The party was happening behind Liam's house, in the backyard.
Night had settled softly over everything.
Strings of warm yellow lights were hung between trees and along the fence, swaying slightly whenever the breeze passed.
Lanterns glowed on the patio, and the pool reflected all the lights like shimmering stars on water.
The music was upbeat but not too loud, just enough for people to laugh and talk over it.
Students from Mystic Heights Academy were everywhere.
Some were dancing near the speakers, others were chatting in groups, and a few were already in the pool splashing each other.
The theme was Hawaii swim night, so everyone wore bright beach outfits.
I stood near the pool, wearing a light floral swimming dress—soft blue with white flowers printed across it.
It was loose and perfect for the warm night air. My hair was tied in a simple ponytail, a few strands falling around my face.
Inside the pool, Liam was leaning lazily against the side with a drink in his hand—probably beer or something fizzy.
He raised the glass dramatically.
"To victory!" he shouted.
Emma sat on the pool's edge beside him, her legs dangling in the water. She laughed and kicked lightly, sending tiny splashes toward him.
"You're impossible," she said.
Across the yard, at the snack table, Jake and Nena were doing something incredibly annoying.
Jake held a chip up."Open your mouth."
Nena giggled and leaned forward, biting it from his hand.
I looked away immediately.
"Ugh. Why are they like this?" I muttered.
Regina walked past them gracefully like she was walking down a fashion runway.
She held a glass elegantly in her hand, barely acknowledging anyone as she circled the pool.
Nena eventually wandered away from Jake and came over near me.
Just then, Mark walked up beside me.
He handed me a drink.
"Here."
I took it with a smile. "Thanks."
He looked around the backyard, impressed.
"Wow… this party looks great."
I took a sip and shrugged.
"Liam planned it."
Mark nodded like that confirmed everything.
"Yeah… that makes sense."
Then he looked back at me.
"So… how do you feel?"
I thought about it for a moment.
"How should I say this…"
I smiled softly.
"Great."
Mark chuckled.
Then, as usual, his hand reached over and patted my head.
Again.
Seriously, he treated me like I was some kind of tiny dog.
I laughed anyway.
Then a voice came from behind me.
"Hello."
I turned around.
"Nathan?"
He stood there smiling.
"Oh—you're here."
He nodded. "Yeah. I got invited."
He looked over at the pool and lifted his hand.
Liam spotted him and raised his drink in greeting.
I smiled at Nathan.
He scratched the back of his neck.
"Also… sorry about telling on you that day."
I raised an eyebrow.
"It's okay."
Before I could say anything else—
Suddenly a hand grabbed my wrist.
"Hey—!"
I turned.
It was Ethan.
He pulled me away from the crowd toward the darker side of the yard near the fence.
His black hair bounced slightly over his forehead as he walked.
He was wearing a loose shirt with a deep V-shaped collar that showed more of his chest than usual, and brown shorts.
It was… surprisingly distracting.
I folded my arms.
"What are you doing?"
He stopped once we were away from everyone.
Then he looked at me.
"You seemed busy."
I blinked.
"…Talking?"
He shrugged casually.
"With Nathan."
His voice sounded calm, but something about it felt… off.
The pool lights reflected in his eyes.
And suddenly…
The air between us felt a little tense.
Ethan stepped closer, his expression suddenly serious.
"What did I tell you before about Nathan?" he asked.
I blinked.
"What?"
"Don't you remember?"
I looked down, trying to think.
Then it hit me.
That day… when I tried to go to Nathan's bakery.
Ethan had stopped me.
He grabbed my arm and said Nathan was dangerous.
I scoffed immediately.
"Stop talking nonsense, Ethan," I said, folding my arms. "Nathan is such a nice, sweet guy. Unlike you."
Ethan gasped softly.
Actually gasped.
He looked genuinely offended.
"Unlike me?" he repeated.
I rolled my eyes and started walking back toward the lights and the music.
But he caught up quickly and stepped in front of me.
"Ayana," he said firmly. "You're going to listen."
I grabbed my own hands, annoyed.
"You're not my dad or mom or anything," I snapped. "You can't tell me what to do."
Then I walked past him and returned to the party.
The bright lights and laughter swallowed me again.
Liam noticed me immediately and pushed himself out of the pool slightly.
"Hey," he said. "What happened?"
"Nothing," I muttered.
I grabbed a drink from the table, clearly irritated.
Mark walked over beside me.
"You look like you want to punch someone," he said calmly.
"I might," I replied.
Across the yard, near the fence, Nathan watched us quietly.
His gaze followed as I stood with Liam and Mark.
Then slowly, he turned.
His eyes landed on Ethan.
The two of them locked eyes across the backyard.
For a moment the music, the laughter, the splashing—everything felt far away.
Nathan slowly smirked.
Calm.
Confident.
Ethan's expression hardened.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
The tension between them was silent…
But very clear
Liam's POV
The pool was the center of the party.
Lights from the backyard hung above us, reflecting across the water like broken stars.
Music played from the speakers while students laughed, splashed, and shouted across the yard.
I leaned lazily against the pool wall with a drink in my hand.
A girl beside me was talking, her arm resting casually on my shoulder.
She flicked water at me with a grin.
"You're not even listening," she complained.
I smirked. "I am. You said something about… pineapple juice."
She laughed and nudged me with her shoulder. "You're impossible."
I leaned closer just to tease her and lightly splashed water toward her.
She squealed and pushed me back.
Yeah.
Flirting.
It was kind of a habit.
But even while joking with her, my eyes wandered across the yard.
Emma sat at the edge of the pool with her legs in the water, her long silky hair falling down her back.
The light from the pool shimmered across her skin.
She looked quiet tonight.
Too quiet.
I followed where she was looking.
Ayana stood near the snack table looking irritated while Mark was clearly trying to cheer her up.
Jake and Nena were nearby laughing and talking like they were in their own little world.
Emma sighed softly.
The girl beside me noticed my attention drift.
"Oh," she said teasingly, poking my arm. "Looking somewhere else already?"
I chuckled and gently moved her hand away before pushing off the wall and swimming toward Emma.
When I reached the edge, I rested my arms on the side of the pool near her.
"Why are you suddenly quiet?" I asked.
Usually she'd kick me by now for flirting too much.
But today?
Nothing.
She rolled her eyes slightly.
"I don't have to kick you every time."
I grinned.
"Sure you don't."
I swam a little closer until I was directly in front of her.
The water rippled softly.
"You know," I added casually, "you look really pretty tonight."
She blinked.
Then she laughed softly and hit my shoulder.
"Stop it."
I chuckled.
But then she went quiet again.
When I glanced up, she was staring at my face.
Specifically…
My left cheek.
I already knew what she was looking at.
Still, I tilted my head and asked,
"What are you staring at?"
She blinked like she'd been caught.
"…Your birthmark," she admitted. "It's cute."
I smirked.
Then I moved closer in the water until I was almost right below where she sat.
She looked down at me.
I looked up at her.
A strand of her hair slipped across her face.
Without thinking, I lifted my hand and gently brushed it away.
Her eyes met mine.
For a moment the music, the laughter, the splashing—everything faded.
It was just the two of us looking at each other like we'd both realized something at the same time.
Then—
Someone shouted from behind us.
"JUST KISS ALREADY!"
The entire backyard exploded with laughter.
Emma immediately looked away, embarrassed.
I leaned back into the water, laughing too.
Then I lifted my drink toward her.
"Cheers."
She smiled shyly.
And this time…
I didn't look back at the girl in the pool.