Page 44 of The Bittersweet Bond

“Oh, and Ben is around too,” he added casually with a wink. Evin shot him a skeptical look.

Evin couldn’t understand why he would even bring that up. It had been weeks since she’d kissed Ben on the school trip. Since then, the rumors had spread faster than she could contain them. Ben was nice, sure. But what had happened that night had caused more chaos than she ever intended, and since then, they’d kept things strictly platonic and maintained a healthy distance.

“Thanks, Jonas!” With a kiss on his cheek, she made her way toward Milka.

As she weaved through the crowd, the bass thumped in the background. All she wanted was to have fun and distract herself. She had promised herself he wouldn’t matter tonight—yet every step closer to the pool reminded her that he was somewhere nearby. That damn magnetic pull of his.

Finally, she spotted Milka standing in a corner near the pool, drink in hand, laughing freely. Evin felt her tension ease. Being with Milka always felt safe.

“Finally!” Milka called out, pulling Evin into a tight hug. “I thought you weren’t coming!”

Evin forced a smile, though her thoughts lingered on Bas. “Training ran long, as usual. You know how it is.”

Milka nodded knowingly, then gave Evin a skeptical once-over. “You’re not drinking, are you?”

Evin glanced at the beer bottles nearby, at the other girls already holding drinks. “No, definitely not. I’ve got the audition next week—I need to be at my best.” Her stomach growled faintly.

Milka smirked and took a sip. “Yeah, yeah, you and your iron discipline.” She grinned mischievously. “I don’t know how you do it sometimes.”

Evin sighed softly. “I wonder how much longer I can keep doing it.” She put on a strained smile, but her mind wandered. The pressure, the expectations—it all weighed on her like an invisible burden. Her thoughts drifted unintentionally back to Bas—and Cat.

“Wanna know?” Milka asked with an amused sparkle in her eyes, pointing toward Bas and Cat.

Evin rolled her eyes. “Please, spare me.”

“What? I’m just saying you’re way too good for that guy. Why waste your time?”

“Milka, I’m not wasting anything.” Evin’s tone was firm. "Seriously, can we not make this about him?"

“Sure, sure.” Milka took another sip of her beer.

“I don’t mean to nag,” she started cautiously, “but why do you still let him take up so much space in your head?”

Evin shrugged. “It’s not like I’m doing it on purpose, you know? It just happens…without me wanting it to. But I’m not letting it ruin me. I’ve got too much on my plate—school, ballet…there’s no room for heartbreak.”

Milka slung an arm around her shoulders. “Come on, let’s just have fun tonight. You look stunning, and we’re at a party. This is our chance to let loose, and I won’t let you get stuck in Bas-thoughts again.”

Evin laughed, albeit a bit forced, and nodded. “You’re right. Tonight isn’t about him.” But as she said it, her conviction wavered, and she felt the pull to glance back at Bas and Cat. She resisted, forcing herself not to look. Instead, she grabbed Milka’s hand and led her toward the dance floor. “Let’s just dance, okay?”

“That’s what I wanted to hear!”

The bass beats throbbed through the garden as the lights flickered to the rhythm. Evin danced freely with Milka, trying to banish all thoughts of Bas and Cat from her mind. The air was thick with the scent of alcohol and cigarettes, clinging to her skin. For a fleeting moment, she felt light, as though the music could drown out everything else.

But after a while, as the music slowed down, she felt the fatigue in her legs. She nodded to Milka and slipped out of the crowd to catch her breath. On the edge of the dance floor, away from the chaos, she leaned against a tree and closed her eyes as the wind gently played with her hair.

“You okay?” Ben’s voice came unexpectedly.

She opened her eyes and saw him standing there, a slight smile on his lips.

“Yeah, I’m fine. I just needed a moment to breathe. Training was tough today,” she said, smiling faintly, glad for the brief distraction, though she still felt uneasy.

Her eyes roamed over the crowd, instinctively searching for Bas. She knew it was a mistake and that it would only lead to trouble, but she couldn’t help herself.

Ben caught the way her attention drifted and followed her gaze, just for a second, before turning back to her.

“I was actually going to ask earlier… I know you’re busy, but it seems like you could use some help with a few classes. The first exams are coming up…I could be your tutor?” he asked, grinning sheepishly.

She did need help, but the way he asked made her feel a sudden discomfort. Her thoughts immediately shifted to Bas.

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