Chapter 8

I dare you

"Are you sure you don't want to ditch this and go back home?" I ask, searching his face for any sign of discomfort. I know Chris isn't into parties or being around people in general. While I thought it was a good idea for him to meet my friends, I should have suggested somewhere less… crowded.

Chris exhales, his lips curling into a reassuring smile. "You don't have to keep checking on me," he says. "I'm fine, Gabi. I'm always fine when you're here."

My chest eases at his words. "Really? I know these parties can be a lot."

He takes my hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "I promise I'm fine," he says, flashing a warm smile. "I want to meet your friends."

"You can always meet them another time," I say, holding onto his hand a little tighter. The warmth of his touch calms me. It always has done. Every one of his touches settles something in me. The way he gives me gentle forehead kisses, how he wraps his arms around me, comforting me, and how he cradles my face in his hands. "You don't have to force yourself to do something you don't want to do."

His face lights up with a grin. "Who are you, and what have you done with my best friend?" he says with a laugh. "You never used to say that. You loved to corrupt me."

I roll my eyes dramatically. "I wouldn't say I corrupted you."

"We almost got arrested," he says, his eyebrow raising in amusement.

My lips twitch with the memory of that night, but I can't help but shoot him a playful glare. "You're making me out to be the bad guy."

He laughs, a sound that tugs at my heart, and pulls me into him, wrapping his arms around me in a tight embrace. I don't think I realized how much I've truly missed him until now. Sure, we talked every day, texted, called, played games together, and I convinced myself it was the same as having him beside me.

But I was so wrong.

There's nothing like this. There's nothing like feeling his warmth, hearing the steady rhythm of his heartbeat against my ear. There's nothing like the familiar scent of his cologne that hasn't changed since I last saw him. There's nothing like him .

"You're definitely the bad one in our friendship, Gabi. Always have been." He pulls back, and I already miss him.

"And you're just so good ," I say with a smile, reaching up to pinch his cheeks. "It's adorable."

He returns my smile, and I realize my hands are still on his face. The warmth of his skin beneath my fingertips sends a shiver down my spine. I can't help but get lost in his eyes as my touch trails across his cheek.

Chris's smile slips slightly, and I suck in a breath when his hand covers mine, halting its movement.

He clears his throat, dropping both of our hands. "Come on," he says, pressing his lips together in a smile. "Let's go meet your friends."

My smile disappears as we make our way through the crowd. Why the hell did I make things awkward and touch his face like that. I sneak a quick glance up at Chris, wondering what he's thinking.

"Oh, hey." I turn to my right and spot Aiden among the crowd. His familiar grin greets me as he nods in acknowledgment. "You finally made it. I was starting to think you wouldn't show."

"I don't miss a good party," I tell him, reaching over to grab a beer. "You know that."

He nods, letting out a laugh, and his gaze shifts to Chris beside me, his eyebrows lifting as he shoots me a knowing grin. I narrow my eyes at him.

He knows too much.

"Hey man," Aiden says, turning his attention to Chris. "You must be Chris. I've heard a lot about you."

"Yeah," Chris responds, awkwardly reciprocating Aiden's hug. I can't help but watch with amusement dancing in my eyes. "I, uh, I've heard about you too," Chris says with a smile, brushing his hair back.

Aiden scoffs. "If it was from Gabi, then I assume it was all bad things."

My eyes roll as I flip him off, but Chris laughs, shaking his head. "No, not at all. She actually seems to think you're the best gamer around." He grins, his eyes sparkling with mischief as he meets my gaze. "I've got to say, I can't wait to prove her wrong."

Aiden laughs, giving Chris a friendly tap on the shoulder before turning back to me. "I like him."

"Yeah," I reply, my gaze lingering on Chris as a soft smile plays on my lips. "I do too."

"Come on," Aiden says, flashing a grin as he grabs a couple of sodas from the ice bucket. "We're all hanging out over there. Grayson has his tongue halfway down Rosie's throat, but I'm sure he'll come up for air long enough to say hi."

"I doubt that," I mutter to Chris with a smirk. "That guy only cares about two things: Cars and Rosie."

Chris smiles as we join the others, but when we arrive, it's clear that Aiden wasn't exaggerating. Grayson and Rosie are making out, completely absorbed in each other, oblivious to the world around them.

"I think I'm gonna barf," I tease, pretending to gag.

"Grayson, come up for air, brother, please," Aiden says, plopping down on the couch beside his girlfriend, Leila.

Grayson pulls away from Rosie, groaning as he flips Aiden off. "I'll be sure to remind you of that when you sneak Leila in at night," he says, running his hand through his hair.

Aiden arches a brow. "I do no such thing."

Grayson lets out a scoff, shaking his head. "Who are you trying to kid?"

He grins, lifting his shoulder in a shrug as he hands her the soda. "We've got company," he says, nodding towards Chris and me. "I'm trying to behave."

"You've never behaved a day in your life," Leila says.

He shrugs, swinging an arm around her shoulder. "You love me anyway."

I nudge Chris on the arm. "Careful, Chris. They're about ten seconds away from fucking."

Aiden chuckles against Leila's lips, and Grayson glances at us, his gaze lingering on Chris for a moment before turning back to me with a subtle nod. "Who's this?" Grayson asks me, his tone teasing. "Your new toy for the night?"

I freeze, feeling a flush creep up my neck as I glance back at Chris, whose cheeks are turning redder by the second.

"Dude," Aiden groans, smacking Grayson on the back of his head.

"Ow," Grayson says, rubbing his head. "What was that for, asshole?"

"That's Gabi's best friend," Aiden explains, shooting Grayson a pointed look.

"Wait. What?" Madi twists her head, her gaze bouncing between me and Chris. She frowns, wiggling her fingers between us. "He's your what?"

"Are you jealous, Madi?" I tease, fluttering my eyelashes playfully. "Are you two going to fight for me?"

Madi smiles, shaking her head. "Do you want me to fight for you?"

"I mean…" I let out a scoff. "It would be nice to feel like I'm loved now and again," I say with a shrug.

"I'm not treating you like a chew toy," Chris says, arching a brow with a hint of amusement.

Madi sighs, rolling her eyes. "Fine. I guess I'll share."

I grin. "That's fine by me."

"How come you never told me about your secret best friend?" Madi asks me, her tone curious. "You talk about everything ."

"I guess I've replaced you," Aiden interjects with a grin, crossing his feet on the table in front of him. "I was the only one who knew." He shoots Madi a playful wink, but Leila clears her throat pointedly. "Okay, fine, Leila knew too. I told her."

"Of course you did," Grayson says with a scoff. "There isn't a single thing you don't tell her."

Madi's still waiting for my response, so I gesture to her boyfriend, who's gazing up at her with hearts in his eyes. "Need I remind you, you were busy last year? ‘I hate Lucas, I love Lucas,'" I sigh, shaking my head. "There was a lot to process."

She glares at me. "I definitely didn't say that, and you could have always told me. You know that."

Chris glances at me, and I shrug, not wanting to get into it. "Well, now you know. This is Chris. Say hi, Chris."

"Hi."

"And he's staying with me for the summer, okay, bye." I reach to grab his hand, eager to escape the sudden interrogation, but Aiden's voice stops me.

"Wait a minute." I freeze, feeling their gazes boring into me as I turn slowly to face them. "He moved in with you?"

I shrug, pretending like it's not a big deal. "Yeah. Madi moved out. I needed a roommate, and Chris is only staying for two months. So…"

"Two months?" Aiden asks, his eyebrows lifting as he glances at Chris.

"Yeah. I, uh… I go back to school in September," Chris explains.

"I'm so glad I graduated," Grayson says with a shake of his head.

I watch as Aiden glances down at Leila, who shifts uncomfortably, and lets out a sigh, looking away. Aiden frowns, clutching her chin to make her look up at him. She shakes her head, and lifts off the couch. "I need some air." Aiden's eyes follow her as she leaves the room, and he sighs, drinking his soda.

"Have you been drafted by a team, too?" Chris asks Grayson.

Grayson nearly spits his drink out, shaking his head. "Nah. Aiden's the basketball player, not me. I'm working at this garage nearby," he explains, glancing down at Rosie. "I wanted to leave for so long, but now… I have a reason to stay." Rosalie smiles up at him, her eyes twinkling with the love I know she has for him. They're so pure, those two. "And then when this one graduates, I guess I'll go wherever she goes."

"Rosie's a fashion designer," I chime in, nodding towards her. "And Grayson's a simp."

"I heard that," Grayson grumbles, shooting me a scowl.

I gasp dramatically. "Great. Your ears are working."

Grayson flips me off, and I laugh, nudging Chris on the arm. "What do you think?" I ask him, feeling a twinge of nerves about what he thinks of my friends. "You can be honest. Grayson's annoying, right?"

Chris chuckles, shaking his head. "No, he's great," he says. "They all are. You've found amazing friends here."

Yeah, I really have. I'm lucky to have found these guys. They've made the last four years better than I thought possible. "It doesn't compare to us, though," I admit, my gaze softening as I look at him.

Chris's face lights up into a smile as he reaches out, his hand covering my thigh. I glance down, feeling the warmth of his touch seeping through the fabric of my jeans.

His hand moves as he lifts his palm off my leg, his finger tracing a path across my leg. My heart quickens in my throat as I watch his movements, realizing what he's doing.

He remembers.

His fingers continue to trail across my leg, forming patterns as I try to decipher our secret language, only for us.

Ditto

I smile, glancing up at him when he pulls his hand back. We came up with this silent code, our secret language, a way to speak when we are surrounded by people. My heart beats out of my chest at the reminder, loving how everything is still the same between us despite the time and distance apart.

"Yeah?"

His nod is slow, almost hesitant as he smiles. "Every time I went out with the guys in London, I always pulled out my phone wanting to text you." He pauses, his eyes searching mine, as he swallows. "Wanting you there."

My heart flutters at the knowledge he felt the same way I did. I've lost track of the amount of times I'd zone out, wondering where Chris was, and what he was thinking. And he was thinking of me.

"And now you're here," I say, smiling at the fact that he came all this way because I told him I wanted him here.

He grins, dipping his head in a nod. "I am."

I blink, feeling my smile disappear when I remember he won't be here for long. "For two months," I say, swallowing.

His smile wavers, a hint of tension flickering across his face. "Yeah."

"It's fine," I say with a shrug, though I feel the complete opposite. "I know the deal."

"I still hate thinking about it though," he admits quietly.

"Me too."

Chris exhales, running a hand through his hair. "Is it just the girls that are graduating next year?"

"No. Lucas still has quite a bit left," I reply, gesturing to Lucas.

"I only applied to Redfield last year," Lucas tells him. "So I guess I'm stuck here for a bit longer."

"And James," Grayson adds. "He still has another year left."

Chris turns to me, furrowing his brows. "James?"

I grin, letting out a sigh. "Ah. James. I miss him."

"Me too," Lucas says with a sad nod. "He's my best friend," he tells Chris. "He doesn't go here, though. He goes to college in the city."

"Do you go to school around here?" Grayson asks Chris as he takes a sip of his beer.

"Nah," Chris replies, shaking his head. "I actually study in London."

Grayson freezes, eyes drifting to me. "Fuck. That's… far."

"Three-thousand, six-hundred and twenty miles," I say, noting everyone's eyes on me. "But who's counting?" I say with a scoff, taking a sip of my drink.

Aiden clears his throat, lifting his brows. "That's cool, though. I've always wanted to go to London," he says. "What do you study?"

"Computer tech," he says, joining me on the couch. Our shoulders press together, and I lean into him without a second thought. "I actually got a job as a game developer."

Aiden's eyes light up with excitement. "Oh shit, that's cool," he says, his eyebrows shooting up in surprise. "We should play sometime. I'd love some real competition."

I shoot him a glare. "Hey, you said I was improving."

Aiden chuckles. "I was just being nice."

"Dick," I mutter, crossing my arms.

Aiden laughs, pulling out his phone. "Here, let's exchange numbers and set up a gaming session."

"Yeah, okay," Chris replies.

I turn my attention to the girls. "Should I be worried that Aiden's trying to steal my best friend right now?"

As Rosie and Madi exchange smirks, their expressions falter, and I follow their gaze to Tiffany standing beside Chris. My stomach churns at the sight of her.

"If you're handing out numbers, then I'm interested," she says, her gaze lingering on Chris as she flashes him a smile. "I don't think I've seen you around here before. Hi, I'm Tiffany." Her short black bob sways as she steps closer to him.

"Hi. I, uh… I don't go here," Chris explains with a swallow. "I'm just visiting for the summer."

Tiffany's smile widens. "That's perfect," she replies. "I'm starting to get bored of the guys around here."

"More like they're getting bored of you," Grayson says, with a scoff.

Tiffany ignores Grayson's comment, her attention fully on Chris as she checks him out, running her tongue over her teeth.

I'm going to be sick.

"Did your boyfriend break up with you again, and you want to make him jealous?" I say, narrowing my eyes at her. "Is that why you're acting so desperate?"

She gives me a sly look, reaching for her phone. "You seem like you could use some new friends," she says, a smirk on her lips as she glances at Chris. "How about I give you my number, and we can hang out sometime?"

I hate this. I hate it so damn much. When he was in London, I could pretend he wasn't with anyone, that he wasn't kissing or touching anyone. But now he's here, and there's a girl right in front of him who's clearly very interested in him. And I can't do anything about it.

He's my best friend.

That's all.

Even if I'm in love with him, all we are is best friends, and I can't do anything to change that. If he wants to date this vulture, then who am I to stop him?

He turns around, meeting my eyes, and I try to tell him my feelings through my eyes.

Please, don't date her.

Don't give her your number.

Please.

Don't break my heart.

Even though Chris knows me inside out, he can't read my mind. I swallow hard, feeling my heart sink as I watch him turn around and focus on Tiffany.

I can't do this. I can't watch him flirt and date and—

"I'm good," Chris says, making my head snap up.

"What?" Tiffany's voice breaks the silence, confusion evident in her tone.

"I don't want your number," Chris replies firmly.

My shoulders drop with relief, and I smile as I keep my eyes on the back of his head.

"Are you kidding?" Tiffany says with a scowl. "You don't want my number?"

"Are you deaf?" Aiden snaps, scowling at her. "He said he's not interested. So why don't you get the hell out of here and leave us alone?"

Tiffany glares at Aiden, jutting out her hip as she places her hand on it. "Where's your girlfriend?" she asks. "Off with another guy again?" She lets out a mocking laugh. "Wouldn't surprise me. I always knew she was a slut."

"Call my girlfriend a slut one more time," Aiden challenges, stepping right in front of her. "I dare you."

"Or what?" she retorts, arching a brow. "What are you going to do about it?"

"I can't do anything," Aiden says, his jaw clenched as he looks down at her. "But she can." He gestures to me with a lift of his chin.

Hell yes. Let me beat this bitch up.

I grin, rising from the couch to stand beside Aiden.

"I only said the truth," she sneers, shooting me a smug look as she sizes me up. "You know what they say. The company you keep..."

My blood boils. God, I want to punch her so badly. I press my lips together, lifting a hand to wipe my eyes with my middle finger. "I'm shaking with tears," I say, my voice dripping in sarcasm. "Now get out of here before you lose a tooth today."

"Bitch," she mutters, flipping her bob over her shoulder as she walks away.

Leila walks back inside, freezing when she sees Tiffany walk past her. "Did I miss something?" she asks, her brow furrowing.

Aiden walks toward her, grabs her by the waist, and lifts her up, which makes Leila yelp, before he carries her out in his arms.

"What the hell was that about?" Grayson asks, gesturing to the door where our friends just left.

I shake my head. "I have no idea."

I relax as Chris cups my face with his hands, his eyes searching mine. "Are you okay? That girl was—"

"Evil," I finish simply, my voice tinged with bitterness from years of dealing with Tiffany.

His brows furrow, worry evident in his expression as he tucks a strand of hair behind my ear. "Did she call you a—"

He pauses, unable to bring himself to even say the word. He's so pure, and good, and I love him.

"Yeah," I confirm, feeling a knot tighten in my stomach after Tiffany's outburst in front of him. Chris knows I'm not a saint, and he's never judged me for it, but it still stings to hear that kind of insult when he's here. "Are you okay?"

His brows shoot up, a flicker of surprise crossing his face. "I was kind of shocked by how forward she was," he admits. "But yeah, still good, Gabi."

I nod, meeting his gaze. "And you didn't want to give her your number?"

"Are you kidding?" he responds with a slight frown. "She was awful."

I let out a chuckle. "Yeah, she was," I agree. "But, you didn't think she was pretty?"

A small smile plays on his lips as he rubs his thumb over his cheek. "I thought you'd already know," he says, arching a brow. "She's not my type."

My heart skips a beat, Chris' words from so long ago echoing in my mind.