The sun had long since disappeared beyond the horizon, yet here we were on the basketball court. The others' shoes pounded against the plastic floor as if they were fighting for their lives, but this game was about more than that, it was about a pizza.

  The stakes weren’t too high for me, so I had been sitting by the bench for a while, watching James and Henry play. I wasn’t expecting William to sneak up from behind, steal the ball, and sink a perfect three-pointer. Mateo dribbled forward, passed it to Mark, but he threw it over to Leo. Everyone was exhausted, tired, hungry, and unwilling to pay for someone else's dinner.

  Playing basketball with the guys as a girl wasn’t as difficult as it might seem, I had already figured out how to shoot from every part of the court.

  “Has your head cleared?” Ethan’s deep voice made me look up immediately. He stood beside Mark, holding his blue water bottle with a smile as he handed it to me.

  “What do you mean?” I accepted the water. Knowing how sensitive his lips were, I didn’t drink directly from the bottle, instead, I poured the liquid into my mouth.

  “You’ve been pretty scattered lately. You weren’t on the same wavelength as the guys, either.”

  “Oh… really?” My question was met with a simple nod from Mark. He sat down beside me, taking Ethan’s bottle from my hands.

  “I’m glad you’re feeling better.” Ethan waited until Mark took a few sips, adjusted his long red hair, and then headed back to the game.

  “They noticed too.”

  “Is it that obvious?”

  “Of course. It was obvious to me, too, that I was overwhelmed because of you, that’s why I didn’t come to practice.”

  “Did it hurt your ego that you weren’t performing well?”

  Mark didn’t answer my question. He just rolled his eyes and turned his gaze toward the others instead. Beads of sweat slowly trickled down his face to his jaw and dropped onto the floor. His brown eyes burned with intensity, he had finally let himself go completely.

  I gently touched his grown-out curls, smiling at the thought that he could really use a visit to the barber. His only response was to take my hand away and run his fingers over the back of it. Were things really okay between us? I could still feel the gap, no matter how much we tried to move past what had happened. It was as if something was holding us back.

  My train of thought was interrupted by the buzzing of my phone, but it wasn’t just mine. Mark’s phone went off at the same time as mine. Over the years, it had become a habit in our friend group to leave our phones under the bench, so we didn’t have to strain ourselves too much to check who was looking for us.

  “Derek texted.”

  “Dante texted.” we said almost simultaneously, our eyes meeting in amusement as we opened the messages. But we didn’t need to say anything, it was obvious. They were reaching out to us for the same reason. They were waiting at the bar.

  “Think we can sneak out unnoticed?” Mark asked. I nodded, grabbed his hand, and simply dragged him out of the rented gym.

  “Ten minutes, at the car.”

  “Then get ready in ten minutes,” he said, disappearing into the locker room before I could even respond. So I started gathering my things too.

  It didn’t take long. I retired my brown hair so it wasn’t so messy, swapped my shorts for black jeans, and exchanged my purple t-shirt for a gray hoodie. It took me a little extra time to pack everything into my bag, but in the end, I really was ready in ten minutes, even after wiping the signs of practice off my face.

  By the time I reached the parking lot, Mark was already sitting in the car, smoking while listening to music. Blinking a few times, I slid into the passenger seat and buckled myself in, I couldn’t help but comment.

  “How?”

  “You know… I’ve been pretty exhausted lately. I always fall asleep on weekdays.”

  “Ah, I see. So you get ready in five minutes every morning?”

  “I even have breakfast.” He handed me his half-smoked cigarette, and I took it after tossing my bag in the back. Before I even realized it, he was already backing out of the parking spot. “Shoot the guys a message that we’ll be in Vernon.”

  “Got it,” I followed his instructions.

  We didn’t talk much. Our overheated bodies cooled with the outside air, our minds with nicotine. I didn’t even understand why we didn’t play basketball more often, the feeling of unwinding afterward was incredible. The ride passed quicker than usual, or at least that’s how it felt. In reality, it took twenty minutes, and by then, the stars had climbed into the sky. The moon shone faintly behind the clouds, an absolutely breathtaking sight.

  “The moon is beautiful tonight, isn’t it?”

  “It is.” Mark responded, not even glancing up at the sky. Smiling, I closed my eyes, but my rest didn’t last long, the car engine soon quieted.

  “Have we arrived?”

  “Was I driving too fast?” he asks, more to himself than to me. Seems like he’s lost his sense of time too.

  “I didn’t feel the momentum.”

  “Hmm…” He nods a few times and steps out of the car. As I dig out my wallet, I follow suit. “I’m paying today. It’s a special day.”

  “Oh? And why is that?”

  Mark just shrugs and locks the car. I tilt my head curiously.

  “Maybe… I’m moving.”

  “Are you staying in the city?”

  “Come on…” The man smiles at me as we start walking toward the pub. “An apartment just became available in your building.”

  “You’re going to be the handsome neighbor guy?” I chuckle softly, and he grins.

  “Am I?”

  “Looks like it!” My happiness is sealed when he wraps an arm around my waist and pulls me closer. “So, are we celebrating tonight?”

  “I’m getting you drunk in secret, okay? The others can’t find out… You and Dante finally made it official, but it would just stir up gossip if they knew.”

  The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  I nod slightly at his whisper. His warm breath tickles my ear, sending a shiver down my spine as I glance toward the pub’s terrace.

  There are a lot of people.

  Too many people.

  Christopher is sitting next to Peter, with Derek beside them. Gerry and Dante are also there, and next to Dante’s seat are two empty chairs. Thanks to the round table, Mark will end up sitting next to Chris. He releases my waist and taps my head, snapping me back to reality, reminding me that he’ll be by my side the whole time. Seeing my small smile, he nods toward Dante, he’s right, Dante won’t leave me alone in this unfolding comedy either.

  “It’s been a while.” Peter says.

  Mark immediately steps closer to the table and shakes hands with the guys. Dante is the only one who keeps his gaze fixed on me even as he shakes hands with the blonde.

  I hesitantly step closer. How am I supposed to act? Do the others know we’re together? Are we together?

  What even is this between us?

  Our last gathering ended in chaos, everyone passed out wherever they could, and by morning, we all limped home half-dead. We never really talked about anything important. Dante quickly chases away my swirling thoughts by stepping right in front of me, placing his strong hands on my waist, and pressing a soft kiss to my forehead. I’m so surprised that I forget to react. The realization hits me as he starts to pull away, and I grab him by the neck, pulling him back for a longer kiss on his cheek.

  “What the fuck?” Gerry laughs in shock. That’s when we finally break apart and notice everyone staring, jaws on the floor, except for Mark, of course.

  “Better get used to this sight,” Mark says as he takes a seat next to Chris. Finally, we also sit down.

  “I had the guts to order you a beer. I missed you,” Dante says.

  “Thanks, I’ll get the next round.” Under the table, Dante’s hand brushes against mine, but I don’t think it’s a good idea to get lost in his touch right now. Instead, I glance at the others. “It’s been a while. Hey, guys.”

  “That’s an understatement!” Peter’s sharp voice makes Dante flinch like a scolded puppy. He shrinks in his seat. “I’m your best friend!”

  “I didn’t even have time to die, let alone explain!” Dante defends himself, and everyone bursts into laughter, except Chris, who silently heads into the bar.

  “Well, you’re going to explain now!” Dante glances sideways at Peter’s firm voice and sighs loudly. Derek just chuckles.

  “You see, there was this house party, right?” Dante starts, and Peter’s eyes lock onto him. “Well, from that point on, I don’t know what happened, I was drunk… the whole time.”

  “The whole thing was a disaster,” Mark adds, making Dante laugh awkwardly. But in his blue eyes, there’s gratitude, Mark just saved him from telling a long and complicated story.

  “Yeah, I get it.” Peter nods.

  “Do you?”

  “No, Dante! I don’t get a single fucking thing!” Peter’s dramatic outburst makes everyone crack up, except for him. He just sips his whiskey.

  “It’s getting a bit chilly,” Gerry says. I meet his gaze. His absinthe-green eyes are barely visible as he squints against the cold wind.

  “Should we go inside?” I ask. First, he nods, then the others agree too. As one, we rise from the table and head into the pub. Mark leads the way, holding the door open for everyone, while Dante takes my free hand, to make sure I don’t trip on the stairs.

  Christopher is at the bar, chatting with the bartender, a huge smile on his face. The girl seems to be enjoying herself too, giving him all her attention, at least until we take our seats.

  As always, the bar isn’t too crowded. A few small tables are occupied, but the larger booths are empty. Derek picks out the perfect spot for us, a booth with a couch instead of chairs. The kid has talent, this is where we’ll all be getting drunk for the next few hours.

  Everyone sits down in a similar arrangement as before, the only difference being that Christopher stays at the bar with the girl. The rest dive into storytelling with such enthusiasm, as if world-changing events had happened to them.

  Of course, that’s not the case, one of them changed jobs, another got a goldfish, and someone bought a new car. Mostly, these topics don’t really interest me, but maybe it’s just Dante’s touch that completely steals my attention.

  He keeps his arm wrapped around my waist, holding me close as he listens to the others. Occasionally, he nods with a smile or chuckles softly, but I don’t miss how his gaze sometimes meets Christopher’s, and for a few moments, his whole demeanor shifts to something serious. There’s a warmth in his eyes, like sunlight pouring in, and his smile radiates a level of dopamine I’ve never experienced before. Yet, a shiver runs down my spine whenever he looks at Chris.

  I have never felt this calm in a man’s presence before.

  The drinks disappear quickly, at least for me, faster than they should. Mark keeps his word; he makes sure I’m never left thirsty. But the others can’t complain either.

  Mugs are replaced rapidly, except for Dante, who politely declined any more after his third glass, and, of course, those who drove, namely Mark and Derek.

  When Christopher gets bored of flirting, he rejoins us, though mostly as a silent listener.

  “I have to go home,” Mark suddenly announces, drawing everyone’s attention.

  “Already?” Derek asks, Mark gives a small nod.

  "I just need a minute to pull myself together." At my sigh, he only smiles and gently ruffles my hair.

  “You can stay if Dante looks after you. I’ll be with William anyway.”

  “Should I not go home with you?”

  “You can stay at my place. I’ll take you home in the morning.”

  I can’t resist the softness in his voice. So, I stand up and hug him goodbye. A few minutes later, he’s truly gone, and the only one left by my side is Dante. And, truthfully, it’s uncomfortable.

  This is the first time I’m staying with this friend group without Mark by my side. Sure, he entrusted my safety to Dante, but I haven’t really spent that much time with him either. I feel uneasy.

  “We haven’t even had a drink for your relationship yet!”

  “I think you guys have had a drink for just about everything today, Gerry…” Derek’s words come off as a joke to most, but I can tell he means them seriously.

  “I agree. Besides… this isn’t really something you need to drink to,” I add, nodding as I meet Dante’s steely blue gaze.

  “Oh, come on! We drank to all sorts of nonsense, but not to your happiness? That’s messed up!” Peter exclaims, fully backing Gerry’s idea. At that, my darling gives in, so I just sigh and offer a resigned smile. Christopher covers the next round, it’s his turn to get up and bring drinks to the table.

  A few minutes later, he returns with a tray lined with different drinks. He places a beer in front of Dante, but slides a stronger cocktail in my direction. The problem is that if I drink that on top of what I already have, I’m definitely going to die.

  “Shall we swap?” At his question, I give a small nod, and although Chris insists that the cocktail is a women's drink and that he bought it specifically for me, Dante just raises his middle finger and downs the contents of the glass without any change in expression.

  “We should probably leave soon.”

  “As soon as you finish, we can go.”

  I sip at my drink slowly, but even then, it takes me an hour to finish at least one of my remaining mugs. By the second half, I already feel lightheaded. Speaking becomes difficult, and even keeping my eyes open is a struggle. Sleepily, I lift my bottle to my lips, but my grip is too weak, I drop it. The liquid spills across the table, the mug crashes to the floor.

  “Maybe you shouldn’t drink any more.” Gerry jokes, but no one finds it funny. Derek immediately leans in, lifting my chin with his fingers to hold my gaze. Dante grips my shoulders, making sure I don’t pass out face-first into the spilled beer.

  “Are you okay?”

  “The alcohol drained me.” I mumble. My explanation doesn’t reassure anyone. The decision is quickly made, I’m being sent home with Dante. The problem is I can barely walk.

  “Did you put something in her beer? Were you trying to knock me out?” Dante’s sharp voice barely registers in my dazed mind. The only thing I can truly focus on is Christopher’s loud protests. There’s no way he put anything in my drink. Someone else must have done it while he was in the bathroom. How dare Dante accuse him, who does he think he is.

  I have no idea what’s happening.

  Dante’s strong hold disappears in an instant, and suddenly, I find myself in someone else’s arms. But I feel safe. There’s a faint scent of strong cologne mixed with natural warmth. A gentle grip presses against my back, steady and comforting. I could fall asleep so easily. But I don’t want to. I want to rest in Dante’s embrace, not… Not Derek’s? I crack one eye open and glance at him. But he’s not looking at me, if anything, he seems to be… yelling? At who?

  “I feel sick.” Yes. I want to throw up. Maybe then I’ll snap back to reality.

  Dante’s figure blurs, melting into Christopher, Peter, and Gerry’s. Maybe they’re fighting. Or maybe they’re just arguing. Where is Mark when I need him? Is being with William really that important right now? No one responds to my words. But it doesn’t matter. Within seconds, I drift off in Derek’s arms.