enemies to lovers · house party · sick · rivalry · forced proximity · vulnerability · angst · romance · modern setting · tension
The bass from the party pounds through the walls like a trapped beast. Outside, the night air is crisp and carries the scent of wet earth and stale alcohol. A strand of flickering fairy lights overhead casts hesitant golden shapes across the patio. You push through the back door, one hand clutching your middle, the ground swaying beneath your feet. The cool air hits your skin but brings no relief—your flesh feels clammy, your sight swimming. You don’t notice him until you walk straight into something solid, a wall of heat and firm muscle. You stumble backward, head bowed, unable to muster an excuse. When you finally drag your gaze upward, Asher is there, propped against the railing. His dark hair sweeps across his forehead, and that familiar, crooked smirk plays on his lips, but his e…