiling all the same.
Hours passed. The third joint was lit, drifting between us. Luke exhaled a perfect smoke ring, tilting his head back. I never liked smokers, but damn, that was sexy. Electricity ran through the point where his fingers touched mine when passing me the joint. That damn look. It was almost annoying how much I couldn’t resist it. His gaze stayed locked on me, drifting to my lips, my neck, my chest. He wasn’t even hiding it anymore.
After I was dared to get a tattoo, but sadly, no parlor was available this late at night, we settled on drawing with a Sharpie.
“Any preferences?” Luke asked with a wicked smile.
“No penis stuff,” I chuckled nervously.
“Oh, Hazel,” he drawled, eyes dark with amusement. “I’m far more sophisticated than that.” He twirled the marker. “Where do you want it?”
Oh, I do indeed want it.
“My ankle,” I said, picking the safest option. I placed my leg on the couch, keeping my distance. If I had a foot fetish, I’d be in trouble, but since I didn’t, it was safe enough. Luke grabbed a pillow, set it in his lap, and I shifted closer, resting my feet on it. He touched my foot, and I twitched, feeling his warm hand holding me in place.
“Ticklish,” I explained at his questioning look.Sorry, he mouthed, not looking sorry at all. I tried to see what he was drawing, but he blocked the view.
“No peeking,” he smiled.
I’d seen him smile before, but here, surrounded by friends, his grin carried a spark I hadn’t noticed before, as if there was a little more life shining through him than he usually let the world see.
“Hazel, your turn,” Norah called, and I took my chance. I didn’t care about his drunkest night or first kiss, or even women.I wanted to understand how his mind worked. For a moment, I forgot that he could also pick a dare.
“Truth or dare?” I turned to Luke. His fingers hesitated briefly before he continued drawing. He considered his choices, then a slow smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
“Truth,” he replied, and I heardOhhhhhsounds around me.
“Choose wisely, Hazel,” Logan warned. “You’re up against the ‘nothing but dare’ kind of guy.” I laughed at that.
Everyone started shouting suggestions at me. I caught bits like how many women he’d introduced to his parents, who was behind the prank that left Alex floating down the river on his own mattress, and who snuck a chicken into Ava’s office after her promotion. But I had a question on my mind already.
“How do you know which risk to take?”
His head snapped back, eyes lost in thought before settling on me, confused. “What?”
“In chess. You have thousands of possible moves, and of course, they depend on your opponent. But your strategy is... unconventional. Like, from all the possible moves, you seem to choose the most unlikely one. The riskiest one. So, how do you know the risk is worth taking?”
I could tell from his face that he was completely stunned by my question. Watching Luke play was fascinating, almost like a spectacle. He was clearly more skilled than I was, but his unpredictability intrigued me. I wanted to understand it.
“I think it’s a gut feeling,” he finally said, focusing on my ankle. “Sometimes, in my head, there are a million reasons not to do something,” he paused, and when his gaze met mine, a cold shiver ran through me. There was something in that look, something beyond the chess. As if he wanted me to know him a little better, and to know I wasn’t alone in wanting that. “...reasons not to do something.” His thumb brushed my ankle,and the lightness of it felt like a question he was trying to ask. I had this unbearable need for him to move his hand higher.
To choose this risk.
