all mine.

seven.

Once inside, the group took turns filming as they wandered through darkened corridors filled with eerie props, mechanical monsters, and actors in grotesque costumes who lunged out from the shadows. The house was a labyrinth of horror, each room designed to test their fears in different ways.

Atlas and Noah, being the designated "camera crew," took turns recording the reactions of the girls as they moved from room to room. They caught Eliana screaming at a fake spider that dropped from the ceiling, Sunday laughing as she narrowly dodged a zombie mannequin, and Demitra gripping Atlas's arm in terror as they passed through a room lined with flickering strobe lights and distorted mirrors.

"How's my lip liner?" Demitra asked Atlas between gasps of laughter and yelps, trying to maintain some semblance of composure for the camera.

Atlas held up the phone, angling it to catch her smile. "Still perfect, mami. Even if you're scared out of your mind."

Demitra laughed, her cheeks flushed, and tried to maintain her bravado. But every jump scare had her clinging to Atlas, who seemed to take every opportunity to reassure her with a squeeze of the hand or a quiet, "I got you."

They finally stumbled out of the first haunted house, catching their breath and laughing as they exchanged stories of their respective terrors. Noah turned the camera on Demitra, who was still clinging to Atlas, her face red from both laughter and embarrassment.

"Alright, Mia," Noah said with a grin, "give us your post-haunted-house thoughts. How did it feel to be absolutely terrified?"

Demitra shot him a glare, though she was smiling. "It was awful, thank you very much. But... also kind of fun." She turned to Atlas, who was still holding her hand. "But it definitely helped having a bodyguard."

"Anytime," Atlas replied, giving her a playful nudge. "I mean, you know, I was totally not scared at all. Not even a little bit."

Eliana rolled her eyes. "Yeah, right. I heard you scream in the clown room, Atlas. Don't even try to lie."

Atlas held up her hands in mock surrender. "Okay, fine. Clowns are terrifying. I'll admit that."

They moved on to the next haunted house, the atmosphere lighter now as they teased each other and shared laughs. Demitra found herself growing more comfortable with Atlas's presence, the fear and adrenaline mixing with a growing sense of ease. Each scare, each laugh, each touch seemed to draw them closer, the unspoken connection between them strengthening with every step they took.

At the third haunted house, the group found themselves in a room filled with mannequins, their faces distorted and painted with haunting expressions. As they walked through, one of the mannequins suddenly sprang to life, reaching out to grab Demitra's arm. She let out a shriek, clutching Atlas's hand so tightly that her knuckles turned white.

Atlas didn't let go, though. Instead, she leaned in close, whispering in Demitra's ear, "Still think I'm just a player, mami?"

Demitra felt her cheeks heat up, but she managed a defiant grin. "Maybe," she teased, trying to sound unaffected, though her heart was pounding in her chest for reasons that had nothing to do with the mannequins.

They finally reached the fourth and last haunted house, a sprawling, gothic mansion with creaking floors and long, narrow hallways that seemed to stretch on forever. This one was rumored to be the scariest, and by the time they reached the entrance, even Atlas looked a little hesitant.

"You ready?" Demitra asked, giving her a challenging look.

Atlas smirked, though there was a flicker of nervousness in her eyes. "Oh, I was born ready."

But as they entered the house, it quickly became clear that this one was in a league of its own. The scares were more intense, the actors more relentless. At one point, a ghostly figure slid across the floor toward them, and Demitra found herself burying her face in Atlas's shoulder, clutching onto her like a lifeline.

Atlas held her close, whispering words of reassurance as they made their way through the house. And by the time they finally stumbled out into the cool night air, hearts racing and laughter bubbling up uncontrollably, Demitra knew one thing for certain: she felt safe with Atlas. More than that, she felt like she could trust her.

Later that night, after they'd all parted ways, Demitra sat on her bed, scrolling through the videos they'd taken. She paused on a clip of herself and Atlas in the third haunted house, laughing and clinging to each other as they navigated the maze of scares. The image filled her with a warmth that lingered long after the screen faded to black.

Her phone buzzed with a text from Atlas: Had fun tonight, mami.

Demitra smiled, her fingers hovering over the screen before she typed back: Thanks for being there.

She hesitated, then added: You know, I'm starting to think maybe you're not just a player after all.

The reply came almost instantly: Good. Cuz I'm definitely not.

As she set her phone down, Demitra couldn't shake the feeling that tonight had been a turning point. And as she drifted off to sleep, she realized that maybe, just maybe, this thing with Atlas could be more than just a game.