As Leila stood in the bathroom, drying herself off with the towel Jesci had handed her, she couldn't help but feel the weight of the night pressing down on her.

The soft cotton of the oversized shirt he'd given her felt comforting against her skin, but it did little to ease the swirl of emotions she was trying to process. She stared at her reflection in the mirror, mascara smudged around her eyes, hair clinging to her damp face. She let out a small, frustrated laugh at how ridiculous she looked.
"What am I even doing here?" she muttered to herself, shaking her head.

This wasn't her scene—never had been. And yet, here she was, drenched and standing in a stranger's bathroom, with a guy she barely knew waiting just outside the door.

She took a deep breath, trying to gather her thoughts. There was something about Jesci that made her feel off-balance, like he was pulling her into his orbit without even trying. She had never been the type to be drawn to the "bad boy" persona, but there was something undeniably magnetic about him.

His presence was intense, his gaze sharp and observant, as if he could see right through her.
But there was also something else—a gentleness beneath the rough exterior, a hint of vulnerability that intrigued her even more. She could still feel the warmth of his hand when he'd pulled her out of the pool, the way he hadn't hesitated to help her despite the mess she'd made of herself.

Shaking off the thoughts, Leila finished drying off. She ran her fingers through her damp hair, trying to make herself look a little more presentable, though she knew there wasn't much she could do at this point.

After taking a moment to steady herself, she unlocked the door and stepped back into Jesci's bedroom. He was leaning against the wall near the window, looking out into the night. When he heard her enter, he turned to face her, his eyes briefly scanning her from head to toe.
"You clean up nice," he said with a slight smirk, though there was no malice in his tone.

Leila felt a blush creeping up her cheeks again. "Thanks... and thanks for the shirt. I don't think I could've walked around in wet clothes for the rest of the night."
"No problem," Jesci replied, pushing off the wall and taking a step closer. "You okay? That was a pretty impressive fall."
Leila nodded, her nerves settling slightly now that they were talking again. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just embarrassed more than anything."

Jesci shrugged, his expression softening. "It happens. No need to be embarrassed. You handled it better than most people would."

Leila wasn't sure if he was just being kind, but she appreciated the sentiment. "Still, thanks for helping me out. I'm not exactly the most graceful person in the world."
Jesci chuckled, the sound low and surprisingly warm. "I noticed."
She laughed along with him, feeling the tension between them ease slightly.

The silence that followed was comfortable, filled with the unspoken understanding that neither of them had expected to end up in this situation tonight.

Jesci reached into his drawer and pulled out a hoodie, black with white writing on it. Without a word, he handed it to Leila. She took it, feeling a rush of warmth at the gesture. As she pulled the hoodie over her head, she was enveloped in the comforting scent of his cologne—an intoxicating mix of cedar and something darker, more mysterious. It filled her senses, making her feel oddly content, almost as if his presence was wrapped around her.

"Thanks," Leila said softly, adjusting the hoodie around her. It was oversized, the sleeves hanging past her hands, but she liked it that way.

Jesci watched her for a moment, something flickering in his eyes that she couldn't quite read. He wasn't the type to let people wear his clothes. Macy had tried on more than one occasion to walk off with one of his hoodies, and he had always made sure she left his house in her own clothes. But this was different. Somehow, it felt right to see Leila in his hoodie, like it belonged to her more than it ever did to him.

Leila felt the need to break the silence, her thoughts drifting back to Grace. "I should probably find Grace," she said, her voice tinged with reluctance. "She's probably wondering where I am. And I think we should head home soon."

Jesci nodded, though he didn't seem eager to let the moment end. "Yeah, makes sense. I can help you find her if you want."

Leila smiled, touched by the offer. "Thanks, But you've already done enough." As she stood there she couldn't help but feel a pang of regret at the thought of leaving.

Jesci seemed to sense her hesitation. "You don't have to rush off. I mean, if you don't want to."

Leila looked up at Jesci, her heart skipping a beat at the softness in his voice. "I don't... but we're supposed to be home by one. God knows what the time is."

A faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth, a mix of amusement and something else she couldn't quite place. "It's ten to one."

Leila's eyes went wide with shock, her heart suddenly pounding for a different reason. "Oh my god," she muttered, the panic setting in. They had ten minutes—ten minutes to find Grace and get the hell out of here. The last thing they needed was Grace's dad showing up to the party in his patrol car. She could already see the look on Grace's face if that happened—pure mortification.

"Shit, shit, shit," Leila mumbled to herself as she quickly gathered her things, making sure she had everything before rushing out of Jesci's room. Her thoughts were a frantic whirlwind, but one thing was clear: they had to leave, and fast.

As she made her way down the stairs, people stopped and stared at her. The oversized hoodie swallowed her small frame, and her hair was still damp from her earlier plunge into the pool, but Leila was too focused to care. The stares didn't matter—what mattered was getting home before everything went to hell.

She pushed through the crowd, her eyes scanning the sea of faces for any sign of Grace. After what felt like an eternity, she finally spotted her friend standing in the kitchen, laughing and chatting with some guy. Leila wasted no time, rushing over and grabbing Grace by the arm.

"Grace, we need to go. Now," Leila said urgently, trying to pull her friend away from the guy.

Grace frowned, clearly intoxicated, and tried to shrug Leila off. "What? Why? It's not even that late," she slurred, her words slightly muddled by the alcohol.

Leila clenched her jaw, trying to keep her frustration in check. "It's five to one, Grace. We need to leave now, before your dad shows up!"

Grace blinked, the words slowly registering in her muddled brain. "What? No, it's fine, we can stay a little longer..." she tried to protest, her grip on the guy's arm tightening.

"Grace, shut up and listen to me. We have to go now, or we're screwed!" Leila insisted, her voice rising in urgency.

The two girls stood there, arguing back and forth, the tension between them growing with each passing second. Leila's heart was racing, every tick of the clock feeling like a countdown to disaster. But before she could convince Grace to leave, a loud shout echoed through the house.

"Police!"

Leila froze, her blood running cold. The next moment, red and blue lights flooded the room, casting an eerie glow over the partygoers. There was a collective gasp as everyone turned toward the window, where Grace's dad had parked the light's illuminating.

In unison, the two girls turned to each other and whispered the only word that could sum up their situation: "Shit."

Time seemed to slow as the reality of their predicament sank in. Leila could practically feel the panic radiating off of Grace, her earlier bravado completely shattered. This was exactly what they had been trying to avoid, and now it was too late.

The house erupted into chaos as people scrambled to avoid the police, but Leila and Grace stood frozen, caught in the middle of a nightmare they couldn't wake up from. And as the realization of what was about to happen hit them both, there was only one thought running through Leila's mind: How the hell were they going to get out of this one?