Chapter 1
Lilly stood in front of the bathroom mirror. The pink streak in her otherwise brunette hair perfectly represented the person she wanted to be. It was bold and adventurous in her otherwise put-together life.
"Lil! Come on, you're missing everything!" her roommate Sarah shouted, pounding on the door, competing with the thunderous bass that pumped through the downstairs party.
Lilly grinned, giving herself one last look in the mirror before discarding the box of dye and rejoining the party.
As Lilly descended the stairs, her eyes scanned the party. There were hundreds of people there, most of whom Lilly had never seen. Despite her normally outgoing personality, she suddenly felt self-conscious. Then she saw Jake sprawled on a worn leather couch. His fingers lazily strummed an acoustic guitar, barely audible through the hum of the party. A small group had gathered around him, hanging on his every note. Jake had always had that effect on people, even back in freshman year when they'd shared that English class.
Their eyes met across the room, and Jake's face lit up with recognition. He set his guitar aside and stood up, weaving through the crowd towards her.
"Lilly! I didn't know you'd be here," Jake said, pulling her into a quick hug. The scent of his cologne mixed with the faint smell of beer on his breath.
"Hey, Jake," Lilly replied, stepping back slightly. "I see you're still the life of the party."
Jake grinned, running a hand through his tousled hair. "You know me. Our band actually just got tagged to play one of the sets at next month's garden festival. Some of our fans just happened to want a preview," Jake said teasingly.
"I see, so just a bunch of groupies then?" Lilly shot back in mock disdain. Jake put his hand to his heart as if her words had just delivered a devastating blow.
"Hey, we're about to start a game of Kings. Want in?"
Lilly glanced over at Sarah, who was waving frantically from the makeshift dance floor. "Thanks, but I promised Sarah I'd dance. Maybe later?"
"I'll hold you to that," Jake said with a wink before melting back into the crowd.
Lilly made her way to the makeshift dance floor where Sarah was waiting. As they moved to the music, her gaze drifted across the room, landing on a familiar figure. There was Ethan, standing awkwardly by the snack table, nursing a solo cup and looking as out of place as a penguin in a desert. She couldn’t help but love how much he was trying to come out of his shell, all for her.
They first met at a college party two years ago where Ethan reluctantly accompanied his roommate despite being shy. She'd been in her element then too, all smiles and energy, when she'd spotted him - a shy, reluctant tagalong to his more outgoing roommate. Something about his quiet presence had drawn her in, a calm eye in the storm of college shenanigans.
Now, watching him fidget with his cup, Lilly felt a familiar tug. For a moment, she hesitated, caught between the pulsing rhythm urging her to dance and the desire to go to Ethan, to pull him into her world of excitement and energy. The music called to her wild side, but Ethan's presence reminded her of the comfort in quieter moments.
Lilly blew Ethan a quick kiss, earning a bashful grin in return. Then, with a silent promise to check on him soon, she pushed away the nagging feeling and turned back to Sarah, letting the music sweep her away.
Jake appeared suddenly, sliding an arm around Lilly's waist. "Come on, just one dance," he murmured in her ear, his breath hot and smelling faintly of whiskey.
Lilly gently but firmly removed his arm. "Not tonight, Jake. I'm here with Ethan, remember?"
Jake's face fell slightly, but he nodded. "Right, of course… Ethan." He shot a disapproving look at Ethan, still standing awkwardly alone in the corner. Lilly saw the look and felt a sudden wave of embarrassment as Jake disappeared back into his crowd of groupies.
As the night wore on, Lilly found herself constantly checking back in on Ethan to make sure he was alright. She knew he wanted to leave, but she had hoped the longer they stayed, the more likely he would be to let his walls down and have fun. Around midnight, he approached her, looking exhausted.
"Hey," he said, having to raise his voice over the music. "I'm really not feeling great. Would you mind if we headed out?"
Lilly glanced longingly at her friends, still in full party mode. The night felt young, full of possibilities. But the pleading look in Ethan's eyes tugged at her heart.
"Of course," she said, forcing a smile. "Let me just grab my jacket."
As they left the party, Lilly couldn't help but feel a twinge of resentment. She loved Ethan, she really did. But sometimes she wondered if she was missing out on the full college experience. Her phone buzzed as they walked home - a text from Jake:
"Missed you on the dance floor tonight. But hey, I've got an extra backstage pass for the garden festival. If you want to see what the life of a rockstar is like ;)"
Lilly stared at the message, a mix of excitement and guilt swirling in her stomach. She glanced at Ethan, who was walking slightly ahead, oblivious to her internal struggle. The thought of being backstage at a real festival was thrilling, even if she knew Jake's intentions weren't entirely innocent. With a deep breath, she typed out a reply:
"Sounds fun! I'll think about it and let you know."
