Page 13 of The Bittersweet Bond

"Good thing you’re here," Milka said, grinning and wiggling her eyebrows. "Otherwise, I might have told Bas you’d rather stay home."

Evin raised her eyebrows skeptically, a hint of mockery in her voice. "Oh please, as if he’d care."

Hannah laughed out loud. "Come on, Evin! We’ve all seen how he’s been looking at you these last few weeks. The guy acts like he’s all cool, but we know he has no clue how to handle you."

Evin rolled her eyes, but something tightened inside her.

Bas was a constant presence in her mind, her refuge, even though she kept telling herself there was no point in thinking about him. In all the storms raging inside her, everything went still, windless, when she thought of him.

"Whatever, he’ll probably be talking to half the girls at the party tonight. Not myproblem."

Even though he had talked about exclusivity yesterday and it had completely thrown her off, she didn’t trust it. He had disappointed and left her hanging too many times.

"Or he’ll just stand in the corner watching you," Milka winked at her, casting a quick glance out the window. "We’re almost there, girls! Ready?"

Evin couldn’t help but smile. Excitement rose, even though deep down she knew the night wouldn’t be that simple. Maybe that was exactly what she needed, a night of fun, at least for a few hours.

As the taxi pulled up, the music outside was almost as loud as inside. The mansion was glowing, people streaming in, and the air was filled with voices, laughter, and the deep beat of the music. A surge of uncertainty ran through Evin.

What exactly were the boundaries of theirexclusivity?

Since they hadn’t discussed anything, Evin didn’t know how to handle it. She’d just go with what felt right, but as for kissing and anything else, she’d hold back. Is that even possible? she wondered. Keeping her distance without it hurting?

Hannah jumped out first, followed closely by Milka. Evin lingered for a moment, taking a deep breath before stepping onto the gravel in front of the grand building. The lights reflected in the windows, and it felt as if the night still held countless possibilities.

The melody wrapped around Evin, drawing her in, and the closer she got to the crowd, the stronger its pull became. Her friends took her by the hand, guiding her through the thickening crowd, their laughter swallowed up by the noise around them. They pushed their way through when suddenly someone appeared in front of Evin, almost running into her.

"Hey! It’s pretty crowded in here!" Ben’s voice cut through the noise, a slight grin on his lips.

"Yeah," she replied, glancing around briefly before giving him a challenging look. "Where’s everyone else?"

"Who cares?" He took a step closer. "I thought I’d rather get my dance partner."

Evin laughed, trying to ignore the warmth creeping up her neck. "And you thought I was the best choice?"

"Definitely," he said, rubbing the back of his neck, looking slightly embarrassed. Suddenly, Milka squeezed between them.

"Sorry, Ben, but I need to borrow my friend for a sec," and without further explanation, she grabbed Evin’s hand and pulled her away.

A drink was much needed.

"Where’s Hannah?" Evin asked, concerned.

Milka nodded toward a group gathered at the edge of the dance floor. There, she saw Hannah chatting with some classmates.

Right beside her stood Bas—casually in the crowd, hands buried in the pockets of his perfectly fitted pants. His light brown hair fell slightly over his face as he scanned the dance floor with a bored look. As if the whole world belonged to him…

The flickering party lights cast sharp shadows on his defined cheekbones, and his confident, almost indifferent smile was impossible to miss.

When his eyes landed on Evin, his eyebrows drew together slightly, and his jaw clenched for just a second. A muscle twitched in his face before he tilted his head slightly, just enough to signal that he had seen her. It wasn’t a smile, more like a challenge hanging in the air, as if he knew exactly how much his mere presence threw her off balance.

Evin felt the tension, the slight shift in his posture that only she seemed to notice. He said nothing, did nothing, and yet, that alone was enough to captivate her.

The world around them pulsed on, but between them, time seemed to stand still. Evin felt Bas’s gaze on her, a heat creeping along her spine. She met his stare, letting a mysterious, almost playful smile curl on her lips before holding his gaze for just a second longer than necessary, daring him. Her eyes gleamed, silent flirtation, before she casually turned back to Milka, as if nothing had happened.

But inside, she was burning. His look had ignited something in her that she couldn’t ignore—a spark crackling beneath her skin.

Milka sipped her drink and laughed. "One more shot, and then we hit the dance floor. Tonight, we’re having fun!"

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