❝ Ṡ𝗶𝚗cₗǟ𝗶ℝ❞

“We’re hoping for a Hawaii wedding,” Rainbow said with a bright smile.

She hugged the arm of the man beside her... Patrick, who it turned out had shared homeroom with Viola. I suppressed a smirk when Vie nodded, her lips pressed together in a pout as she stared between Rainbow and her fiancé. It seemed she was no closer to remembering who Patrick was.

“Sounds lovely,” said one of the men in the group that Viola and I had found ourselves standing with.

Zephyr, I remembered.

He had a name that stood out. I glanced down when Viola took my hand and was frowning at Zephyr who appeared to be smirking back.

Is she okay?

I squeezed Vie’s hand by way of encouragement. When we joined the group, the conversation had been Patrick reminiscing about being on the school football team. It seemed some of the others had also been on the team, including Zephyr.

Maybe I should find us an escape route.

Rainbow had, for some reason, taken it upon herself to talk to Viola, encouraging her out of her seat and half-dragging her by the wrist to join the group.

Was she overcompensating for something?

Maybe she had been like this in high school. One of those people eager, or maybe instructed by teachers, to bring the quiet kids into the fold and get them to take part. But her intentions seemed to be genuine.

I’m probably worried over nothing.

The conversation had switched from football to further education and career paths, which Viola had handled fine. Then to Rainbow’s upcoming wedding.

“How about you, Vie? Think you’ll ever get married?” the man next to Zephyr asked.

Viola looked at the man opposite her. I couldn’t recall his name even though I had heard it just moments before. Viola shifted her feet as if she were about to say something, but she remained silent, instead tightening her hold on my hand. When I considered stepping in, it was Rainbow who spoke up.

“And how is that any of your business hm? If she wants to get married, I'm pretty sure she will when she feels like it. If not too, what's it to ya'?”

I was surprised by the sass in her voice but also grateful as Vie’s grip lessened.

“He was just asking, babe,” Patrick said and hugged her shoulder. “I mean we're all getting older, isn’t it?”

Rainbow tensed her jaw but nodded. Then the group fell into silence. The question had killed the mood. I glanced over my shoulder. There were a few people on the dance floor now. So I tugged on Viola’s arm until she faced me. Then I leaned in close to her ear and asked, “Wanna dance?”

Viola side-eyed the man who had spoken out.

“Sure” She stared up at me.

“Good” I smiled wide, the fluttering in my chest making small ripples of warmth fan out through me.

What was this sudden urge to want to protect her?

I nodded, then scanned the group of people we had been conversing with.

“Sorry to steal Viola away, but I want to dance with my girlfriend,” I said so everyone could hear me above the music. “It was lovely meeting you all.”

I didn’t hesitate to lead Viola by the hand, escaping the uncomfortable situation we had ended up in. I walked with her to the small dance floor, not caring to look back. It didn’t matter whether they were high school students or grown adults, people could still be ignorant assholes.

We stopped on the far side of the room. The song playing was something I recognized but couldn’t name. A middle-of-the-road kind of pace to the melody. I kept hold of Viola’s hand, swaying it as she tried to channel the feeling of being drunk, the kind of drunk where somebody thought they had the dancing prowess of Travolta.

This was a terrible idea.

I watched Viola.

Or maybe it wasn’t.

If nothing else, Viola was smiling again as she shuffled from one foot to the other. She stared down at her feet as if calculating her footing.

“You seem distracted,” I began with care. “Is everything okay with you, Vie?”

Viola, for the first time since I'd met her, didn’t launch into one of her monologues. If anything, she was silent for way longer than I ever expected her to be. Then she sighed.

“Just having trouble remembering everyone. I don’t think I really joined in much at school. Too much time studying, I guess. If I could go back and do it all again...”

I didn’t press for more information, instead, I decided at that moment that I needed to be a distraction so Viola could have time to think.

“So, is there a science to dancing, too?” I moved closer so she could hear me.

Vie shook her head.

“Nah, I don’t think so. Or at least, not a field of science I know. But I could look into it.”

I laughed.

“Please don’t.”

I raised mine and Viola’s hand and encouraged her to spin under my arm and into a hug.

“Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry,” Viola said when she stepped on my foot. “Are you okay?”

I squeezed her, then leaned back so I could look into her eyes. I held Viola by the waist as we swayed, taking steps back and forth. She was warm where our bodies pressed together, and I found myself lost in the shine of Viola’s eyes beneath the lights of the dance floor.

God, she's beautiful.

We stayed that way for a short while, each staring into the other’s eyes. Until Viola turned her face and gently pushed at my chest.

“I... erm... I’m going to go find the restrooms” She touched her bangs. “Would you mind getting me another drink? Just a soda or something?”

“Not a problem.”

We left the floor together but didn’t separate straight away.

“Hey, Vie, is everything okay?” I asked when Viola seemed to hesitate.

She breathed in, glancing across the room, then back to me.

“Thanks,” she said.

I made a face.

“For what?”

“Just thanks, Sinclair” Viola shrugged. “For dancing with me. Or whatever.”

She's so cute when she's all flustered.

“Sure thing, Vie,” I said. “Just a soda, yes?” I pointed toward the bar.

“Yes, please. I’ll meet you back here.”

Viola reached out, rubbed my shoulder, and slid her hand down my arm until she brushed the back of my hand.

“Seriously, Sin. Thanks.”

And she headed out of the room and into the corridor.
I smiled after her then went to the bar to order two sodas. I stood in view of the exit before placing the drinks on a nearby table and folding my arms across my chest.

I scanned the room, noting the remnants of the group we had been with earlier. Rainbow was there with Patty, along with what seemed to be another couple. Zephyr and the bulky man, as well as some of the others, seemed to have split off from the rest once Vie and I had removed ourselves from any further conversation.

I twisted my arm and checked my watch. I had no idea how long it had been since Viola went to use the restroom. It probably was nowhere near as long as it felt.

A minute, an hour, a whole day.

I sucked on my teeth as I stared at the people on the dance floor and watched the patterns of colorful lights dance across them.

What's with the uneasiness I felt in my chest?

It was ridiculous. I was just here to play a role.

A fake.

And yet, I didn’t like that Viola was out of my sight.

I want to go find her.

I decided to do just that and left the room. I followed the signs to the bathroom.

Female.

When I entered and rounded a corner, I was shocked and worried to find Viola standing with her back to me, crowded by three men.

What the...?

I eyed the one in the middle and flexed my fingers. I didn’t know what the hell was going on here, but I was ready to jump in.

“Vie?” I called out and stepped closer.

Viola looked over her shoulder and my heart practically stopped at what I saw. She was pale and her expression was beyond grim.

What the hell was going on?