1. The above pic is a reference pic for Aliana's outfit at the party if my description doesn't make sense to anyone.

2. There is no 12.3 anymore. I changed my mind. Don't get confused. Thanks. Enjoy.

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Mia has been staring at me from the passenger seat since the past 5 minutes.

"What?" I snap, tearing my eyes from the road for a milli-second to glare at her.

"Oh me?" she pretends to look innocent, "I'm just thinking of a ship name and a few baby names just in case."

I lift my hand off the steering wheel and flip her my middle finger before returning it back to the wheel.

She leans ahead, "Did you not see the smile on lover boy's face?"

I roll my eyes, refusing to let myself blush any more than I already have. Honestly, I would've never seen that smile if it wasn't for Mia and Shaye. To be honest, when Nathan had called me earlier today asking me to for a kiss, I was more confused than I was nervous. When he had explained the reason to me, I wasn't confused anymore. I was just plain nervous. I had agreed to it obviously because only an idiot would give up the opportunity to kiss Nathan Wright.

I was a lot of things but definitely not an idiot.

⋈ ⋈ ⋈

30 minutes.

There was half an hour to go when I had hung up on Nathan. Tracking Mrs Warren down, I had found her in the kitchen, alone.

"Mrs Warren, I can't stay overtime today," I had said.

Only she and I know that my original shift doesn't require me to leave after everyone does. Only she and I know that I've been working overtime, without pay, ever since she discovered my inability to say a certain syllable with two letters. Mia always assumes that my shift has been this since the very beginning, Shaye as well. So none of them have any idea and I have started not minding since I've never had too many plans and all my plans take place after my shift. This is the first time I'm telling her I can't stay.

Say yes only if your heart says it. Nathan's words echoed in my head as she turned her deadly gaze on me.

"Tough luck. You have to stay anyway," she had replied. I felt my head shaking no and my mouth beginning to reply to her.

"I have some really important work today. I really can't stay back," I had tried to plead again. I felt my resolve breaking down as she merely dusted her hands and replied, "You're not going," and walked out.

20 minutes.

20 minutes were remaining on the clock when I had decided to text Nathan about this misfortune. It was then when I had felt my phone getting snatched out of my hand. Looking up, I was met with charcoal black eyes and an evil smile.

"You're not going to text him," Shaye had said. Pulling my hand and pushing me into the storage room, I was met with another set of eyes. Only this time, they were greyish green. Mia stood there with 2 pairs of my clothes in her hand.

"One for the game and one for the party you'll get invited to when they win the game"

"Took you long enough to get her here," she exclaimed, turning to Shaye.

"Had to wait for Mom to leave," Shaye replied. I had stood there with an expression of confusion mixed with awe.

"How did you two know?"

"Eli texted me," Mia replied. She was trying so hard not to smile, but a small one came through anyway. "We leave in 10."

7 minutes.

"Where do you think you're going?" we heard Mrs Warren say from behind us just as we were about to leave. At the same time, my phone rang in my pocket. I removed it silently and saw Nay flashing on my screen.

Turning around I picked it up. But I couldn't pay attention to him, with Mrs Warren staring us down. In the end, I had told him I'd call him later.

Mia and Shaye opened their mouths to defend me but I beat them to it.

Don't say yes unless your heart does.

"We're going to complete our important work."

Mrs Warren smirked and said, "And that involves a college game?"

"Why yes it does," replied Mia.

Rolling her eyes, Mrs Warren spoke, sounding bored, "Ali, you're staying."

"No. She's not," Shaye said to her mother, "And you can't do anything about it."

"I can fire her."

"But you won't. You need her more than she needs you, mother." And with that, she walks out of the Bakery, beckoning us to follow.

5 minutes.

"Shaye you really gotta drive slower, babe," Mia chuckled nervously. I nodded my head, not daring to open my mouth.

She looked back and glared at Mia, which in turn caused Mia and me to panic.

"EYES ON THE ROAD, SHAYE!"

"Oops sorry," she returned her gaze back to the road. Shaye had taken up the role of driving us to the game, leaving the bakery to the care of her mother and the rest of the staff. 

"Serves her right," she had said. That also warranted a silent look from her saying, "We'll talk about your overtime situation later."

"ISU is an 8-minute drive from The Bakery well within the speed limit considering traffic. So I'm trying to make it under time." and with that, she focused her attention back on the drive. Shaye was also gonna drive my car here after we reached the game to save my time.

0 minutes.

Finding a parking spot on the game day seemed like an impossible task. With Shaye's marvellously dangerous driving, we had managed to reach perfectly on time. Getting out of the car, we had called out to her that we'd catch up later and ran towards the team's locker room.

Upon reaching, I had come face to face with a dark locked room.

"We're late Mia," I sighed. She looked at me with a sigh of her own. Almost immediately, the bulb in my head lit up and I looked at Mia. She looked confused with my happy expression at first, but instantly she had read my thoughts.

Communicating without words, our special skill.

-5 minutes.

I was 5 minutes late. Running into the stands, I had quickly scanned the ground.

Where is he? I had thought. And as fast as the thought had entered my head, it had exited even faster. Because there I was, staring at Nathan who was looking back at me. I saw him raise his hand and wave and that's when I knew my plan would work.

And after seeing the smile that had covered his features, I had reached the conclusion that I would go through all this trouble over again.

If the reward was that smile.

And currently, as I drive my car to the party location, I know that the conclusion I had reached back at the game is going to hold true for a pretty long time.

⋈ ⋈ ⋈

"The game saver is here!" a team member shouts as soon as I enter the party with Nathan, Eli and Mia by my side. I laugh and do a quick bowing action which causes everyone around me to chuckle and whoop out loud.

The same guy walks over to me and extends his hand.

"I'm Jason."

"Aliana," I reply, taking his hand in mine and shaking it.

"That's a pretty name for a pretty girl. Care for a dance, Aliana?"

I nod and allow him to lead me to the place where everyone was dancing. I turn around to wink at Mia, who just smiles and rolls her eyes. Walking onto the makeshift dance floor, I feel myself getting lost in the music, Jason keeping a respectful distance from me. When the song changes to a slower one, he pulls me in and places his hand on my waist and makes small talk with me.

"So Ali, do you have a boyfriend?" he asks out of the blue.

I look at him teasingly, "I don't."

"That's a good thing then. Only, not for me," he smirks.

"Why not?" I ask, knowing the answer to the question. Judging by his body language, it was clear that none of us are actually feeling anything towards each other. It feels like two friends dancing casually. Nothing more, nothing less.

"Because our captain is pouting like a little child without his candy on Halloween, with you here dancing with me," he laughs.

"Your captain requires timely attention I suppose," I joke.

"I mean, I don't blame him. Have you looked at yourself?"

I roll my eyes at him and he grabs that window to continue, "If I hadn't automatically felt like I was dancing with my sister the minute we started, we would've been doing a whole different kind of talking."

I slap his arm, causing him to start laughing. I join in, totally ridiculed by our conversation. The song ends, causing us to separate. He raises his hand up high, palm facing me, a clear gesture for a high five. I slap his hands above our heads.

"I'll see you around, Ali," he says, giving me a playful salute.

"You sure will."

Turning around, I scan my eyes through the room. Mia is dancing with another guy from the football team. Eli is at the drinks table conversing with a girl and Nathan is sitting on the couch, looking bored out of his mind as a few people try talking to him. I walk over to him and see his face lighten up, seemingly recognising my shadow.

"Hey Nay, wanna take a breather?"

Flashing me a lopsided smile, he replies, "How could I say no to that?"

Throwing an apologetic smile to everyone on the couch, he falls in step beside me and walks out to the lawn. He sits down on the porch swing and I follow, taking a seat beside him and crossing my legs.

"Were you bored?" I question after a beat of silence. It has gotten considerably colder since the time we arrived, the month of October bringing in the cold at night. I wrap my arms around me and rub them. I had changed into the party outfit Mia had chosen for me. She had taken the safe route, choosing my all-time favourite deep v satin off white top with my Gucci belt and my star-patterned black pants. Wearing my trusty beige mid-height heels, I paired the entire thing with a few gold chains, my bracelet and my ring and left my hair open.

I had also stupidly left my cardigan back in the car, figuring I wouldn't need it anymore. Noticing my discomfort, Nathan pulls me closer to his body, letting me use some of his body heat to fight off the cold.

"Of course I was. I thought you'd spend time with me, considering you came with me,"

Not being able to stop myself, I blurt, "That's what she said."

Nathan looks at me mockingly, trying to control his laughter, but when I start laughing, he joins in.

"Have I mentioned how stunning you look today?" he asks, once our laughter has died down.

I pretend to think about it and reply, "Not that I can recall."

"You easily are the most stunning girl in the room."

I fight off a silly smile and reply, "You don't look too bad yourself, Wright."

After the game, he changed into a black sweatshirt and blue washed denim jeans. Looking at him right now, his hair is the perfect mess, his Hamilton watch is peaking out from under the sleeves of his sweatshirt and his feet are hidden underneath his white sneakers.

And with the moonlight shining down on him, he looks like a dream.

Chuckling lightly, he looks at me and replies, "I know." After another beat of comfortable silence, he speaks up again.

"Let's play a game."

"Let me guess, 20 questions."

"Well sue me if wanting to get to know you better is a crime."

I narrow my eyes at him. He continues staring at the small puddle in front of him with an amusing smile on his face.

"Fine, I'll start. What was the oh so important work on the night of your mom's birthday?" I ask.

He finally looks up and smiles sheepishly. "We're going all-in huh?"

I simply shrug and wait for him to reply.

"Well, I was with the second hottest girl in college. Amanda. Remembered mom's birthday in the middle of taking our clothes off."

I cringe, "You are terrible."

"I know I know. I felt pretty guilty later. Apologised to mom, apologised to you and the rest is history."

"But I wanna know, why the second hottest? What has the poor girl even done to anyone? She's easily the hottest girl in college."

He looks at me this time. Really looks at me.

He looks right through my soul.

"She's second hottest because her interests and mine don't match. She's second hottest for me, only because I don't know her and I probably will never put the effort to know her either. For me, the first position will be taken by someone who I can talk to, listen to and match interests with. She'll be my person, the hottest girl for me."

I feel my heart beating erratically inside my rib cage at his intense stare. He smiles a small grin at me before getting up and extending his hand towards me. The swing is now swaying back and forth because of the added movement, but I don't pay any attention to it. Just on his hand.

"Care for some drinks, Grasshopper? Ready to make some alcohol-induced memories?"

I grin, placing my hand in his and getting up.

"I'm always ready."

⋈ ⋈ ⋈

Salut, mes amies! How are you all doing? The format of the chapter is a little different, I wanted to show y'all Ali's POV before the game started without actually writing it? Does that make sense? I'm sorry if anyone got confused, there were a lot of tenses jumps I know. But I hope y'all liked it. And and, I also know many must've thought Ali would say no to Mrs Warren. Hell, even I thought she'd say no. But thinking about it, it made no real sense that she just suddenly does a 180 on her personality and age-old habits. She took the first step towards defending herself and that's okay for the day. Baby steps.

Phew, that was an explanation. Question of the week then?

Q. What is your own age-old habit? Something you can't let go off, no matter how much discomfort it brings to you or the people around you?

Anywayss, we hit 2k today. Like today morning I woke up and I was like woah???? Crazy. Insane. Unbelievable. Thank you so much for all your support, y'all are the absolute best. I love you all. I'll see you later then? 

Love,

Anushka <3