His Sunshine | ✓

Chapter Thirty-Four - Celebrations

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Reece's POV

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I throw the ping pong ball across the table and grin when it falls into the final cup. Liam cheers, clapping me on the back as one of the two guys on the other side of the table lift the cup and drink its contents. When he puts it down again, he gives us a reluctant smile. "Good game." He holds out his hand and I meet it with mine, giving it a firm shake.

"You too." Liam and I say our goodbyes before heading out of the kitchen after grabbing a fresh bottle of beer each.

Liam sighs dramatically, "We make a good team, brother."

I raise an eyebrow at him, despite my lips pulling up into a smile, "We won a single game of beer pong."

He huffs, "Don't spoil my fun."

I chuckle, my eyes scanning the crowd of people dancing as we walk into the living room. Digging my phone out of my pocket, I check the time and see that it's nearing midnight. I shove my phone back in my pocket before searching the crowd again. Without even realising it, I'm looking for her.

I quickly pick her out of the crowd of people dancing. How can I not when she's looking so dámn gorgeous in that glittery black dress? She's practically glowing.

Making my way towards her, I take my time looking her over while she isn't looking. That dress fits every curve of her body to perfection. She looks like a dream. Maybe that's because she is my dream. But I know she's one dream I will never quite catch. She will never feel the same.

That doesn't mean I can't admire how beautiful she is though.

Suddenly, our gazes lock and I'm staring into those gorgeous green eyes once again. Her pink, glossy lips slowly pull up in a smile and I can't stop myself from smiling back. Her smile only widens when she sees mine. And that makes me smile more. It's a never ending cycle.

When I come to a stop in front of Layla, she immediately moves forward and curls her arms around my waist. She looks up at me innocently, those bright emerald eyes framed by her long, dark lashes. "Hey, Reecey." She greets me, leaning up further so I can hear her over the music. I don't mind one bit.

I place my hands on her back, locking them together behind her as I lean down so that I'm speaking into her ear. "Hi, Sunshine."

"How long until midnight?" She asks me, eyes wide with excitement.

"Ten minutes," I say, remembering the time I just read on my phone a second ago.

She squeals, grabbing one of my hands and starting to drag me through the crowd, "Let's go find Ethan and the others!"

Layla drags me through the mass of bodies dancing all over each other. I look down at my hand that she's holding and hesitate a second before lacing our fingers together. Looking back up to her, I catch her glancing back at me with a smile which I return.

We soon find Liam, Anna, Amanda, Mark and Ethan and by then, the countdown has started. It starts with someone calling out that there's one minute left and everyone cheers. Then when the song that's playing comes to an end soon after, Feel So Close by Calvin Harris starts playing. The music gets turned down a little when it gets to thirty seconds and everyone starts counting.

We all stand together in a group, Layla still holding onto my hand and now standing just in front of me.

25... 24... 23...

She turns around and looks up at me, grinning before squeezing my hand in hers gently.

20... 19... 18...