Page 197 of The Bittersweet Bond

"Deal," Evin laughed. Her voice was light, carefree even, but inside, she felt the exact opposite. The thought of stepping into that house full of people made her stomach twist.

Bas turned slightly, his signature smirk making Evin’s heart race against her will. "You know you can’t actually do that, right?"

"Why not?" Milka shot him a glare, crossing her arms defiantly.

"Because Bellamy and I are the only ones who know where the vodka is hidden." His tone was relaxed, but the look he gave Evin was anything but casual.

Bellamy scoffed without looking up from his phone. "Bas, let them. We don’t want them bailing before we even get inside."

Evin let out a quiet laugh, shaking her head. Whether it was his voice or the underlying tension between them, she suddenly felt a lot less sure of herself.

The music was the first thing to hit her, even before the door fully opened. The bass pulsed through the walls, vibrating the floor and pounding against Evin’s chest. As they stepped inside, it felt like the house had its own heartbeat—loud, chaotic, alive.

People were everywhere. Some stood in clusters, others danced to a song that was barely distinguishable beneath the heavy bass. On the left side, a makeshift table was stacked with red cups and bottles, while on the right, a group of shirtless guys were attempting to play beer pong—spilling more than they actually landed. "Wasn’t too hard to find the drinks," Evin quipped.

"Wow," Milka murmured as she took it all in, her eyes gleaming with excitement. "This is… bigger than I expected."

Evin nodded wordlessly, absorbing her surroundings. The air was thick with the scent of alcohol, perfume, and a faint trace of saltwater drifting in from the open windows. It was almost overwhelming, the sheer volume of everything happening at once.

"Come on, let’s get drinks," Bellamy called, effortlessly weaving through the crowd like he was built for nights like this. Bas followed him, but not before throwing aquick glance back at Evin. "Try not to get into trouble," he teased before disappearing into the crowd.

"Alright. We said we’d ditch them, so let’s do it," Milka reminded her.

Evin followed, letting her fingertips brush against the doorframe as she walked in. The lights were dim, flickering in bursts of neon from the LED strips along the walls. It felt like a movie—one where she wasn’t sure if she was part of the story or just an observer.

She moved through the crowd, but it felt more like wading through fog than weaving between people. Voices and laughter blurred into a distant hum. Everything passed by in a rush while her eyes searched—searched for him. Bas was somewhere in this house, and she could feel his presence like an invisible weight, pulling her in.

"Here!" Milka dragged her toward the makeshift bar. With expert ease, she grabbed a bottle of vodka and an energy drink. "This is the cure for everything."

"For everything?" Evin asked absently, running her fingers over the condensation on a plastic cup.

Milka laughed, but her gaze was sharp as she studied Evin. "You’re not really here, are you?

Evin flinched, letting go of the cup and forcing a smile. "Of course I am."

"Hm." Milka set the bottle down, crossing her arms. "More like wherever he is."

Evin smirked, but her gaze instinctively flickered around the room, despite herself. "I don’t know what you’re talking about."

"Right. Of course not." Milka’s smile was knowing as she lifted her drink before slipping back into the crowd. "I’m gonna go find Bell."

"Milka! Wait!" Evin hesitated. The voices around her grew louder, sharper, but she couldn’t move. Her fingers trembled slightly as she raised the cup to her lips, taking a small sip. The bitter taste made her scrunch her nose, but it did nothing to still the restlessness inside her.

"Evin? Didn’t think I’d see you here."

The familiar voice made her jump. She looked up, meeting Rafael’s warm brown eyes as he studied her with quiet curiosity. He wore a simple black shirt, sleeves rolled up, a slight smirk playing on his lips.

"Rafael. Hi." She was genuinely glad to see him.

"Surprise."

"Yeah. Definitely unexpected."

"Glad to see you actually showed up," Rafael said, grabbing a bottle and pouring himself a drink—half vodka, half orange juice. "Thought you might change your mind last minute."

Evin shrugged, gripping her cup a little tighter. "Milka and the guys convinced me. And well… didn’t you say something about a little distraction never hurts?"

"That’s true." Rafael chuckled, leaning casually against the table. His gaze flickered over the room before returning to hers. "You just got here? Didn’t see you before."

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