Different is good

The moment they stepped into the party, a tidal wave of sound and heat crashed over Lily. The bass throbbed through the walls, reverberating in her ribs like a second heartbeat. Neon lights strobed, splashing color across a sea of moving bodies, each twist and sway perfectly synchronized to the rhythm. The air carried the mingling scents of sweat, expensive perfume, and something sharp and sweet—alcohol, probably.

Gleed, Andrea, and Taylor melted seamlessly into the crowd, their laughter swallowed by the music as admirers swarmed around them. Lips brushed against cheeks, hands grazed waists, and flirtation flickered through the air like static electricity.

Lily hovered at the threshold, fingers curled tight around the strap of her purse. The room felt too big, too loud, too much. The energy here was effortless, the people radiant and unshakable. And then there was her—stiff, uncertain, a ghost at the edges of something she didn't quite belong to.

Gleed, mid-laugh as some guy whispered in her ear, turned and caught sight of her. With a graceful spin, she disengaged, her hips moving fluidly with the beat as she made her way back to Lily.

"Hey, darling," she purred, placing a warm hand on Lily's shoulder. Her voice was honeyed, coaxing, a gentle push into the unknown. "Why don't you grab a drink? Meet some people?"

Lily's stomach clenched. She cast a wary glance at the bar, where a group of effortless partygoers leaned against the counter, glasses glinting under the lights.

Gleed's eyes softened as she took in Lily's hesitation. With a playful but insistent nudge, she grinned. "Go on, sweetheart. You might surprise yourself."

Lily swallowed hard, forcing herself to move. The crowd pressed in as she made her way forward, the brush of bodies unfamiliar and slightly overwhelming. She sidestepped a couple locked in a drunken embrace, her breath catching as someone nearly bumped into her.

By the time she reached the bar, she exhaled shakily and pressed her palms against the cool wooden counter, grounding herself.

A voice—smooth and rich as dark chocolate—broke through the noise.

"What can I get you, lovely?"

She turned to find the bartender watching her, his lips curved into an easy smile. His dark hair fell slightly into his eyes, which glinted under the dim neon glow. There was something unshaken about him, like he had seen a thousand nights like this and knew exactly how to navigate them.

Lily wet her lips. "Um… do you have juice?"

The bartender blinked, then let out a low, amused chuckle. "Juice?" He leaned slightly closer, the corner of his mouth twitching upward. "You do know you're at a club, right?"

Heat rushed to Lily's cheeks. She immediately regretted asking. "I—uh—just…" She looked away, fingers twisting at the hem of her sweater.

The bartender's smirk softened. He straightened, drumming his fingers thoughtfully on the counter before winking. "I think I have just the thing for you."

Lily watched as he moved, his hands a practiced blur—bottles clinking, liquid swirling in a mesmerizing dance of colors. The dim glow of the bar lights caught the glass as he poured, the hues shifting like a trapped sunset.

"Here." He slid it toward her, his fingers brushing hers as she reached for it.

A spark. Small, but undeniable.

Her breath hitched, the world around them blurring for a second. The music, the crowd, the flashing lights—it all faded, just for that moment. She quickly looked down, pulse racing, and wrapped her fingers around the cool glass.

"Don't worry," he said, his voice laced with quiet amusement. "It's safe. Just something sweet, with a little kick."

Lily took a tentative sip. The flavors bloomed on her tongue—vibrant, unexpected. Sweet but with just enough tartness to keep it from being childish.

She blinked in surprise. "This is… really good."

The bartender grinned, leaning on the counter. "Told you."

For the first time all night, Lily felt something shift—a crack in the nerves wrapped tight around her chest.

"So," he mused, watching her with quiet curiosity. "What's your story? You don't seem like the type to run with Gleed and Taylor's crowd."

Lily stiffened, her fingers tightening around the glass. The words hit like a confirmation of every doubt gnawing at her—did she stick out that much? Did it show how out of place she felt?

Before she could respond, Nolan tilted his head, his gaze still sharp but softer now. "I don't mean that in a bad way," he added, reading her reaction effortlessly. "You're just… different." A slow smile tugged at his lips. "And different is good."

Lily's grip on the glass loosened.

She had spent so long feeling like an outlier, an awkward puzzle piece forced into the wrong picture. But here was someone who wasn't questioning her, wasn't looking at her like she needed to change.

He just… saw her.

A small, genuine smile crept onto her lips. "Thanks..." She trailed if as she didn't know his name.

"Nolan." He introduced himself.

"Lily." She smiled.

He leaned slightly closer, the teasing glint returning to his eyes. "Careful, Lily. I might just make you a regular."

Lily let out a soft laugh, and as she took another sip, the night didn't seem quite so overwhelming anymore.

Maybe different wasn't so bad after all.

Andrea danced in the spotlight, her body moving to the rhythm of the music, her eyes scanning the crowd. She laughed with her friends, but something in the air shifted when her gaze landed on a familiar figure. Her heart skipped a beat—Joe. What was he doing here?

There he was, standing by the bar, his gaze already on her, as if he'd been waiting for this moment. Without thinking, Andrea's feet moved faster, her excitement building as she made her way toward him.

"Joe!" she called out, a bright smile pulling at her lips, her voice filled with a mix of surprise and delight. She threw her arms around him, her chest pressing against his in a tight embrace.

Joe's mischievous grin spread wider as he chuckled, his arms wrapping around her in return. "Hey, Andrea," he said, his voice low and playful. "You didn't think you were the only one who knows how to party, did you?"

Andrea let out a breathy laugh, her cheeks flushing with a mix of excitement and something deeper. "So, you're here to crash the party?" she teased, her eyes twinkling with playful mischief.

"Something like that," Joe replied with a wink, his hands resting on her waist, fingers lightly tracing her skin, sending a jolt of warmth through her.

As their conversation flowed, Andrea felt her body respond to the heat building between them. His touch was casual at first, just a hand resting on her back, but it wasn't long before it grew more possessive, his fingers subtly gliding along her curves. She could feel the tension in the air between them, an electricity that neither of them seemed willing to ignore.

Her breath hitched as Joe leaned in closer, his lips brushing against her ear as he whispered, "My body is on fire right now."

The words ignited something deep inside Andrea, a fire that mirrored his. She swallowed, her heart racing, as his presence seemed to swallow up everything around them. She could feel the heat radiating off of him, like a magnet pulling her closer, urging her to give in to whatever this was between them.

Without a word, Joe moved with a fluid grace, sweeping Andrea into his arms. She gasped in surprise, her hands instinctively clutching his shoulders as he effortlessly carried her through the crowd. The music pulsed in the background, but it was like the world faded away, leaving only the two of them, tangled in their own anticipation.

The VIP room's door closed softly behind them, and Andrea's breath caught as the dim lighting of the space surrounded them in an intimate glow. She felt her pulse quicken, her eyes locking with Joe's, the raw intensity in his gaze making her stomach flutter.

She stood there, momentarily frozen, as the weight of the moment settled in. "Oh my freaking gosh, Joe…" Her voice was breathless, an unspoken question lingering in the air between them.

Joe stepped forward, his lips curving into a smile that was both gentle and hungry. He tilted her chin up, his fingers brushing softly over her jawline, making Andrea's skin tingle. His voice, husky and filled with desire, made her shiver. "You're incredible, Andrea," he whispered, his breath hot against her skin. "I've wanted this for so long."

Andrea's heart raced, her body aching to respond, to close the distance between them. She didn't need more words—everything she felt was in the way he was looking at her, in the way his hands moved, tracing the curve of her waist. She reached up, her hands threading into his hair as she pulled him closer.

Their lips met in a kiss that was everything—slow, heated, and filled with a desperate urgency. Andrea melted against him, her hands roaming over his chest, feeling the hard muscles beneath his shirt. His lips were soft but firm, the kiss deepening as he pulled her closer, his body pressing against hers.

Every touch sent a spark through Andrea's veins, making her feel alive in a way she hadn't in a long time. The kiss was tender but intense, and she couldn't help the quiet moan that escaped her as his hands slid lower, finding her waist and pulling her even tighter against him.

The world outside the VIP room felt so far away now, as though they existed in a bubble all their own. Time seemed to slow as they lost themselves in the heat of the moment, the air thick with unspoken desire. Joe's touch was both familiar and new, igniting a craving that Andrea hadn't realized had been simmering inside her.