It was one of those nights where everything felt like it was in its right place. The music was loud enough to make your heart beat in rhythm, the lights flashing in every color imaginable, and the crowd—a mix of people who had no intention of doing anything but enjoying the night.
Quinn was in her element. She had the world at her fingertips, her best friend Ava beside her, and a glass of something fruity and expensive in hand. They'd hit their usual club, and Quinn was already scanning the room, sizing up the night's possibilities. Ava had dragged her into a spontaneous selfie session, and the next thing Quinn knew, the night was on full blast.
"Check out this guy," Ava whispered into her ear, her eyes flicking to a guy at the bar who was clearly into Quinn.
Quinn rolled her eyes, taking a sip of her drink. "Not my type."
Ava raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure? He looks like he'd do anything to get your attention."
"I don't need anyone to do anything for my attention," Quinn replied nonchalantly, flashing her signature grin. "I'm perfectly fine just enjoying the night with you."
But Ava wasn't having it. "Come on, Quinn, just one dance. You need to have a little fun. Who knows, maybe you'll find someone you can, you know, not lead on for once."
Quinn laughed. "I'm not looking for anything serious. I'm just here for the party, Ava."
Before Ava could respond, Quinn's phone buzzed in her pocket. She checked it and immediately rolled her eyes.
*Another post?* she thought. It was a notification from Instagram—a comment from Ethan.
"Having fun?" the message read, followed by a winking emoji.
Her brows knitted together as she tapped the screen to type a reply.
*Yes, obviously. Are you keeping up with my every move now?* she typed, her fingers tapping out the words quickly. *Not that you'd want to be here anyway.*
She sent it, waiting for his response while she absentmindedly watched Ava strike up a conversation with one of the guys from earlier.
A few moments later, her phone buzzed again. Ethan's reply was immediate:
*Not really my scene, but it's interesting to know how well you're doing at leading people on. If it's all a game, then I suppose I'm out of my depth.*
Quinn's lips curved into a smirk. *What are you talking about? I'm just having fun.*
But even as she typed, a flicker of something unexpected twisted inside her. A little pang of guilt? Or something else? She quickly dismissed it, locking her phone and pushing the thought away.
---
Meanwhile, across the room, another pair of eyes were watching Quinn. Tyler, a long-time friend, leaned against the bar with a casual air, taking in the way Quinn laughed, how effortlessly she drew people to her. They'd been friends for years—close enough that he could sense when she was trying to avoid anything serious. But tonight? Tonight, he didn't want to just be her friend.
He had watched her interact with guys like it was a game, but tonight he wasn't going to just stand by and watch. He'd been in her orbit long enough to know what made her tick, and if he could make her see him in a new light, he might have a shot.
"Hey, Quinn," Tyler called, weaving through the crowd. His voice was light but purposeful as he approached. "You're looking good tonight. Mind if I steal you for a dance?"
Quinn raised an eyebrow. "Steal me? I didn't know I was for sale."
Tyler grinned. "Come on. Let's see if you can keep up."
As they moved toward the dance floor, Quinn's mind wandered to something Ethan had said. She quickly shoved the thought aside, focusing on the here and now. But Tyler wasn't making it easy to ignore.
The song changed, and as they danced, Quinn's thoughts drifted back to Ethan—strangely enough. Was he watching her posts tonight? Was he annoyed by the attention she was getting?
She felt the buzzing of her phone again and saw Ethan's name light up the screen. His message was simple but laced with a subtle challenge:
*Looks like you've got quite the audience tonight.*
Quinn's pulse quickened, but she pushed it down, tossing her phone on the table beside her.
"Well, Tyler," she said, pulling him in closer, "I think you're going to have to step up your game. These guys aren't exactly the competition."
Tyler grinned, misinterpreting her playful tone for something else. "If you say so. But I'm definitely going to give it a try."
As they danced, Quinn couldn't help but wonder—had Ethan really been paying that much attention? She couldn't shake the thought, no matter how much she tried to focus on Tyler.
And so, as the night carried on, Quinn found herself caught between the exhilarating attention of the guys at the club and the curious tension brewing from the messages she kept getting from Ethan.