The Irrefutable Flame⎪✓

❨15❩

♀︎

The nightly air is refreshing to my senses, it allows for a cozy vibe under the lightbulbs. My friends' laughs carry through the sky and I find myself smiling along. The party is in full swing, everyone is drinking and dancing, exactly like I'd anticipated this night would be. Dani shakes my shoulders in excitement, her eyes are glinting with happiness, "We'll be dancing soon enough!"

"Hell yeah!" Brock bellows, his muscular frame always scares me a bit, especially since he's grown bigger after high school, and when he yells it definitely doesn't help. His blue eyes are widened by intoxication and I laugh at the sight. 

"You up for it, meatball?" She smirks at him, they've always had this thing and they still fucking do. I can't explain exactly what it is, but it seems like a flirty friendship with sex on occasion. I want them to end up together and have wished for that since the early days of high school, Dani doesn't agree though, apparently, she lives too far away. 

Brock raises to his full 6'5 height and extends his hand to my best friend, she grabs it gracefully, following him to the dance floor where he dips her by the waist as soon as they reach the spot. Her laugh carries to where I'm seated and I find myself laughing along, it's insane how they haven't acted on their undeniable feelings, they're too fucking adorable. 

"After some more wine I'll invite you out there as well, Dakota," A manly voice says to my right, looking at a smiling Tyler Avick I nod my head at him. 

"Thought you were scared of me?"

His eyes widen as he ruffles his blonde hair, "I did say I need some more wine before I can muster up the courage."

"Where was that courage in high school though?" I tease him. He's been acting weird tonight, Dani thinks it's because of my so-called 'glow up', but I truly don't wish for him that he's so conceited. 

"You chased me down with a bat!"

My mouth opens slightly in shock, "What are you saying? Are you completely delusional? You jumped me and I didn't know you, of course, I had to defend myself. Also, let me correct that statement you just spat out, I swung my bat at you, once, I did not chase you."

His nervous expression changes in a matter of seconds, before he smirks at me instead, "You didn't chase me, no. But this is me chasing you now, Dakota."

I laugh at him and his weird attempt, "You probably meant for that to be smoother than it really was."

He scoots his chair closer to me, grabbing my hand in his bigger ones, "I'm being serious."

"You told one of my biggest secrets to the biggest idiot of our high school, Tyler," I don't really dwell on that anymore, but it's a great excuse for right now. I want him to leave me alone, but I'm horrible at rejecting advances. 

"I fucked up, but when I saw you tonight..." He trails off letting his eyes roam my figure, it makes me uncomfortable. "You've changed, Dakota. Your body is absolutely-"

I pull my hand away from his slightly sweaty ones, standing up instantly, "Nope, no, nej, ne, non, we're not doing this."

Turning around I hurry away from him, he calls my name, but I keep up the pace. Dani is right, he's only interested because of the change I've had from high school to now, his best friend was pure evil during our years there and he never tried to stop him, so he can forget all about me. He isn't even my type, I'm not his type, it's simple really.

My mind barely catches up before two hands grab my arms, looking up at a laughing Will, "Hey there, you in a rush?"

Placing the annoying encounter in the back of my mind I smile at Will, giving him a quick hug, "I was hoping to talk to you at some point tonight, congratulations on the marriage!"

"Thank you, Dakota. I really do appreciate you coming today, I know it was short notice. It was because of me, I didn't know if Relly would be open to come tonight and you guys are a package deal, but Dani convinced me."

"Why wouldn't Relly be down?" I ask him with a small frown. 

His blue eyes focus on something behind me and he waves me off instantly, there is a slight panic on his face. I turn around to be met by his wife and she's smiling at me, the way she carries herself oozing with confidence. I can't help it when I throw my arms around her, she returns my hug with a small giggle, "Thank you for coming today. Dakota, is it?"

I pull away and nod my head with a smile. 

"It is and thank you for inviting me," I say to both of them as Will's arm snakes around her waist, the gesture so natural it makes me joyful. "You both seem really happy, and I'm so glad to see that."

They gaze into each other's eyes and I look away to give them privacy, before glancing at them again. "We really are," He says. "Have you gone dancing yet? I see Brock already has his eyes set on Daniella."

I nod and look at them on the dance floor, doing the chicken dance and jumping around, "We know them by now, they won't admit to anything but as soon as they are within ten feet of each other, they'll always end up like that. I think I'll lay off on the dancing for another hour or so, I don't want to torture any sober minds."

Zara laughs, "Trust me when I say that not one single person here is sober, we won't judge. In fact," She starts and turns to her husband. "Won't you dance with me?"

Will nods at her, grabbing her hand and leading her to the dance floor, both of them wave at me with smiles on their faces and I return it with as much eagerness. They're truly a match made in heaven, as much is clear and I've only spent five minutes with both of them. 

Observing the space from my spot in the darkness underneath the stairs, I see that over half of the guests have left already, the only ones left are the very drunk ones. Myself included. It's insane what a little wine can do to the human mind, particularly when it's been a long time since my last drunken escapade. I find myself swaying along to the music flying through the air, it hugs my body and allows me to let go for a minute. 

A presence next to me overwhelms and halts my body as goosebumps dance across my skin, I try to stay silent, my widened eyes searching the yard. A shadow steps into the light from behind me, a muscular frame hidden behind a black tuxedo, I try not to salivate by the sight. 

My eyes travel further up and as soon as they land on his smirk, I know exactly who's hiding in the shadows with me. His green eyes gaze into mine with so much intensity a rough shiver erupts in my legs, he's here. 

"I find myself very lucky to be looking at how unbelievably extraordinary you are, love."