Olivia's hand felt warm in mine as we moved through the crowd, weaving past groups of people laughing, drinking, and dancing. The music was loud, the bass thumping through my chest like a second heartbeat, and for a moment, I let myself get lost in the rhythm. I was here with Olivia, and nothing else mattered.
Her presence was enough to drown out the lingering disappointment from the game, the exhaustion from being everything to everyone. Tonight was about us about escaping into something that felt good and right.
We found a quiet corner near the bar, where the light was softer, casting a warm glow over Olivia's features. She looked stunning, her dark eyes sparkling with mischief as she leaned in closer. I could smell her perfume something sweet and intoxicating that made my head spin in the best way.
"You want a drink?" she asked, her voice low, almost a purr.
I nodded, watching as she signaled to the bartender. As she turned back to me, her gaze was intense, and for a moment, the world around us seemed to blur. It was just us, wrapped in our own little bubble of warmth and affection.
She handed me a glass, her fingers brushing against mine, sending a jolt of electricity up my arm. I took a sip, the cool liquid sliding down my throat as I tried to focus on anything other than the way her lips were curving into that smile that always made me weak.
"You know," I said, trying to sound casual, "I'm really glad you're here tonight."
Olivia's smile widened, and she took a step closer, her hand coming up to rest on my chest. "Me too," she murmured. "I've been looking forward to this all day."
Her words sent a thrill through me, and before I knew it, I was leaning in, my lips brushing against hers. The kiss was slow, deliberate, like we had all the time in the world. It was everything I needed comfort, reassurance, and a reminder that no matter how tough things got, I had this. I had her.
But just as I was losing myself in the kiss, I felt a tap on my shoulder. I pulled back, blinking as I looked up to see a girl standing there, her expression a mix of apology and something else I couldn't quite place.
"Sorry to interrupt," she said, glancing between Olivia and me, "but I was hoping to get a quick word with you, Camille."
Olivia raised an eyebrow, her grip on my hand tightening slightly. "About what?"
The girl, who I now recognized as someone I'd seen around the local courts a few times, shifted on her feet, looking a little embarrassed. "Just wanted to talk basketball for a second. I won't keep her long, promise."
Olivia sighed, her eyes flicking back to me. "You can spare a minute, right?"
I hesitated, not wanting to leave Olivia's side, but eventually nodded. "Sure, I'll be right back."
As I followed the girl through the crowded room, I felt Olivia's gaze on my back, and I couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt. I didn't want to leave her, not even for a moment, but this girl had a determined look in her eyes, and I was curious about what she wanted.
We stepped into a quieter hallway, away from the thumping music and loud chatter. The girl turned to face me, a small smile playing on her lips.
"So," she began, her voice a little too casual, "you were incredible in the game today."
I shrugged, not really in the mood to talk about basketball. "Thanks, but we lost. It wasn't exactly my best performance."
She shook her head, her eyes gleaming. "Are you kidding? You were a beast out there. You almost single-handedly brought your team back from the brink. I've never seen anything like it."
I forced a smile, nodding politely. "Appreciate that."
The conversation dragged on, with her peppering me with questions about my training routine, my future plans, and whether I'd considered going pro. She was enthusiastic, bordering on flirtatious, but my mind was elsewhere.
I answered her questions on autopilot, my thoughts drifting back to Olivia, wondering what she was doing, if she was waiting for me to come back.
Finally, I managed to excuse myself, citing the need to get back to Olivia. The girl looked a little disappointed, but she let me go, and I quickly made my way back to the party.
But when I stepped back into the room, something felt different. The atmosphere had shifted, the air thick with an unspoken tension that made my skin prickle. I pushed through the crowd, my eyes scanning the room for Olivia. Every second that passed made my heart beat faster, a growing sense of unease creeping up my spine.
It took longer than I expected to find her, the room feeling more crowded than before. I waved off greetings and brief conversations, my focus entirely on finding Olivia. But when I finally spotted her, my heart froze.
She was standing by the bar, just as I'd left her, but she wasn't alone. A guy I didn't recognize was with her, his arm casually draped around her waist. And then, before I could even process what I was seeing, Olivia leaned in and kissed him.
It was like a punch to the gut, knocking the breath out of me. I stood there, frozen, as the scene unfolded in front of me in slow motion.
The music, the people, the laughter all of it faded away, leaving just the two of them in sharp focus. I couldn't tear my eyes away, even though every second felt like a new wound being carved into my chest.
For a moment, I thought maybe I was seeing things wrong. Maybe it wasn't what it looked like. But then Olivia pulled back, laughing softly as she looked up at him, her eyes filled with a warmth that I'd thought was reserved for me.
My stomach churned, a wave of nausea rolling through me as the realization hit. This wasn't a misunderstanding. It was real, and it was happening right in front of everyone. The girl I trusted, the girl who had just been kissing me not twenty minutes ago, was now kissing someone else like I didn't even exist.
The noise of the party came rushing back all at once, but it felt distant, like I was underwater. My feet were rooted to the floor, my body refusing to move, to react, to do anything but stand there and watch as my world shattered around me.
Everything I'd felt just moments ago the warmth, the affection, the connection all of it was gone, replaced by a cold, hollow ache that spread through my chest like ice.
I wanted to scream, to cry, to run away and never look back, but I couldn't move. I was paralyzed by the shock, the betrayal, the overwhelming pain of seeing the person I loved with someone else.
My vision blurred, tears stinging at the corners of my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. Not here, not now. I couldn't break down in front of all these people, couldn't let them see how much this was destroying me.
So I just stood there, my fists clenched at my sides, my nails digging into my palms as I fought to keep myself together.
But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't escape the truth staring me in the face. The girl I thought I knew, the girl I'd trusted with my heart, was kissing another man right in front of everyone.
And in that moment, I realized that everything I'd believed in, everything I'd thought we had, was nothing more than a lie.
The tears that had been threatening to fall finally spilled over, hot and bitter as they streaked down my cheeks.
I wiped them away quickly, my hands trembling as I tried to pull myself together. But the damage was done. My heart was in pieces, and there was no way to put it back together again.
All I could do was stand there, frozen in place, as the world moved on around me. The music, the laughter, the party it all continued like nothing had happened, like my heart hadn't just been ripped out of my chest. But for me, everything had changed.
And I didn't know if I'd ever be able to put the pieces of my shattered world back together again.