"Fine," I said, gripping the mic tightly. "But if I'm doing this, all of you are singing too."

"That's fair," Celeste grinned, scrolling through the karaoke machine's song list. "What's your song choice, Amber?"

I hesitated, the heat of all their eyes on me. An idea struck—a way to give them something unexpected while staying in my comfort zone.

"Djadja," I said finally, the name slipping from my lips.

Kyle frowned. "What's that?"

"By Aya Nakamura," I said simply, crossing my arms as I turned to Celeste. "It's French."

The group erupted into intrigued murmurs. "Ohh, we're going international," Wes teased, leaning back into the couch.

Bryan's brow quirked slightly, though he stayed silent, his gaze fixed on me like he was studying every move I made. I ignored him, pretending like I didn't notice the way his dark eyes tracked me as I stepped up to the mic.

"Wait," Blake cut in with an impressed smile. "Amber speaks French?"

Isabella, glowing with pride, chimed in before I could answer. "She's fluent. She'll show off and crush this song—just wait."

I shook my head, cheeks heating under the sudden attention. "I'm not showing off."

"You're about to," Bryan said, his voice low and mocking enough to make me whip around to glare at him. He looked relaxed, arms sprawled along the back of the couch, but there was that spark in his eyes again—like he was waiting to see how far I'd go. "Let's hear it, Amber."

I turned away quickly, ignoring him as I let Celeste cue up the song. The opening notes hit—smooth, rhythmic, with a beat that instantly filled the room. I gripped the mic, my heart pounding harder than it had during my audition.

The first line came softly, my voice finding its place over the beat.

"Hello papi mais qué pasa?
J'entends des bails atroces sur moi."

The moment I hit "papi" and the mix of French and Spanish echoed through the small room, I caught a flash of movement out of the corner of my eye. Bryan straightened slightly where he sat, his brows lifting in faint surprise as his gaze sharpened on me.

Stop looking at him, Amber.

I didn't dare look directly at him, but I could feel his reaction, like his attention had zeroed in completely. It was subtle, the way his smirk faded just a touch, the teasing edge replaced by something quieter—something more intent. His dark eyes tracked my every move, every word rolling off my tongue.

As the beat picked up, so did my confidence. My hips swayed slightly, a small grin tugging at my lips as I fell into the groove. I could feel their eyes on me—Celeste and Isabella's delighted cheering, Kyle and Wes leaning forward, and Blake nodding his head to the beat.

And then there was Bryan.

I stole a glance at him mid-verse, just for a split second. He was watching me with an expression I couldn't read. His usual smirk was gone, replaced with something sharper, something deeper. His dark eyes were locked on me, following every word and every movement, and it sent an uninvited warmth rushing through me.

"Putain, mais tu déconnes
C'est pas comme ça qu'on fait les choses"

I hit the chorus with more energy than I realized I had, letting the French words pour out effortlessly. The song's sharp rhythm carried me, and for once, I wasn't overthinking. I just sang.

Isabella stood up, clapping to the beat, shouting, "That's my girl!" Blake joined in, cheering as Celeste grabbed her phone and waved it like a lighter.

By the final chorus, I couldn't hold back the smile spreading across my face. I finished the last note strong, my voice steady as the song faded. The moment I lowered the mic, the booth erupted into applause and cheers.

"Are you kidding me?!" Celeste shouted, clapping so hard I thought her hands might fall off. "Amber, that was amazing!"

"French music is elite," Blake said, grinning as he leaned forward. "You killed it."

"International star," Wes joked, bowing dramatically in my direction.

I laughed, cheeks flushed as I handed the mic back to Celeste. "It wasn't that great."

"Don't be modest," Isabella chimed in, looping her arm around me. "You just embarrassed the rest of us. How are we supposed to follow that?"

"Speak for yourself," Kyle teased, grabbing the next mic. "I'll give her a run for her money."

I smiled, relief finally settling in now that the spotlight was off me. But the feeling didn't last long. Bryan's voice cut through the chatter, smooth and deliberate as always.

"Not bad, Ballerina," Bryan said, his voice cutting through the noise.

I turned toward him, narrowing my eyes at the way his lips curled into that infuriating smirk again. "What's that supposed to mean?"

He shrugged, shifting just enough to close the space between us. His arm, broad and warm, draped across the back of the couch, grazing my shoulders like it belonged there. My body went rigid, heart stuttering in my chest as I tried to ignore the press of his warmth against me.

"You're full of surprises," he said softly, his voice low enough for only me to hear. "Guess there's more to you than pirouettes and nerves."

I twisted to glare at him, refusing to let the way my pulse jumped show on my face. "You're insufferable."

"And yet, you're not moving," he teased, tilting his head so close that his dark hair almost brushed my cheek.

I opened my mouth to snap back, but before I could, Isabella's voice rang out over the group chatter.

What is it with him?

I slouched into the couch, still clutching my drink as the group's energy crackled around me. Kyle grabbed the mic like he was born for it, the opening beats of a rock anthem echoing through the room. Isabella, predictably, was on her feet, cheering for him like he was performing for thousands. Wes joined in, shaking his head to the beat like he was part of the band, while Celeste filmed it all, already laughing hysterically.

Meanwhile, I tried to blend into the cushions, still feeling the heat of Bryan's lingering gaze. Even now, as Kyle sang dramatically off-key, I could sense him next to me, relaxed yet annoyingly present, like he took up more space than anyone else.

"You can stop hiding," Bryan said quietly, his voice cutting through the noise.

"I'm not hiding," I muttered without looking at him, taking a sip of my soda.

He leaned in just slightly, his arm still lazily resting along the back of the couch. "Could've fooled me."

I turned my head to glare at him, only to find him watching me with that same insufferable mix of amusement and curiosity. Up close, the dim neon lighting highlighted the sharp angles of his jawline and the faint shadow of stubble along his cheek. His dark eyes, however, were impossible to ignore—smoldering and sharp, like they could see straight through me.

"What do you want?" I asked, trying not to sound as flustered as I felt.

"Just enjoying the show," he said smoothly, tilting his head toward the others. "You, however, look like you're planning your escape route."

I huffed a quiet laugh, glancing at Isabella, who was now practically yelling along with Kyle into the second mic. "Can you blame me?"

Bryan smirked. "Fair. But you sang first, so no one's forgetting that anytime soon."

"Are you complimenting me or teasing me?" I asked, narrowing my eyes.

He shrugged one shoulder. "Both."

Before I could respond, Kyle finished with a dramatic mic drop—thankfully onto the cushioned table, not the floor—earning cheers from everyone. Blake leaned over to high-five him while Isabella twirled dramatically, still singing the last note.

"You're all insane," I muttered, earning a laugh from Celeste as she queued up the next song.

"Next up—Blake and Isabella!" Celeste declared, throwing her arms in the air.

Isabella froze mid-spin, her face lighting up like she'd just been crowned prom queen. "Wait, really? Us?"

"Yep!" Celeste said, handing Isabella a mic and pointing to Blake, who, as usual, looked effortlessly calm. "You two are doing a duet."

Blake smiled, that easy grin he always wore, and took the second mic. "Let's make it a good one."

I watched as Isabella nearly vibrated with excitement. The song started—a classic, cheesy love ballad that everyone knew—and she practically melted into the role. She and Blake sang the verses with playful grins and exaggerated gestures, like they were in some kind of off-Broadway musical. I couldn't help but laugh when Isabella dramatically pointed at Blake for the chorus, her voice warbling with fake vibrato.

"They're ridiculous," I whispered under my breath.

"Better this than Blake trying to rap," Bryan muttered, his voice laced with amusement.

I glanced at him, surprised to see him smiling faintly as he watched the performance. It wasn't his usual smirk, either. For a second, it was almost... soft. The sight of it caught me off guard, and I quickly looked away, ignoring the strange tug in my chest.

After Isabella and Blake's over-the-top duet ended—complete with Isabella sinking to her knees for the finale—Celeste was on her feet again.

"Bryan, you're up!" she declared, pointing the mic at him.

He lifted an eyebrow, looking entirely unbothered. "Pass."

"No way," Wes said, shaking his head. "You made Amber sing; you're not getting out of this."

I couldn't resist. "Yeah, Bryan," I said, turning to him with mock sweetness. "Don't tell me you're scared of the mic."

His dark eyes flicked to mine, and for a moment, I thought he might say something snarky. Instead, he leaned forward and took the mic from Celeste, the corners of his lips twitching into a slow, dangerous smile.

"You'll regret that, Amber," he said quietly, before leaning back against the couch like he had all the time in the world.

The music started—smooth, deep bass notes that sent a ripple of recognition through the group. Bryan started singing, his voice low, steady, and annoyingly good. Of course he could sing. His deep tone wrapped around the words like silk, so effortless it felt like he wasn't even trying.

The others cheered, but I sat frozen, heat prickling up my neck as I watched him. His usual cocky smirk had softened into something else entirely—something smoother, more confident. And the way his eyes briefly locked on mine during the chorus made it feel like he was singing just to me.

"Still think I'm scared of the mic?" he teased softly when the song ended, handing the mic back to Celeste.

I rolled my eyes, trying to ignore the way my pulse was still racing. "You're insufferable."

"You loved it," he shot back, grinning as he leaned back into the cushions.

The rest of the night flew by in a blur of laughter, terrible singing, and way too many snacks. Isabella dragged me up for a duet (I barely survived), Kyle attempted a dramatic rock ballad that had us crying with laughter, and Wes managed to rap so quickly none of us could keep up. Even Celeste got into it, dancing so enthusiastically she almost fell off the table.

Bryan stayed mostly quiet after his song, though his occasional remarks—always directed at me—had me glaring at him across the room more than once. He never pushed, never said anything too obvious, but every time his eyes caught mine, that familiar tension flared up again.

By the time we all stumbled out of Luna's Lounge, the night air was cool against my flushed cheeks, and my ribs hurt from laughing so much. Isabella was practically glowing as she waved goodbye to Blake, her voice still hoarse from singing too hard.

"You have to admit," she said, looping her arm through mine as we walked back to the dorm, "that was fun."

I sighed, unable to hide my smile. "Yeah. It was."

Isabella beamed. "I knew it! And hey, you sang Djadja. You're basically a karaoke legend now."

I laughed softly, though my mind briefly flashed back to Bryan—his voice, his smirk, and the way he'd looked at me during his song. I quickly pushed the thought aside.

"Next time," I said, nudging her playfully, "you're singing first."

"Deal," she said, grinning. "But don't think I didn't notice Bryan watching you tonight."

I groaned, burying my face in my hands. "Let's not talk about that."

Isabella only laughed as we turned the corner, her teasing words following me all the way back to our dorm.

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Thank You for 30 Chapters! 🎉💕

Wow, chapter thirty! I can't believe we've made it this far it feels surreal! This journey has been so special, and it wouldn't have been possible without your incredible support. Every read, comment, and like fills my heart with joy and keeps me motivated to keep writing. 

Amber and Bryan's story has been a rollercoaster and it means the world to me that you've stuck with them through all the ups and downs. Your excitement, love, and feedback inspire me every step of the way. 

Here's to more twists, turns, and unforgettable moments as their journey continues. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for being a part of this story! ❤️

With endless gratitude,
Meganne ✍️💖