Page 34 of Game On
Gabi squeezes my hand, pulling us towards the heart of the house.
“I see shots!” Luke exclaims, pointing to a table spread with plastic cups and an assortment of spirits. Before any of us can stop him, he’s off and lost in the crowd.
Ash lets out a sigh. “I’ll go make sure he doesn’t get himself into trouble,” he says before darting after him.
Gabi turns to me. “Do you want to grab a drink, too?”
“Yes, please,” I say. “Something a little lighter, though. I’m still reeling from the game.”
We make our way to the makeshift bar and ask for a couple of wine coolers. I take a sip of the lemon-lime, hoping to settle my nerves after the adrenaline rush from earlier. While we chat, I glance around, scanning the room of faces, trying not to make it obvious that I’m looking for Hudson. It’s just a passing curiosity, I tell myself. It’s not a crime to wonder where he is.
Annoyingly, each passing moment without spotting him leaves me a little bit more distracted. My focus is torn between listening to Gabi and the silent hope of catching a glimpse of him somewhere in the crowd.
“… and that’s why I’ll never go near roller skates again,” Gabi says, laughing at her own story. I nod and smile along, even though I completely missed what she said. Thankfully, she switches gears, and her eyes light up at the sound of a blaring Post Malone song. “We should go dance. There’s usually a good crowd in the basement.”
I grin. “Lead the way.”
We wind down a narrow staircase that opens up into an underground room, alive with lights that flash and strobe across the dancing bodies. The music is louder here, rebounding off the low ceiling and cement walls.
Gabi leads us to the center of the room, and the crowdthins just enough to give us space to move. She twirls around me, hands tracing over my chest and trailing down both of my arms. I laugh as she circles my wrists, shaking me. Despite my long history of cheer, I’m not much of a dancer. But Gabi makes it easy, pulling out moves that are more about fun than finesse. We bounce to the rhythm together, and it feels good to finally let loose.
We dance for a few more songs until I catch sight of Ash and Luke squeezing through the crowd towards us, each carrying a drink. Luke’s grinning, his eyes bright, while Ash is more reserved, his gaze scanning the crowd until it rests on us. Gabi spots them too, and her face lights up even more than before, if that’s possible.
“Look who decided to join us!” she yells over the music, snagging Luke by the arm and dragging him into our little circle.
He jumps right into the dance, matching Gabi’s energy with exaggerated movements. Ash, more reserved, slides into the space beside me.
As the song shifts to something with a heavier beat, Ash leans in close so I can hear him over the music. “How’s the party treating you?”
“It’s … lively,” I say, my body moving subconsciously. “Not exactly my usual scene, but definitely an experience.”
Back at Oxford, my friends and I spent most of our nights out going to local bars. There were a few house parties here and there, but nothing like the packed ragers that seem to be the norm at Whitland.
His hands find a respectful place on my hips as wesway together. The contact is familiar and comfortable, reflecting the trust we’ve built as partners over the last few months.
Our smiles widen as we dance, the crowd around us a swirl of colors and lights. Gabi and Luke create their own spectacle—she’s climbed onto his shoulders now, chugging from her cup while he steadies her legs, both of them laughing wildly.
In the midst of it all, I lean back against Ash, letting myself relax. But as I glance over his shoulder, my gaze accidentally lands on a pair of slate-gray eyes. Hudson is standing against the wall, arms crossed, observing us intently. There’s a complexity in his gaze—amusement but with an undefinable edge.
My smile falters slightly, and Ash picks up on the shift. He leans in closer, his voice soft against my ear. “Did you finally notice?” he asks, teasing. “Our QB can’t keep his eyes off you.”
“He’s playing some kind of game.”
Ash pulls back, spinning me around, hands lingering against my hips. “And what about you, Ella? Are you gonna play along?”
I duck my head. “I already have.”
He runs a hand through his sandy-blond hair, grinning. “I fucking knew it. You’re hooking up with him?”
“Hooked up,” I clarify. “In the most past-tense fashion.”
“Su-re,” he singsongs, stretching the short word into two syllables. “Is it him you’ve been so worried about?”
I blink, startled. “Worried?I’m not worried about anyone.”
He circles me, his fingers tracing idle patterns against my bare skin. “You’re a terrible liar.”
I push back against him lightly, rolling my eyes. “And you’re too bloody perceptive for your own good.”
