Page 25 of Only When It Breaks

Kai

I’m not drunk. Notdrunk-drunk. Just loose.Warm. That floaty space where everything’s funny, and my limbs no longer belong to me.

We’re outside in the garden, half the group scattered across rattan furniture that Bella warned us not to break. Emmie’s sitting on the edge of a wooden planter box, hands curled around a bottle of water she’s been nursing for half an hour. No second drink. No shots. Just watching. She’s not like the others. And the more I see it, the more I like it.

Bella’s in full social queen mode, laughing too loud at nothing. Luna’s perched beside her like her sidekick. Henry’s talking to Austin about some bet they made during the last football match, and honestly, I stopped following the conversation ten minutes ago. I’m half-listening, half-watching Emmie out of the corner of my eye.

She’s tense. Not scared, just out of place. Her fingers keep fiddling with the label on her bottle like she wishes she could peel her way out of the night. I lean closer to her. “You okay?”

She glances up. “Yeah.”

I nod. “We can go whenever you’re ready.”

Bella swoops in like a hawk spotting prey. “Ooh, what’s this?” she coos, swirling her drink and plopping down too close beside me. “Kai checking in on Emmie? That’scute.”

I shoot her a look. “Don’t start.”

Bella grins like I’ve proven her point. “Alright,” she says, clapping her hands. “This is getting boring. Truth or dare.”

Luna perks up. Henry groans. Austin’s already pulling out his phone to record something, just in case.

“I’m out,” Emmie says instantly, standing like she’s ready to bolt.

Bella smiles sweetly. “Oh, come on, just one round. Live a little.”

“Don’t,” I murmur, standing too. I’m right beside Emmie now. “You don’t have to.”

She looks at me. Really looks. Her eyes search mine like she’s trying to figure out whether I actually mean that. But Bella’s already grabbing a bottle off the table and spinning it, laughing. “Too late, you’re in!”

The bottle lands between me and Emmie. I want to roll my eyes at the obvious set-up.

Bella practically squeals. “Perfect! Emmie, truth or dare?”

I feel her stiffen next to me. Her jaw sets like she’s not going to say anything. “I’ll go,” I say, stepping in before Bella can make it worse. “Truth.”

Bella’s smile falters. “But it didn’t land on you.”

“Truth,” I repeat.

Her grin widens. “Okay then,” she says, all fake sweetness. “Kiss the girl youreallylike.”

Luna bursts out laughing. Austin makes some stupid oooooh sound.

Emmie freezes. I feel it, the tension rolling off her like a wave. She’s gone pale. Her hand tightens around her water bottle.

“Predictable,” I tell Bella, my hand dashing out and catching Emmie’s wrist before she can back away. Her eyes dart to mine, but I’m already advancing, slow, sure. And as I step into her space, I gently tuck her hair behind her ear. “It’s the truth,” I say, my voice low. Her breath hitches.

And then I kiss her. It’s soft, unsure, exactly how I imagined it.

And when I pull back, the garden’s gone completely silent. I don’t look at Bella. I don’t need to. Emmie’s still staring at me, wide-eyed and blinking like she can’t believe any of that just happened. I don’t give her time to overthink it. I slip an arm around her waist and gently tug her toward me. “Sit,” I murmur, guiding her onto my lap. She resists for half a second, because, of course she does, but then she settles, stiff at first, then a littlesofter as I rest my hand lightly on her thigh. The air’s still thick with shock, but I feel her heartbeat, fast against my chest, and I know she felt it too. That kiss wasn’t nothing. “We’ll talk later,” I say under my breath so only she can hear.

She doesn’t reply. But she doesn’t move away either.

To break the tension, and because I’m already in this far, I reach for the bottle and give it a spin. It twirls, slow and dizzy, before landing on Luna.

She shrieks. “No! Ugh. Fine. Dare.”

I smirk. “Kiss the guyyoulike.”

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