Maurice didn’t hesitate. He pulled Finn closer and kissed him—slow and confident in a way that knocked Finn off balance. The train hummed beneath them, steady and rhythmic, but the moment Maurice’s mouth met his, that rhythm slipped. The floor seemed to tilt in a way that had nothing to do with the swaying of the car. A warm rush swept through Finn, stealing his sense of direction, as if the whole train shifted just to make room for the kiss.
He curled a hand into Maurice’s shirt, not because he needed support, but because the world suddenly felt a little too unsteady without something solid to hold on to.
He went back to his cabin, where Theo was standing in front of the mirror, fixing his hair with intense concentration.
“Hey,” Theo said, catching Finn’s reflection. “Are you excited about the dance?”
“Yes and no,” Finn said, grabbing his toiletries. “Maurice wants me to mingle and dance.”
Theo laughed. “Maurice and David must have planned it together, because that’s exactly what David told me too.”
After Finn showered and changed into black jeans, a fitted shirt, and hair slightly messy on purpose, he and Theo headed to the Dance Car together.
The moment they stepped inside, Finn’s breath caught. The Dance Car had been transformed. Colored lights swept across the ceiling, bouncing off mirrored panels, making the whole space shimmer. A DJ booth sat at the far end, music thumping through the floorboards. People were already dancing, laughing, spinning, and bumping shoulders as the trainswayed beneath them. The air smelled like citrus drinks, warm bodies, and something electric.
And right in the center of it all was Maurice. Dancing with Billy. Billy, the rockstar with turquoise hair, glitter on his cheekbones, and the confidence that made people stare. Maurice laughed at something Billy said, moving with him as if they’d been dancing together for years. He hated how good they looked together.
Finn and Theo walked over to the bar, flirted with the bartender, and ordered a drink. He leaned against the bar to watch everyone dancing.
A few feet away, David was dancing with Darren, both of them grinning as if they were having the time of their lives. Theo muttered something under his breath about “chaos energy,” but Finn barely heard him. His eyes were locked on Maurice.
He couldn’t help it. Billy was leaning in too close to Maurice, laughing at something Finn couldn’t hear. The sight twisted something sharp and unpleasant in Finn’s stomach. Hating every moment that Maurice seemed to enjoy himself.
Then Caleb appeared out of nowhere, stepping right into Finn’s line of sight and breaking the stare he’d been holding like a lifeline.
“Dance with me,” Caleb said, already reaching for Finn’s hand.
Finn didn’t even like Caleb, at least not most days, but the jealousy burning through him made the decision easy. “Fine,” he said, slipping his hand into Caleb’s.
Caleb grinned as if he’d won something.
They moved onto the dance floor, the lights flashing purple and blue across Caleb’s red hair. Caleb flirted shamelessly, leaning in, brushing their shoulders together, and whispering comments Finn pretended not to hear. Finn flirted back anyway, because apparently tonight he was a menace.
Caleb slid up beside Finn just as the song ended, breathless and grinning. “Let me get you a drink, Finn.”
Finn didn’t trust his voice, so he just nodded.
Caleb took his hand way too casually, too familiar, and tugged him toward the bar area tucked into the corner of the Dance Car. The lights were dimmer there, the music a little muffled, the counter lined with bottles that rattled softly every time the train hit a curve. Finn leaned against the bar, trying to steady the swirl of jealousy still simmering.
Caleb ordered for both of them, then handed Finn a drink. Their shoulders brushed. Finn didn’t move away.
They stood there for a moment, sipping, pretending to watch the crowd. Finn’s eyes kept drifting back to Maurice—now talking with Billy, turquoise hair glowing under the lights like a beacon Finn wished he could ignore.
Caleb followed his gaze. “Your friend Maurice told me he likes Billy and wants to get to know him more.”
Finn’s fingers tightened around his glass. “Really? He told you that?”
Caleb shrugged, taking a slow sip. “Well, they’re on their third dance. They’ve been together since before you got here.”
The words hit Finn like a cold splash. He didn’t know if Maurice had said anything to Caleb, but three dances? That part could be true. Billy looked comfortable. Too comfortable. And Maurice wasn’t exactly pulling away.
Finn swallowed hard and took another drink. Then another. The alcohol warmed his throat, but it did little for the knot forming in his stomach.
Caleb nudged him lightly. “Come on. One more dance?”
Finn didn’t want to give Caleb the satisfaction. But he also didn’t want to stand still long enough to think. So he nodded and let Caleb pull him back onto the dance floor.
They danced again with Caleb flirting, Finn flirting back, and both of them moving in a way that made the jealousy blur into something reckless. When the song ended, Finn slipped away, only to be intercepted by Jacob, who asked him to dance with a smile that made Finn smile. And Finn said yes. Again.
