EMERY
As we reach the front door, I turn to Arwan, noticing his persistent reluctance. I understand that spending time with me isn't his idea of a big night out, but I still managed to convince him to come to this party, and I'm quite proud of this achievement.
I adjust the top of his t-shirt, eliciting a grunt from him, before looking him in the eye.
"You'd better not spoil this," I warn him with a mischievous gleam in my eyes. "We both need to be fully invested in this act, okay? It's a two-person job."
He just nods, and I take that as confirmation that he'll get involved. I know it's not easy for him, especially with his massive crush on Zoya. I've noticed that her gaze lingers on him more often, so it's clear that our plan is working. I also enjoy giving Zoya smug looks from time to time, fanning the flames of her jealousy. Soon, I think she'll reach her breaking point, no longer seeing me as a competition and concentrating entirely on Arwan.
But tonight, the focus is solely on my own situation. Arwan informed me that Tyler had another party planned, and while I'm sure I haven't been invited, I'm also sure Tyler won't mind me turning up with his friend and captain.
With this in mind, I push open the door, ready to enter. However, before I can enter, I feel Arwan's fingers intertwine with mine, a surprising and electrifying gesture. I turn my head to look at him, and he simply nods.
"Let's go," he murmurs.
I let him lead me inside, a shiver running through me at the change in his attitude. It's as if a switch had been flicked, and now Arwan fully assumes the role we've thrown ourselves into. The energy in the room is vibrant, the music pulses in the air and bodies move to its rhythm. We wove our way through the crowd, our hands still interlaced, attracting the attention of the curious.
Arwan immediately suggests we have a drink. Knowing that neither of us drinks alcohol, we head for the kitchen, looking for some refreshment in the form of water. The crowded party intensifies the heat in the room, provoking an insatiable thirst in me. I find some respite by sitting on the counter, with Arwan positioned between my legs. A group of girls, including Zoya's friends, watch us with whispers and intrigued glances.
Moistening my lips, I lean closer to Arwan, the soft murmurs of the revellers fading into the background.
"Do you have tonight's plan in mind?" I ask, curiosity sparkling in my voice.
Arwan takes a sip of his drink and sets it down beside me, his hands resting on my thighs.
"We wait for Ty to make his appearance, perform our little act, then go up to a room and pretend to… you know," he says, his voice filled with some kind of embarrassment. "Am I right?"
I laugh lightly. "You have the memory of an elephant," I tease him. "Anyway, did you see Tyler on the way over here?"
Arwan shakes his head, his gaze searching the room. "No, I haven't spotted him yet. He's probably upstairs. He'll come later.
I nod in understanding, the anticipation of our big show building in me.
"Right. So we can take this time to, um…" I can't find an end to my sentence. Make the most of what? I don't know what I can do alone with Arwan, we've got nothing in common. And we don't even like each other. There's nothing for us to talk about. The only thing we could do was sit and wait. Or talk about Liliana. The only subject I can think of in common is his sister. But it'd be really weird to talk about her right now.
I think I'd much rather we kept quiet.
"Talk?" Arwan finally finishes. "We can talk, you know? I'm not as uninteresting as you think."
I raise an eyebrow. "Oh, yeah? Apart from basketball, what do you talk about?"
He laughs lightly, amused by my remark, before moving his pelvis towards me and taking a sip of water. "So I'm just a stupid athlete to you?"
I shrug nonchalantly. "And I'm just a stupid bitch to you?"
He rolls his eyes. "Stop it, I've never thought of you that way. Besides… I mean, I couldn't have an in-depth discussion about biochemistry with you, but I'm studying at our university, remember?"
"Yeah, studying what?"
I realise I've never heard Lil' mention what her brother is studying. All I know about Arwan is that he's into basketball. I've never bothered to find out what he's pursuing outside of sports.
"Computer science", he replies, surprising me.
I squint my eyes in disbelief. "Computer science? You? You're studying computing? Stop kidding me."
He chuckles at my reaction. "You underestimate me here. Do you think I'm that stupid?"
I don't answer his question; my curiosity is piqued. "Why computer science?"
He shrugs. "It's always interested me. There are so many misconceptions about the field, like… it's not just about being stuck behind a computer, you know? It's a vast world of discovery, and people often forget how integral it is to our daily lives."
Surprisingly, I find myself genuinely intrigued. "As in what?"
He ponders the question for a moment. "Well… we can use it in medicine, for instance. Countless advances have been made and will continue to be made because of it. It also affects many other aspects, even things we take for granted."
"What specifically are you interested in?" I ask further, wanting to explore this side of him.
He frowns, deep in thought. "I know this may sound like a stereotype, but I love developing video games."
My surprise is apparent. "Have you already developed one?
He moistens his lip, a hint of hesitation in his expression. "Sort of, yeah."
"And you've never told anyone?" I ask, genuinely curious.
He bursts out laughing. "It's not something I'd made a big announcement for. Besides, it's not perfect yet. I'm still working on improving it."
I can't believe what I'm hearing. "What's it about?"
I can feel a gleam of appreciation in his eyes as I show sincere interest in his game. I'm really stunned by him. I could never have imagined him as a developer. Although basketball is his ultimate goal, it shows another side of him—a passion I'd never seen before. I realise now that I underestimated him and had preconceptions about who he was. It's humbling.
"Well, I wanted to combine two things I love, so I created a basketball game with unique twists," he explains, his voice bursting with enthusiasm.
And just like that, I'm captivated by his narration for the next thirty minutes. He simplifies the technical jargon, making it accessible to me. He patiently answers all my questions, and I find myself playing the role of an investigator, immersing myself in his world. It's a way of passing the time, but also because it really fascinates me. Moreover, seeing him speak with such passion and excitement brings out a side of him that I rarely see. It's a privilege to be here, witnessing that part of him.
This is the happy Arwan, not the one pretending to be.
"I'll certainly have to try your game," I tell him, a smile forming at the corner of my lips.
He raises an eyebrow, a playful challenge in his gaze. "You? Do you even know how to play video games?"
I slap his arm. "What are these prejudices? Just wait and see."
He bursts out laughing, his laugh infectious. "I'll see. I do need an honest opinion, and I know you won't hold back, so it's perfect."
Of course, if his performance doesn't meet my expectations, I won't hesitate to let him know. But I'm really impressed by his dedication and the fact that he's developed a game himself. That's quite an achievement, and it only adds to my growing admiration for him.
"What about you?" Arwan resumes.
"Me? What about me?"
"Do you want to talk about biochemistry?"
"Do you really think you could keep up? I mock. "It seems a little too complex for a little brain like yours."
He rolls his eyes. "What did we say about prejudice? I…"
I pay no attention to the rest of his sentence as I spot Tyler in the distance, mingling with the crowd. Without hesitation, I jump off the counter and grab Arwan's hand, wordlessly urging him forward with me. Side by side, we get closer to where Tyler is standing, absorbed in a conversation with a friend. He hasn't noticed us yet, but I know he'll look up eventually. And when he does, he'll have quite a sight to see.
Positioning my back against Arwan, I take his hands and guide them around me. I press myself against him, resting my head on his chest before tilting my gaze up to meet his eyes.
"He's right there," I murmur, pointing subtly at Tyler.
Arwan doesn't even glance over, already knowing whom I'm referring to.
"The first phase of the plan?"
"Exactly," I confirm with a sly smile. "And don't hold back. We need to make it convincing."
His hands tighten around me, showing he's ready to play his part in our little act.
As a new song fills the room, I express my gratitude to the DJ for creating the perfect sensual atmosphere. Pushed against Arwan, I start to undulate, closing my eyes and letting my hands rest on his, feeling his movements mirror my own. We move in perfect sync, our bodies merging in unbreakable harmony. Arwan enters fully into the dance, sliding his hands down my dress before gently pulling them up.
Arwan's touch is exactly what I want, and it's almost disturbing. With a firm grip followed by a teasing release, he tempts me, encouraging me to look up to meet his eyes, which are already fixed on me. At this point, I'm simply staring at him, continuing to dance against him and savouring his touch, which, to be honest, is far from the horrific experience I'd imagined. Quite the opposite, in fact.
I even find myself gasping for breath as his head moves closer to mine.
"Your guy is watching us," he whispers, his words sending a thrilling sensation through me.
I nod.
Let the game begin.