Page 40 of The Bittersweet Bond

After only a few steps, she was surrounded by the familiar haze of cigarette smoke and the sharp tang of alcohol. Though it was early October, the night still felt like summer.

"We have to make the most of these last warm days," Jonas had said when he announced the party at school.

Evin took a deep breath, the smell of chlorine tickling her sinuses as she blinked into the distance.

He had to be somewhere.

Her heartbeat quickened involuntarily at the thought of him.

She tried to shake it off, but his presence seemed to hover over everything, as if the wind itself whispered his name.

Tonight, she told herself,things could turn around.

With a nervous smile, she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and walkedslowly along the path lit by small lamps, leading to the pool. The dark water reflected and shimmered with colorful lights and moonlight, while the music grew louder with every step.

She was supposed to be looking for Milka. Where was she?

Evin had texted her earlier, but there had been no response. Since her ballet practice had run late, Milka had left for the party ahead of her. Evin was curious to hear how the evening had gone so far.

The warmth of the evening clung to her skin, mixing with the faint scent of chlorine and distant cigarette smoke. The music pulsed through the night, carrying with it laughter and the occasional sound of splashing water from the pool. The garden lights cast golden pools onto the stone pathway, illuminating glimpses of legs dipping into the water, heads thrown back in laughter, and glasses reflecting the glow of the lanterns.

With a practiced smile on her face, she felt ready to blend into the crowd.

Her gaze swept over the sea of people, searching. And then—there he was. Near the pool, just beyond the dancing shadows.

Bas leaned casually against the stone wall, a half-full beer in his hand, talking to a few friends. His deep, carefree laugh mixed with the soft splashing of the water and the steady thump of the music in the background.

And then—he looked up.

Their eyes met.

For a brief moment, a sly grin flickered across his face, and a shiver rippled through Evin, settling in the pit of her stomach.

Her breath hitched as he nodded at her, damp strands of hair falling into his face. For a fleeting second, her insecurities wavered. But she didn’t dare hope. She knew how quickly things could change. She couldn’t let herself read too much into it.

Then, as if deciding something, he ran a hand through his hair, pushed off the wall, and started walking.

Straight toward her.

Sebastian

He spotted her the moment she stepped into the garden.

Of course he did.

It didn’t surprise him how good she looked. But God, it pissed him off how she still managed to make him nervous.

Bas took a slow sip from his beer, letting the cold bitterness sit on his tongue while he kept up the act—pretending he hadn’t noticed a damn thing.

He wouldn’t let it show. Not after everything.

She was looking for someone—probably Milka, maybe Ben, maybe anyone but him.

Good.

She should.

She should stay as far away from him as possible.

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