After the poker game wrapped up, everyone started heading back inside. I kept my eyes on Elijah, hoping to catch up with him, but when I saw Blake approaching Daphne, I had to fly with her. But as usual, my timing was off, and I lost sight of Elijah entirely.

"I can't believe I lost money and Elijah," I grumbled, taking a sip of my fruity drink. Its sweetness does little to improve my mood.

Daphne wrapped her arm around my shoulder. "I think you've done more than enough for one night. How about you just relax now?"

"You're right." I sighed.

Hiding from Blake wasn't easy.

"Congratulations on the win!" I glanced up to see who she was talking to and saw Samuel walking towards us, a wide grin plastered on his face.

"Thank you, Daph." He chuckled. "But I should actually thank Cara." She frowned in confusion and he added. "It's because of her I decided to play."

I scoffed. "It's you who dragged me into that game in the first place."

"I didn't ask you to play."

"What else was I supposed to do?"

"Sit still and look pretty." His gaze flickered to Daphne. "You should learn a few things from Daph."

I scowled while Daphne's cheeks turned a deeper shade of pink.

"What are you trying to do here, Samuel?" I inquired.

"Nothing." He gave a half-shrug, trying to look innocent.

"I don't believe you."

"Believe it or not, I'm trying to help you."

"How is any of this helping me?"

"You were hesitating to go there." He pointed out.

"Fine, but what was the use of it?" I retorted. "I lost Elijah again."

Not to forget my money too.

"I told you your plan had loopholes."

I got the clue the next day when Blake invited Daphne.

"I'm trying to cover those."

"Is it helping?" He questioned, and I opened my mouth, but nothing came out.

We stood in silence, staring at each other, and suddenly, the upbeat rhythms of "Shape of You" by Ed Sheeran filled the air, making Daphne's face light up with excitement.

"It's my favorite song!" She squealed, giving me pleading puppy dog eyes. "Let's go dance, Cara!"

"I'm exhausted." I exhaled.

I knew she was doing it to ease the tension, but I was mentally and physically drained.

Daphne's shoulders slumped slightly. "Alright."

"If you want..." Samuel said, getting our attention. "I can join you."

My brows dipped and I opened my mouth to refuse, but Daphne's excitement took over.

"Really?" She grabbed Samuel's arm. "Let's go!"

Leaning against the wall, I watched them dumbfounded as Daphne and Samuel made their way to the dance floor. The song's rhythm had already started to take over, and the dance floor was alive with energy.

"...Come over and start up a conversation with just me
And trust me I'll give it a chance now
Take my hand, stop, put Van the Man on the jukebox
And then we start to dance, and now I'm singing like..."

Daphne, full of enthusiasm, pulled Samuel into the center of the floor. She moved with an infectious energy, her hips swaying rhythmically as she danced. Her dress fluttered with each spin, and her laughter rang out, blending with the beat of the music.

Samuel, clearly enjoying the moment, danced alongside her with a confident ease. His movements were smooth and in sync with Daphne's, though his style was more restrained. He matched her energy, occasionally twirling her around or pulling her in for a quick, playful spin.

"I'm in love with your body
(Oh-I-oh-I-oh-I-oh-I)..."

As the chorus of "Shape of You" hit, Daphne and Samuel were completely lost in their own world.

"I'm in love with your body
Every day discovering something brand new
I'm in love with the shape of you..."

"What the heck?" I muttered under my breath as I continued to watch Daphne and Samuel dance. But it wasn't just their dance that caught my attention.

Across the dance floor, on the opposite side from where I stood, I noticed Blake standing alone. His posture was rigid, and his usual confidence had given way to an expression of palpable disappointment. His narrowed gaze was fixed intently on Daphne and Samuel as he watched them dance.

The sight of Blake's disappointment was unsettling. It felt almost like a punch to the gut, stirring a peculiar mix of emotions within me. I couldn't quite understand why his reaction affected me so deeply, but there was something about the way he looked with furrowed brows and the almost imperceptible frown on his lips that made something itch inside me.

"...Girl, you know I want your love
Your love was handmade for somebody like me
Come on now, follow my lead
I may be crazy, don't mind me
Say, boy, let's not talk too much
Grab on my waist and put that body on me
Come on now, follow my lead
Come, come on now, follow my lead..."

Blake's eyes tracked Daphne's every move, and there was a discernible tension in his stance. His arms were crossed tightly over his chest, and he shifted his weight from one foot to the other, as if trying to suppress a growing sense of frustration. The way his whole body seemed to tighten with each twirl and laugh shared between Daphne and Samuel.

I watched his chest heaved in a deep breath and he shook his head then walked away. His reaction made me question my own feelings and the complex web of interactions and emotions swirling around us.

"That was fun!" Daphne beamed as she walked toward me with Samuel after the song ended. "I had no idea you could dance."

"I have a few tricks up my sleeve." Samuel flashed a toothy grin, but it faltered when he noticed my glare. "What?"

"Nothing." I grabbed Daphne's arm. "We're heading to the kitchen for a drink."

"Ok-"

"And by 'we,' I mean just the two of us." I narrowed my eyes at him. "Don't follow."

Daphne looked puzzled but followed me as I dragged her toward the kitchen. "What's wrong?"

"I-" I swallowed, struggling to keep my unfamiliar emotions in check. "Just feeling exhausted. Let's go home."

"Alright." Daphne's lips pressed into a thin line.

It's no use staying here if we can't talk to Elijah.

We entered the kitchen, and to my surprise, there was Elijah, chatting with Blake and enjoying a drink.

"Having fun?" Elijah asked as he noticed us.

"Yeah. Thanks for inviting us." I said with a forced smile. "We were just about to leave."

"Oh..." Elijah's gaze flickered to Blake, who had turned his face away. "Are you going to Sophia's house?"

We were, but an idea suddenly sparked in my mind.

"Ye-"

"No." I cut off Daphne, who looked at me in confusion. "We'll be heading home. I'm calling an Uber-"

"Blake is leaving too. He can drop you guys off."

"What?!" Blake and I shrieked simultaneously.

In my mind, Elijah was supposed to offer a ride, not Blake!

"It's alright." I quickly pulled my phone out. "The Uber should be here any minute."

"No need for that." Elijah's hand shot out, snatching my phone. "Blake..." He turned to his friend, who was grumbling under his breath.

"I'll drop them," Blake muttered.

"Good." Elijah grinned and handed my phone back. "Thanks for coming again."

"Thank you, Elijah," Daphne said, giving him her angelic smile. "See you at school." She then blushed and stammered, "I-I mean..."

"See you guys on Monday." Elijah chuckled, amused by Daphne's embarrassment.

"Let's go." Blake turned and headed out of the kitchen, and Daphne and I followed.

"I thought we were having a sleepover at Soph's," Daphne whispered beside me.

"I had something else in mind." I groaned. "Wish I had kept my mouth shut."

We followed Blake out of the house, and as we approached, I glanced over at Sophia's place. Through the window, I spotted her peering out with binoculars. I could almost see the confusion on her face as she watched us head towards Blake's car. I couldn't wait to fill her in on what her brother had just done.

Blake pressed the key fob, and the sleek black two-door Dodge Challenger's lights flashed on, a low beep echoing in the quiet night. He opened the passenger door, folded the seat forward, and motioned for us to get in.

I knew if I climbed in first, Blake would end up sitting up front with Daphne.

With that thought, I signaled for Daphne to take the back seat, and she complied, sliding in with a look of curiosity. Blake rolled his eyes at the arrangement but, as expected, lifted the passenger seat forward to make space. I slipped into the seat, and the soft, luxurious leather enveloped me.

The interior of the car was both sleek and intimidating, with its dark, high-quality leather upholstery giving off a subtle but distinct scent of new leather mingled with a hint of gasoline.

Blake walked around to the driver's side, and as he settled into his seat and ignited the car, it roared to life. The powerful engine's growl was deep and resonant, making me flinch slightly.

Never in my wildest dreams had I imagined myself sitting inside Blake Amore's Dodge Challenger.

Blake drove out of the driveway and onto the road, his focus on the route as he asked for our address. Once I gave him the details, a realization hit me.

My house was closer, meaning he'd drop me off first and Daphne second. I mentally kicked myself for not considering this earlier.

"Drop Daphne first," I said, trying to sound casual but failing to mask my urgency.

"What?" Blake frowned, his eyes fixed on the road. "Your house comes first."

"I know," I said in a duh tone. "But I want you to drop her off first and then me."

"Who cares what you want?" he scoffed.

"Can't you just listen to a request?" I shot back.

"There's a difference between requesting and ordering, Miss Unaware." he mocked.

"Alright." I cleared my throat, trying a different approach. "Blake, could you please drop Daphne off first?" I asked in a gentle tone and blinked my eyes at him.

His gaze flickered towards me, surprised, but he quickly regained his composure. "No."

My jaw dropped in disbelief. "I just asked... politely!"

"I'm not taking the long way just because you asked." He rolled his eyes. "And why do you want me to drop her off first?"

Because I know your plans, genius!

"Because..." I racked my brain for an excuse. "She's afraid." Both of them blinked in confusion.

"Afraid of what?" Blake inquired.

"Being alone."

"She won't be alone since I'm driving her." His tone suggested that my reasoning was absurd.

"But I won't be with her."

"I will not eat her." He said nonchalantly. My gaze darted to Daphne in the back seat, and I saw her ducking her head in embarrassment.

I knew we were thinking the same thing. We both have dirty minds.

"What?" Blake shifted in his seat when I silently stared at him.

"Just." I shook the nasty thought. "Drop her first."

"No."

"Blak-" Before I could finish, he slammed on the brakes, causing me to jolt forward. "Ouch!"

"Get out." His voice was cold and final.

"Excuse me?" I stared at him, shocked. "You're kicking me out in the middle of the night, who knows where-"

"Cara." He said my name with an edge of frustration, but there was something different about it.

This was the first time I heard my name from his mouth. The way he pronounced it made it sound special, almost intimate. I found myself lost in the sound, feeling a strange flutter in my chest.

Why did hearing my name from him feel so... different?

"Are you even listening to me?" He snapped his fingers, pulling me out of my trance.

"What?" I blinked, refocusing on his face. His brows were furrowed in confusion and he motioned behind me. I followed his gaze and saw my house.

Wait... What?

He wasn't kicking me out. We had arrived at my house!

I'm such an idiot.

"Oh, I didn't realize we were here," I said sheepishly, scratching my head. "About what I was requesting earlier-"

"Cara." Daphne's voice cut through the awkwardness. "I'll be fine."

My shoulders slumped in defeat, and I nodded. "Call me when you get home."

"Alright." Daphne smiled reassuringly.

I glanced at Blake, who was tapping his fingers impatiently on the steering wheel.

"Thank you," I said, but he ignored me. With a sigh, I got out of the car.

I watched as Blake and Daphne drove away, and I cursed myself silently. Despite all my efforts to keep Daphne away from Blake, it all came to nothing because of one stupid mistake.

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