The song builds, guitars weaving together in a melody that feels like memory and hope tangled into one. Couples around us sway together, lost in their own worlds. Nora's head falls back against my shoulder, and I hold her like she might disappear if I don't. My fingers press gently into her sides, memorizing this moment, this feeling.

When she looks up at me, everything just fucking stops. Her eyes catch all those colored lights from the stage, turning them into something that hits me right in the chest. That smile—Jesus Christ—the smile she's giving me now isn't the guarded one she uses with everyone else. This one's real and it's aimed straight at me. My heart's slamming against my ribs like it's trying to break free. Like it knows it belongs to her. Always has.

The crowd's pressed in on all sides, bodies crushing together in the heat. Bass thumping so hard I can feel it in my teeth. But it all fades away. It's just her I see. Just us in this bubble where nothing else exists.

We've been dancing around this for so damn long. Years of almost-moments. Years of looking away when caught staring. Years of that electric current between us that we both pretended wasn't there. Years of me telling myself I'm no good for her.

Her chest rises with a sharp breath when my hand finds the small of her back. I'm waiting for her to pull away—to come to her senses and remember all the reasons this is a bad idea. Instead, she leans in. Fuck. I watch her eyes drop to my mouth and linger there. My throat goes dry. Every nerve ending in my body is on fire.

This is it.

The point of no return.

One more step and we blow everything up. Our friendship. Our families. The careful distance I've kept to protect her from the shit-show that is my life.

But I'm done fighting it.

Done pretending I don't want this—want her—more than my next breath.

"Nora," her name comes out like gravel, barely audible over the music.

The kiss happens before I can talk myself out of it—like gravity, like breathing, like finally coming home after being lost my whole fucking life. Her lips meet mine and everything explodes. Sweet and desperate and hungry all at once, not like the kiss from the other night. My hands slide to her hips, fingers digging in like I'm afraid I’ll wake up from a dream I don’t want to wake up from. Her fingers grip my arms, then slide up to the back of my neck, pulling me closer.