( FAYE )

wearing the veil of midnight, the balcony stands as a silent sentinel overlooking the sleeping city.

the world below is wrapped in a quilt of darkness, with only the moon and stars as distant, celestial nightlights.

finn and i are situated in two chairs facing one another, silhouetted against the city's muted luminance.

a light, nocturnal breeze brushes past us, rustling the leaves of potted plants and bringing with it the scent of nighttime flowers.

finns eyes land on mine. "faye, what happened with you and sadie?"

noticing my lack of response, he speaks again.

"i mean, it's not new for you two to fall apart but i thought you were trying to be friends. you haven't seen her in months"

he's not wrong; sadie and i have been mere specks in each other's orbits. we've had tiny glimmers of interaction these past few months.

only the occasional texts, or comments under eachothers posts.

for anyone with a sensible mind, this drifting apart would seem like a blessing, especially given the profound hurt she deals me.

yet, for me, it's hell.

i know i should distance myself; sadie has been both my bane and my solace.

i sigh, placing my mug on the small table. "it wasn't intentional. life just got in the way"

finn nods, deciding to sweep away the subject.

"so, i'm hosting a party this saturday" he begins. "just for fun, i don't know"

i chuckle. "and you wanna ask me if you can invite sadie?"

a sheepish grin spreads across his expression. "well... yeah"

"ofcourse" i shrug. "i'm okay with it"

he exhales in relief. "good, i already invited her like an hour ago"

— ★ —

sadies entrance is like a solar eclipse, casting a shadow over the ambience of the party.

i felt her presence before i even saw her; the aura of uncertainty, like a storm brewing on the horizon.

as she strolls into the living room, her eyes briefly meet mine, prior to shifting over to the others in a hurry.

she avoids me.

i stand in the shadows, a silent observer, listening in on her conversations with a heavy heart that had absorbed many unspoken words.

my place remains confined to this corner. i can't summon the courage to approach her, to bridge the chasm that had grown between us over these long months.

it's too late for a reunion.

my breath quickens, and an unsettling yet very familiar knot twists within my stomach.

i watch as she laughs, smiles, converses with ease. in her every move and word, she appears as the embodiment of perfection, almost as if her very existence is a taunt to my insecurities.

every eye in this room is drawn to her, captivated by the allure of sadie sink.

she's everything.

it's a bitter feeling, a sense of resentment festering within that i hate.

my gaze remains glued on her, her laughter and smiles like distant stars that had strayed too far from my reach.

i really despise the turmoil i feel, the helplessness that engulfs me as i continue to stand there, a silent observer of her world.

i sit in my secluded corner, sipping the beer i had discreetly swiped from finns grasp. i'm aware i shouldn't be drinking, but does it even matter anymore?

every now and then, the redhead decides to acknowledge my existence for a second with a fleeting glance, our eyes meeting briefly before she immerses herself back in her conversations.

what a party.

atleast the music is decent; it is finns party after all, bad music would be abnormal here.

"hey, it's been a while"

the soft and almost hesitant melody is nothing but a dagger to my chest.

she avoids me for an hour of the party; despite being steps away, and now she approaches.

nonetheless, i mask my inner whirlwind with a smile.

"yeah, it has"

she takes a seat beside me, fixing her gaze onto her lap whilst chewing on her bottom lip.

"anything exciting happen with you?"

i exhale, facing her. "no, not really"

her eyes trail down to the can in my grip. "drinking again?"

"not in general but... tonight, yes" i lightly chuckle under my breath.

a grin tugs at her lips. "well then, let's not waste this"

"the world was on fire, and no one could save me but you"

as the night sways in a tipsy embrace, sadie and i drown in the allure of my karaoke machine.

it's as if the alcohol has given our voices newfound courage.

standing side by side, i clutch the microphone, my fingers trembling ever so slightly as the two of us sing loud and proud.

it's definitely not the most remarkable performance, taking into account the amount of liquor in our systems.

"what a wicked game you play to make me feel this way"

swinging and bumping into eachother, the others drunkenly cheer and sing along as we continue our "performance"

as the songs final notes fade into the room, an ill-advised notion springs forth from the crowd — spin the bottle.

it's one of those classic party games that i've always found distasteful.

the idea of letting a spinning glass vessel decide a romantic encounter, all while being cheered on by intoxicated bystanders, feels like a scene from an absurd carnival of folly.

"that's really not for me" my hand rises up to my other arm, counting the goosebumps.

the redhead frowns. "come on, it'll be fun"

"watching random people tongue eachother? no thank you" i slightly slur my words.

"well" she begins. "you might have to tongue someone too at some point"

"that's even worse!"

she breaks off her momentary silence with a hushed voice. "and what if it's me?"

without a moment to collect my thoughts, a beckoning voice calls us towards the circle.

my heartbeat echoes in my ears as i observe the bottle's languid twirls, like a celestial dance of fate.

the seconds feel eternal, each one drawing out the tension.

"my turn" finn drunkenly attemps spinning it, failing twice before it actually spins.

when the bottle's languorous pirouette ceases, it points directly at me, causing me to chuckle.

"this is your lucky day"

he places a kiss on my cheek, clutching his chest with a gasp as i immediately wipe it off.

many spins pass by, but ofcourse, i can't avoid the inevitable.

the bottle stops, pointing unapologetically between me and the redhead.

our eyes meet, and the room falls silent; either that or i'm fading every single noise out.

an uncontainable grin plays at her lips. "we don't have to do it if you don't want"

"it's okay"

with a deep breath, i bridge the gap between us, lips meeting hers in a gentle and poignant kiss.

the aroma of alcohol plays tricks on my senses, causing my head to whirl, and yet i don't distance myself.

her lips are intoxicating, soft and gentle. i had almost forgotten this feeling.

finn intervenes, effectively pulling us apart from one another with his voice.

"alright, break it off. no one wants to see this"

i'm so lost — the rational part of my mind insists it was just part of the game, a meaningless peck prompted by chance.

yet, the other part is falling back into the intoxicating trap that is sadie sink.

each stolen glance and lingering memory of her lips on mine add weight to the ever-confusing puzzle of my feelings.

is it just a nostalgic spark ignited by the game, or are these embers from a fire that never truly went out?

the uncertainty gnaws at me, much like the treacherous waves of longing and desire i thought i had tamed over time.

🍋 (slight)

as we sit on a couch, isolated far enough from the others, her hand placement decides to make this situation much less bearable.

she places it on my thigh, running her thumb back and forth, stroking the surface of my skin.

the movement, slow and inexorable, ascends further and further until it's on my inner thigh.

as the moment unfolds, my breath becomes increasingly shorter, leaving me at a loss for how to navigate this.

adding to the complexity, the dress i'm wearing doesn't offer much coverage, amplifying the magnitude of the predicament.

"sades..." my breath hitches.

she doesn't respond, and instead continues the silent movement of her hand.

i yearn for her touch, as my body trembles at the anticipation.

my heart races as the skin of our legs brush past one another, sending waves of euphoria through my body.

each time her hand passes over my inner thigh, her fingers brush lightly against my underwear, eliciting a sharp gasp from me.

she brushes strands of hair behind my ears, her whispering voice encouraging me to lose all dignity.

"let's go upstairs"

every time her teeth graze my skin, i can't help but release an uncontainable breath.

she has me pressed against a wall in my room, her lips exploring the delicate expanse of my neck and collarbone, while her hands clutch my waist with unwavering intensity.

my own fingers are ensnared in the depths of her fiery red hair, drawing her nearer to me in an insistent plea for further connection.

"sadie..." i tug gently at her hair.

she withdraws herself from my neck, locking her lustful eyes with mine. "yeah?"

"don't let us fail again"

in a fluid motion, her lips curve into a grin before she returns to her previous actions.

the slow movement of her soft hands on my back brings waves of anticipation through my body. as the zipper gradually opens, i feel myself surrendering to her.

★ authors note ,,

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