Outside, the thumping bass faded, replaced by the tense silence between them.
Ava turned first, her voice low but steady. "Isabella, I know that face and that walk."
Isabella smirked faintly, though her eyes betrayed her frustration. "Good. Glad you do."
"Don't ruin the night for me," Ava said firmly, pulling her hand away. "No fights. I'm not your girlfriend. You have a girlfriend, so leave me alone."
"Who, Becca?" Isabella snapped, her brows knitting. "She's my friend—just my friend."
"And the other one?" Ava shot back, her voice rising. "The one who kissed you. The one who held you like she owned you. You know what? I don't even want to know who she is." Her chest rose and fell with controlled anger. "Just know this—no fights. Not for me. Not tonight."
She turned sharply, walking away without another glance.
Dolly was kind, warm, and always by her side. She treated Ava like she belonged only to her. Sometimes, Dolly even introduced her to others as if they were already a couple. And Ava? She never corrected her.
Not because she agreed. But because she was tired.
Nine years of emptiness had carved a hole inside her. Isabella had left without a word, and Ava had never been able to heal. Dolly came in like a shield against that loneliness. At first, Ava thought it was harmless—just friendship, just comfort. But slowly, Dolly's grip tightened.
Whenever Ava tried to create space, Dolly would act hurt, like Ava had betrayed her. And Ava, soft-hearted as she was, could never bring herself to cause that pain. So she stayed quiet, letting Dolly's presence wrap tighter around her life like invisible chains.
But the truth was sharp and constant in her chest: Ava never loved Dolly. Not like that.
Her heart still carried Isabella—every memory, every word, every smile from years ago. And though anger now burned in her, though betrayal still stung, Ava knew deep inside that she had never moved on.
That was why every time Dolly touched her hand, it felt wrong. Every time Dolly leaned close, Ava's heart refused to respond. Yet she swallowed it all, burying her true feelings.
Because saying no to Dolly meant facing her own loneliness again. And worse—facing the truth of who she still loved.
Isabella stood frozen on the sidewalk, speechless, her fists tightening at her sides. The night around her roared with life, but inside, everything had gone silent.
She entered the club too, joining Becca and Luna. They both noticed Isabella's mood change.
"Bel, are you okay?" Luna asked
Bella only nodded, pouring herself a glass of wine. She took it in one go and reached to pour again, but Luna quickly took the bottle from her.
"Girl, not today." Luna rolled her eyes.
At the table across from them, Ava sat with Dolly and a few friends. Dolly leaned close, laughing too loudly, grabbing bits of food and teasingly putting them into Ava's mouth. Ava let it happen, smiling politely, but the act twisted something inside her. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Isabella watching. The sharp pain in Isabella's gaze cut straight through her chest.
Isabella suddenly stood and walked out angrily. Becca and Luna exchanged a look before following her, both confused.
Outside, Becca pulled Luna aside.
"You can go back inside. I'll take her home."
Luna hesitated, but then slowly nodded. She had already noticed where Isabella's eyes had been—on Ava.
As Luna turned back toward the club, she froze. Ava was already on her feet, her eyes darting around until she spotted Luna. Without hesitation, she walked straight to her.
"Can we talk?" Ava said,face unreadable.
Luna hesitated, her guard immediately rising, but when Ava started walking toward the door, Luna followed.
They stood beneath the faint glow of a streetlight, the hum of the club muffled behind them. Tension thickened the air.
"What could you possibly want to talk about, Ava?" Luna folded her arm,looking straight into her face.
Ava tilted her head, calm but sharp. "Don't play games, Luna. You saw it. You know who she was looking at tonight."
Luna's lips curved, but her eyes flashed. "Yeah, I saw. But unlike you, I don't make her bleed before I even try to love her."
Ava's jaw tightened, her voice dropping low. "You think you can just swoop in because she's hurting? That she'll fall into your arms if you smile long enough? Isabella's not that simple."
"Maybe not," Luna said, stepping closer, her gaze steady and fierce. "But at least I don't leave her standing in the shadows, wondering if she even matters. At least I'm here, offering her love without conditions."
For a heartbeat, the world around them faded — music muffled, laughter distant — and in that stillness, Luna's memories surged like a tide she'd fought to bury.
She still remembered the night everything changed.
Back in the Catholic school dormitory, Bella's bed was empty after lights-out — something that never happened. Luna had frowned, worried, and glanced at the small desk by the window. Bella's phone lay there, unlocked, the faint glow of the screen lighting up the room.
She didn't mean to look at first. She told herself she was only checking if Bella had taken new pictures of her. But curiosity had always been her weakness. One swipe — just one — and her heart began to break.
Photo after photo filled the gallery — blurry but intimate. A girl with soft brown eyes, a smile that could light up any room. Ava. She recognized her immediately. Her cousin.
Her cousin.
The name hit harder than a slap. Ava Moore. The same Ava who used to visit every summer. The same Ava who always had everything Luna wanted — attention, charm, admiration. And now, she had Bella's heart too.
Luna's chest tightened as she scrolled through the pictures — Bella's arms around Ava at a fair, a candid shot of Ava laughing, one of Bella's messages that read: "I miss you every second."
It was like a knife twisting deeper with each image.
She dropped the phone back on the desk and sat down, her hands trembling. For the first time, she understood why Bella always hesitated whenever Luna's feelings slipped through. It wasn't rejection out of cruelty — it was because her heart already belonged to someone else.
Someone who shared Luna's blood.
That night, as the lights flickered out, Luna made herself a silent promise. If I can't erase her, I'll outshine her. She'd make Bella see her differently. Make her choose her instead.
She never stopped trying, even after the years apart.
Now, standing before Ava under the street lights a bit far from the club, that promise burned hotter than ever.
"Tell me, Ava," Luna whispered, her voice trembling with old hurt and new defiance. "When was the last time you truly looked at her? Because I've been seeing her for years — even when you were too blind to."
Ava's jaw clenched. She wanted to lash back, but Luna's words hit deeper than she expected.
"You don't know her the way I do. You don't know the history, the things unsaid, the fire between us. You're chasing something that isn't yours."
Luna's eyes narrowed, her voice low but steady.
"And you're taking her for granted. You hide behind pride, Ava—pretending you don't care while letting Dolly hang on you like some badge. Do you even see how much it's breaking her? If its Dolly you want then leave Bella alone"
Ava's chest rose and fell sharply. For the first time, her composure cracked.
Silence stretched between them, charged and heavy. Luna tilted her head, studying Ava, then gave a slow, determined smile.
"Let me make this clear… I'm not stepping aside. I'm going to fight for her. I'm going to win Isabella's heart."
Ava's eyes darkened, but she didn't respond. She just turned her face away, jaw tight, as Luna's words lingered in the night air.
And for the first time, Ava felt the true weight of competition.