The group of Tobias’ and Lewis’ friends suddenly became guarded, as though they knew a secret I was not yet privy to.
In the center of it all stood Lewis and Katrina.
They were engaged in a love shot, their arms intertwined as they downed their drinks, radiating a kind of closeness that sent a sharp pang through my chest.
Lewis spotted me first.
Stumbling slightly from the alcohol, he abandoned his drink and made his way over to me, a sloppy grin plastered across his face.
“Oh, Grace, you came too,” he slurred, the sour smell of alcohol clinging to him.
I held my composure, though my voice betrayed my irritation. “Why didn’t you answer my calls?”
He waved a dismissive hand, his tone casual. “Oh, my phone’s battery died. I’m sorry.”
My jaw tightened at his nonchalance.
Before I could press him further, someone from the group called out with a laugh, “Wow, Tobias, look at your sister and your friend! They’re already fighting as soon as they meet.”
I shot them a glare, but it only encouraged others to chime in.
“They’re like Tom and Jerry, aren’t they? Always at it, even though they’re about to get engaged.”
“That’s right. When’s the big day?” someone else asked, grinning.
Lewis smiled, entirely unbothered. Wrapping an arm around me, he pulled me close in a mock embrace.
“Soon,” he said, then glanced at me. “Right, Grace? We can get engaged whenever we want.”
The words made my stomach churn. We were supposed to be engaged today, not ‘whenever.’
I opened my mouth to retort, anger bubbling inside me, but before I could speak, the sharp sound of glass shattering silenced the room.
Everyone turned to see Katrina standing with a broken glass at her feet.
Her expression was a mix of drama and defiance, designed to command attention.
“Oh, Lewis,” she cooed as she approached us. Her hands reached up to cradle his face as though no one else existed in the room. “Why did you leave me so soon? The dare wasn’t just a love shot but also….”
Her voice trailed off, leaving the implication hanging in the air, and then she did the unthinkable. She kissed him.
Right in front of me.
The room erupted in cheers and whistles, some calling out about the wild truth-or-dare game. But all I could hear was the pounding of my heart.
I stood frozen as Lewis’ hand, which had been holding me, slid to embrace Katrina instead.