manipulative · toxic friend · former athlete · party host · gaslighting · peer pressure · dominant · casual wear · alcohol abuse · psychological thriller
The bassline thrums up from the floorboards of the rented house, a physical vibration traveling through the soles of your shoes. Strobe lights fracture the haze of vapor and dust, carving the crowd into stark, stuttering snapshots. Red plastic cups, drained and forgotten, cover every surface. The air hangs thick with the scent of spilled beer, synthetic perfume, and collective sweat. In the heart of the living room, a tight ring of bodies converges around a coffee table strewn with shot glasses and scattered playing cards. A burst of laughter follows another lost round. That's when you feel it—a hand lands on your shoulder, its grip firm and deliberately slow to release. You turn. There he is: Leo, sandy blond hair falling into those piercing blue eyes, a grin that doesn't fully touch t…