The party raged on into the night, lights flashing, music pulsing, laughter echoing. In a quieter corner near the snack bar, Cherry slipped away to grab a drink, and found Victoria leaning against the table, looking flushed and animated. Victoria spotted her and beckoned excitedly.
"Hey girl" Cherry said
"Cherry! You will not believe the night I've had." Victoria hushed in excitement
"What is it, tell meee" Cherry said excited to hear as well
Victoria took a deep breath and lowered her voice even more, unaware that Fernando had slipped over behind a pillar and was now within earshot.
"It started with that fancy Italian restaurant downtown, he picked me up in the squad car, can you imagine? All suave and professional. Then, after dinner, he invited me back to... well, one thing led to another." Victoria said
"You mean the coach?" Cherry teased
"Yes, the coach. We were alone, the lights were low, and the tension… oh my God, Cherry, we ended up making out right there in the back of the car!" she grinned and Cherry's eyes widened.
"Whoa. That's...serious heat."
"It was electric. He was gentle at first, but then the city lights blurred past, and things got... intense."
"You're kidding, like tongue and everything intense?"
"Tongue, hands, breathing too fast—you name it. He kept saying, 'I can't get enough of you.' It was just... wow."
At a corner, Fernando's eyes narrowed. He listened, jaw tightening.
"Holy fuck!, did he... whisper anything else?"
"Yeah, he said I'm not just the his gf anymore. I'm... more." She sighed dramatically.
"He said he wants to… you know, show me just how much." she added
Unseen, Fernando's shoulders stiffened. He clenched his fists.
"And you?,how do you feel about it?" Cherry asked
"Cherry, I'm floating. I've never felt like this about someone in ages." Victoria said laughing
" Tell me everything that happened in the car" Cherry said
*******
After a long, tension-filled dinner at a dimly lit Italian restaurant downtown, Victoria and the coach sat quietly in his parked car, just a few blocks from the city lights. Jazz music played low through the speakers, and the windows fogged slightly from the difference in temperature between outside and the heat simmering inside.
" You didn't say much over dinner"
" I didn't want to say the wrong words"
" Like what?"
" Calling you mine" he said and Victoria turned to face him.
" Funny"
" You don't seem to settle with the fact that I'm all yours, only yours" he said leaning in
" That's cause you're still my coach " she said
He didn't answer to that Instead, he pulled back slowly giving her time to lean in if she wanted and she did. Their lips met softly at first, almost questioning. Then, when neither of them pulled away, the kiss deepened. His hand slid up to cup her cheek, his thumb brushing her jawline.
She sighed into the kiss, her fingers gripping the fabric of his sleeve. The tension that had been building for weeks, ever since their late evening practices and too-long eye contact, finally broke loose. She shifted slightly in her seat, and he gently reached for her waist, guiding her toward him. Victoria climbed into his lap, straddling him in the backseat now, their kiss more urgent, their breathing uneven. His lips traveled down her neck, trailing warmth along her collarbone, while her fingers tangled in his hair.
"You're making it impossible for me to think straight." He said
"Then stop thinking."she whispered back and he chuckled low pulling her closer.
Their bodies pressed tightly, the cold of the leather seat beneath them contrasting with the heat building between them. There was no rush, no pressure, just two people wrapped in a moment of unchecked desire.
After several minutes, they finally broke apartforeheads touching, breath mingling in the small, private space.
" I want you to be more than my girl?" He said and she chuckled
" I'm serious, I want you to be my official girl friend" he said
" I am, I think but officially you're my coach" she said
" Can you not bring that up in this type of situation, it's a big turn off" he said and she smiled
" Sure, but I have to go so do you" she said giving him a slight peck on the lips before getting down from the car
*******
" And that's it" Victoria said
" Looks like he wants you to be his wife"
" Big turn off, but I don't mind. I mean he can wait" she said and they both chuckled
Victoria leaned in to finish her drink saw as Cherry. Fernando, burning with something unreadable, turned away sharply and slipped back into the party, unseen by either girl.
The party pulsed with music, laughter, and flashing lights. People danced in clusters, drinks in hand, conversations blurred by the sound. Angela stood near the edge of the crowd, dressed in a fitted black dress, her eyes scanning the room, distracted. Michael spotted her from across the room. His heart picked up speed, not just from the music, but from the moment. He had waited for what felt like forever. All through class, through silent glances and invisible daydreams, he'd been a shadow to her spotlight. Tonight, he decided to step out.
He walked up slowly, steadying his breath, pushing down every nerve in his body.
"Angela." Micheal said
She turned, a little surprised, eyebrows raised. "Michael, right?" she asked
He nodded, a small smile tugging at his lips.
"I know this sounds random, but… I've kind of had a thing for you for a while now."he said
"Really?" She blinked, amused and he laughed nervously.
"Yeah. Not great at hiding it, I guess. But you never noticed." he said
Angela tilted her head, something soft flickering in her expression.
"I didn't… but I'm noticing you now."she teased
There was a beat. The air shifted.
"You always this honest?" She asked
"Only with people who make it hard to pretend."he said
Her lips curled into a smile, and she stepped a little closer.
"So, what now?" she asked
He hesitated for half a second, then took a risk. "Can I show you what I mean instead of explaining it?"
She didn't answer with words. She leaned in, just a breath between them, her hands lightly brushing his arms. Michael closed the space, his lips finding hers in a kiss that started slow, uncertain, then confident. It deepened quickly, years of quiet pining melting into heat and urgency.
The noise of the party faded. Time thinned. All that mattered was the way she kissed him back, her hands now tangled in his hair, her body pressed against his as if she'd been waiting, too just in a different way.
When they finally pulled apart, breathless and smiling, she looked it his eyes for a while.
"Okay… I see you now." she said
Michael laughed, resting his forehead against hers.
"Took you long enough." Micheal teased
The party lights flickered behind them, music still pulsing faintly through the brick walls. Outside, it was quieter—just the rustle of trees and muffled laughter from the backyard.
Cyma leaned against the railing, sipping a soda, watching the stars, the cool air brushing against her skin. Morris stood beside her, a little closer than usual, his jacket slightly brushing hers every now and then. They'd been talking for the past fifteen minute about nothing and everything. About the game, school and annoying teachers. But then there was a pause. A heavy, loaded silence. Morris looked at her.
"You know, you're... really easy to talk to." he said
"That's rare, coming from you. You barely talk to anyone." she smiled lightly
"Maybe I just talk to the ones who matter." he said
She glanced at him, eyebrow raised, half-amused, half-cautious.
"Is that so?" she asked
Morris stepped a little closer, eyes flicking from hers to her lips and back again.
"I mean it. You've got this thing about you, Cyma. You make people feel like they matter."he sad
Before she could react or pull back, he leaned in suddenly and kissed her. It was brief—but not hesitant. Cyma pulled back quickly, her eyes wide with shock.
"Morris—what the hell?!"
He blinked, caught off guard by her reaction.
"I… I'm sorry. I thought…"
She raised a hand, stepping away slightly
"You thought wrong. I have a boyfriend." she said
Morris looked down, exhaling sharply.
"Right. Yeah. I forgot about—"
"No, you didn't forget. You just didn't care." she said. Her voice wasn't angry, just disappointed.
"I wasn't trying to disrespect you. I just—" Morris said rubbing the back of his neck, guilt rising in his throat.
"You did anyway. Look, I care about you, but not like that. And especially not now." she said
The silence between them returned, this time heavier.
She turned to go, but stopped for a second, and looked back.
"Don't make things harder, Morris. We're friends. Let's try not to ruin that." she said
Then she walked away, leaving Morris under the streetlight, the sound of the party still echoing behind them, but nothing felt festive anymore.
The crowd had started to leave the party. Nancy stood outside waiting early for Leon to come out. Her arms crossed around her chest as she leaned on the wall, Leon came out with his friends and she stepped forward.
"Leon. We need to talk." Nancy said firmly
He stopped mid-sentence, raising a brow. The others paused, glanced at him, and took the cue to walk on.
"This serious? You look like you're about to deliver bad news." Leon said
"I am." She said
His smirk faded a little, but he leaned back casually, arms folded.
"Go on." he said
"I'm done. With you. With this." She said
"Oh really? You got tired of the freebies? Or maybe you think you can actually survive without me now?" Leon mocked
She stepped closer, eyes steady. Not angry. Just done
"You treated me like I was nothing. Like I should be grateful to even stand next to you—because my mom works for your mom." She said
He blinked, the grin disappearing completely now.
"I stayed quiet because I didn't want to make things worse for her. But she doesn't work for your mom anymore. She found something better." She said slightly raising her voice
She let out a breath, one that had been sitting on her chest for too long.
"And now, I don't owe you silence. I don't owe you tolerance. I don't owe you anything." She said
Leon looked at her like he didn't recognize the girl in front of him anymore.
"You think you're too good for me now, huh?" Leon said
"No. I've always been too good for you. I just finally remembered it." she said
She turned and walked away, not waiting for a response, because there was nothing more to say.
Jason sat on at the bar, scrolling through his phone. Nancy hesitated when she saw him, then walked over.
"Hey… Jason?" Nancy said
He looked up, slightly surprised, but not cold.
"Hey. You good?" He asked and she nodded, then sat beside him, unsure where to start.
"I just ended it with Leon." She said
"Took you long enough." He said
She chuckled softly, but her voice trembled.
"I know what you thought. What everyone thought. That I let him treat me like trash. That I had no self-respect. But… it wasn't that simple." She said
Jason stayed quiet, letting her speak.
"My mom was all I had. She worked so hard for us, and I didn't want to make her life harder by making waves. Being with Leon... I thought it kept things quiet. Safe. But it didn't. I was just surviving." She said
She looked at him, her voice quieter now.
"I know we haven't really talked in a while. And maybe I don't deserve this... but I wanted to ask." She asked taking deep breath
"Do you still have that soft spot for me?" She asked
Jason studied her for a moment. Then he gave a faint smile, not quite meeting her eyes.
"Maybe. Depends who's asking—Nancy who let people walk all over her, or the one who finally stood up for herself tonight?" he asked
She smiled genuinely, eyes slightly glassy.
"The one who finally stood up."she said and Jason nodded slowly.
"Then yeah. I think I still do." He said and she smiled
Cherry