Page 7 of Only When We Fall

Seb throws a cushion at me. “Shut up.”

I grin. “You want a wingman or are we pretending you’ve got this?”

He groans. “I might need asmalldistraction.”

“Fine.” I stand, stretching, and feel it straight away, eyes on me. People I’ve never met clock me like they’re trying to figure out where they’ve seen me before. They haven’t. But it doesn’t matter. Some guy nods like we’re old mates. A girl near the speaker nudges her friend and whispers something, glancing my way.

It’s always like this. I don’t do anything, and still they look. They smile. They want something. And all I have to do to appease them is smile back. My dad says it’s an irresistible charm; one I apparently inherited from my runaway mother. I don’t think he meant it as a compliment.

Talia’s group parts slightly when I wander over, and someone immediately offers me a joint. I wave it off for now, holding up the whiskey as an explanation. She gives me a friendly nod, clocking Seb, hovering nearby and offering it his way. There’s no awkwardness, just that low hum of student energy. Everyone figuring out who they are here. Who they want to be.

I make conversation. I laugh at the right parts. I say something that makes Talia smile, and then I back off, letting Seb slide into the space I’ve warmed up for him.

I drop back into my cushion, stealing another drink. The music shifts to an acoustic and chill tone. Someone’s strumming along on a guitar, relaxing the mood further.

I close my eyes for a second, letting the night settle around me. And for a moment, it’s good. No pressure. No expectations. Just background noise and other people’s problems.

But then I see something. Dark hair. That familiar curve of a jaw.Emmie.

I shake it off. It’s not her. She wouldn’t be here. And even if she was, she wouldn’t want to see me.

I let the music wash over me. The chatter fades to a low hum, and someone nearby lights another joint. The smell curls through the room like fog.

I glance across to Seb, who’s now deep in conversation with Talia. He’s doing that thing where he gestures too much when he’s nervous. She laughs anyway, and I find myself rooting for them.

I tip back the bottle of whiskey for another sip, letting my head rest against the wall, my eyes half-closed.

“Is this seat taken?” a voice says right beside me.

I flick my eyes in the direction and find Talia’s friend. The one in the oversized jumper and Doc Martins.

“It’s a bean bag,” I say. “Plenty of room.”

She drops down beside me without hesitation, crossing her legs and twisting toward me like we’ve known each other for years. “You’re Kai, right?”

I nod slowly. “Word travels fast.”

“Well, you walked in like you expected everyone to know your name. Figured you wouldn’t mind me using it.”

I smirk, letting her words hang there.

“You a fresher?” she asks.

“Yeah. You?”

She shrugs. “Second year. Media and film. I study people like you.”

“Dangerous,” I murmur.

Her smile widens. “Only if you give me something worth writing about.”

She reaches for the whiskey, plucking it from my hand without asking and taking a swig. I watch her, half amused. She’s clearly used to being the bold one in the room, but I like her confidence. It gives her an edge.

“You gonna tell me what your deal is?” she asks, her eyes falling to my mouth now.

“I don’t have one,” I lie.

She laughs under her breath. “That right there? That’s your deal.”

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