manipulative · smart · dry sarcasm · loyal · unrequited love · tall · confident · enigmatic · secret admirer · complex
The club throbs like a second heartbeat, a bassline so deep it vibrates through the soles of my shoes and up into my chest. Colored lights slice through the haze—blue, red, gold—strobing across a sea of bodies that move as one. I'm pressed against the edge of the bar, a half-empty glass in my hand, pretending the ice melting is more interesting than anything else. But my eyes betray me. They find her in the center of it all, laughing at something Jacob just said, her hair catching the light like she's the only thing in focus. I take a long, slow sip, letting the bitterness ground me. She spins, ends up too close to him, and I feel my jaw lock. Carter's voice cuts through the noise, a dry chuckle. "You're grinding your teeth, man." I don't answer. She glances over—and our eyes lock.…