Bella didn't even wait for Alice to finish. She stood up and walked toward the exit, her heels clicking against the sticky floor.
"Bella, wait—" Alice called after her, weaving through the crowd.
But Bella didn't slow down. Her eyes were fixed on the door ahead—until she passed Ellie.
Ellie, lips locked with some girl she'd never seen before. The girl's hands were on Ellie's jaw, pulling her closer, their bodies pressed together in the dim neon glow.
Bella's steps faltered.
Alice caught up and grabbed her wrist. "Hey, are you okay?"
Bella didn't answer right away—her gaze still on Ellie. Ellie's eyes flicked up for just a moment, locking with hers over the stranger's shoulder. It was a brief look, but it felt like a sharp spark in the middle of the noise.
"I feel a bit dizzy. I want to go home," Bella finally said.
"Okay then, I'll go with you," Alice replied, still holding her wrist.
Bella didn't look back again as they left.
At the bar, Ellie stayed where she was, the girl still leaning into her. Maybe this was what she needed—to explore, to test herself, to see if what she felt for Bella could exist with someone else. Or maybe it was just curiosity, a desperate attempt to quiet the questions in her head.
"Your lips are so soft," the girl murmured against her mouth. "I've never tasted anything like this before."
Ellie smirked faintly. "Oh? You can taste them more if you want to."
She leaned in, their mouths meeting again. The kiss was hot and messy, tasting of tequila and something sweet—maybe strawberry lip gloss. Their tongues slid together, slow at first, then hungrier. Ellie let her hands roam, sliding down the curve of the girl's back, feeling the heat of her skin through thin fabric.
The bass from the speakers thumped in her chest, almost in sync with her racing pulse.
She didn't feel what she felt with Bella—no spark, no ache—but she kept going anyway, as if the answer might appear if she pushed far enough.
Her lips trailed down to the girl's neck, teeth grazing before she bit just hard enough to make the girl gasp and cling to her.
The girl's nails scraped lightly against Ellie's arm, her breath warm in Ellie's ear.
Then—a sudden crash.
A glass tipped off the bar, shattering on the floor. Both of them jumped, and Ellie pulled back, her breathing unsteady.
Reality hit her like a cold wave. What the hell am I doing?
"Ouch, sorry," the girl said to the bartender.
While the waitress bent down to clean, the girl turned back to Ellie, eyes glinting. "Should we… continue?"
Ellie's voice came out sharper than she intended. "I think you should leave me alone."
The girl blinked. "What? Where is this coming from?"
"Just—please. Go." Ellie's tone was harsher now, laced with guilt.
"You're such a jerk," the girl snapped before disappearing into the crowd.
Ellie stared at her drink for a long moment. What am I doing, really?
She kept drinking until the blur in her head grew heavy.
By the time she got home, she was stumbling, one hand trailing along the wall. "Why's it so dark? Where's the switch?" She groped for it, but her elbow caught a frame instead.
Bump.
"Shit."
The noise pulled Bella from sleep. She padded to the doorway, finding Ellie—messy hair, flushed cheeks, eyes glassy. The smell of alcohol hit immediately.
Bella crouched to pick up the fallen frame, making sure Ellie wasn't hurt.
Ellie slid down the wall, sitting on the floor with her eyes half-closed.
"Hey, you need to get to your room," Bella said.
Ellie didn't respond.
"What happened to you?" Bella asked, voice quieter now.
"Who is that woman, exactly? The way you were with her… she doesn't look like family or just a friend?!" Ellie mumbled.
Bella's chest tightened. She remembered the bar—the kiss, the look they'd shared.
"She's my old friend. Why is it important to you now?"
"Why were you there?" Ellie's eyes opened just enough to meet hers.
Bella couldn't tell if the alcohol was talking or if this was something deeper.
"It's none of your business where I go or with who!" Bella said.
"You're a mean girl," Ellie muttered.
"Yeah, yeah. Whatever you think. Now can you get up? You need to sleep in your bed, not here."
Bella slipped an arm around her, half-lifting her to her feet. Ellie leaned heavily against her, warm and unsteady.
By the time they reached Ellie's room, Bella tried to lay her down—but Ellie's arm hooked around her neck, pulling her off-balance. They fell onto the bed together, Bella landing on top.
For a moment, neither moved. Their faces were inches apart, breath mingling in the dim room.
Bella's heart thudded. "Why did you drink so much?"
"I don't know. I just wanted to make sure of something," Ellie murmured.
"What could you possibly figure out by doing this?"
"I wanted to know about myself."
"And… do you know now?" Bella asked.
Ellie's eyes softened. "Not yet. I don't have the courage to find out."
Bella's breath was unsteady, her weight still half on Ellie, their faces barely a hand's width apart.
"You really think you can figure yourself out by letting some stranger touch you like that?" Bella's voice was low, almost a growl.
Ellie didn't answer—just looked at her, eyes hazy but searching.
Bella studied her for a moment, her gaze lingering on Ellie's mouth. There was a faint smudge of lipstick that wasn't hers, the taste of someone else still fresh.
Her jaw tightened.
"First…" Bella murmured, her tone softer now, "…let me clean your lips from that girl."
Before Ellie could react, Bella leaned in—slow, deliberate—her lips brushing against Ellie's in a featherlight touch. Not a kiss at first, just a slow press, as if erasing every trace of the stranger.
But then… she deepened it.
Her mouth moved against Ellie's with more certainty, her hand cupping Ellie's jaw to hold her still. Ellie's breath hitched, her fingers instinctively gripping Bella's waist.
The kiss was warm, slow but demanding—nothing like the messy, alcohol-fueled one at the bar. This one had weight. Meaning.
Bella pulled back just an inch, her forehead resting against Ellie's.
"You don't need to destroy yourself just to find the answer," she whispered. "If you want to know… then let me help you."
Ellie's heart was pounding so hard it drowned out every other sound. "And… what if the answer is you?" she murmured.
Bella's lips curved into the faintest smile. "Then you'll have to keep kissing me until you're sure but don't expect me to make it easy."
Her mouth found Ellie's again, slower this time—savoring, exploring, letting Ellie feel every second of it.
Ellie's breathing was uneven, her lips swollen from the kiss, eyes still searching Bella's face like she was trying to understand what just happened.
Bella stayed close, her fingers brushing lightly along Ellie's jaw, her thumb tracing the corner of her mouth.
"See?" Bella murmured, her tone somewhere between gentle and daring. "You don't need anyone else to figure it out."
Ellie swallowed hard, still dazed. "And… what if I'm still not sure?"
Bella's lips curved into a faint, knowing smile. She leaned in, kissing her again—slower, softer, but with the same heat simmering underneath.
When she finally pulled back, Bella's forehead rested against hers. "Then we'll keep playing," she said quietly. "But not tonight."