"No!"
Linda's voice rings out sharp and final, slicing through the excitement that had filled the living room.
Maya groans, "Oh, come on, Mom -- it's literally within the neighborhood."
"Right," Linda replies, hands on her hips, "and who's going to watch over Sophie?"
Sophie, sprawled on the couch with a pillow in her arms, shoots up, frustrated. "Again, I don't need a babysitter!"
Tessa grins, leaning against the counter. "Ethan can watch her."
Ethan raises his hands in mock surrender. "No way! I'm not gonna let you two have all the fun while I rot here."
Linda points a finger at him. "My date's going to be here any minute. It's settled then." She turns back to the mirror by the hallway, reapplying her lipstick.
Tessa gasps theatrically. "Come on, Linda! Are you really going to torture us like this?"
Linda freezes mid-gesture, her reflection arching a brow. "Torture you?"
"It's plain torture," Tessa insists, "when there's a party right in the neighborhood that your kids so badly want to go to...and you won't let them."
Linda crosses her arms. "Sophie's not staying home alone. I promised your father I'd watch over her." Her eyes dart between Maya and Ethan, the tone motherly but firm.
Tessa, thinking quickly, says, "Okay, so she can't stay alone. Then let her come with us."
Linda turns sharply. "Oh, no. Absolute no."
Maya steps forward, eyes wide. "Why not? She's ten...she's allowed to party."
Linda snorts. "Exactly, she's ten. I'm not letting her go to a party where there's alcohol and drugs."
Maya crosses her arms. "I'll watch over her. I'll make sure she doesn't drink, and there won't be any drugs."
Linda sighs. "Maya, I trust you...but not when you're with Tessa. Especially when it comes to drugs. No offense, Tess."
Tessa feigns a deep wound, clutching her chest. "Uh...serious offense taken!"
Ethan cuts in, "How about I also watch over her? I'll make sure she doesn't get drugged."
Linda looks at them all, torn between suspicion and resignation. Just then, her phone buzzes -- a message from her date: Outside. Can't wait to see you.
Her face softens a little, then hardens again as Maya and Tessa exchange hopeful glances.
"Come on, Mom…" Maya pleads.
"Please?" Tessa joins in.
Sophie, eyes gleaming with mischief, adds, "Please, Aunt Linda?"
Linda blinks, surprised. "What did you just call me?"
Sophie shrugs, innocently. "Um… Aunt Linda?"
Linda tries to hide the smile that tugs at her lips, but fails. "Okay."
All three -- Maya, Tessa, and Ethan -- burst into a chorus of Yes!
"But," Linda warns, wagging her manicured finger, "she must come home fully sober!"
Tessa throws her hands up. "Of course! Fully sober, Aunt Linda. Not even a whiff of vodka!"
Linda eyes her skeptically, then grabs her purse. "All right. I'm leaving. Have fun, kids...but remember what I said."
The moment the door shuts behind her, Tessa turns to Sophie with a smirk. "Aunt Linda, huh? Way to go, kid."
Sophie shrugs, trying to hide a small smile. "You guys owe me one."
Maya nudges her with a grin. "Uh-huh. Like you weren't dying to go yourself."
The night air hums with music and laughter as they cross the street toward Cole's house. The glow of string lights bathes the yard in soft gold, the rhythmic beat of a bass thumping faintly through the open doors. It's not even a long walk -- just across from Maya's place -- but the energy feels different, almost electric.
Cole greets them at the entrance, drink in hand, eyebrows shooting up at the sight of Sophie. "You sure she's allowed to be here?"
Tessa answers without hesitation, "Yup. As long as she stays sober."
Cole chuckles. "Well, no drinks for this one, then." He waves them toward the pool area before getting pulled away by a loud group of friends.
Tessa's eyes scan the crowd, catching sight of Damien near the far end of the pool -- leaning back against the railing, eyes locked on Maya like he'd been waiting all night for her to arrive.
Tessa smirks. "You've got company at your three o'clock."
Maya follows her gaze briefly -- just long enough to see the way Damien's expression hardens when Logan steps into the frame.
"Well," Tessa says, straightening her hair, "I'm off to get laid."
Ethan perks up. "I'm tagging along."
Tessa gives him a look. "It's not a threesome, dummy."
Maya glares at both of them. "You can't both leave me alone with her."
Tessa gestures at Sophie. "I wasn't the one who promised to watch her."
Ethan raises his hands defensively. "I promised to supervise. Big difference. Besides, she can keep you company."
Before Maya can argue, Tessa's grin sharpens. "Trouble descending at your nine o'clock."
Maya's stomach drops. She turns just in time to see Logan -- hands in pockets, casual smile -- walking toward her.
"Bye!" Tessa chirps, dragging Ethan away.
"Wait! Don't..."
"Hey, Maya."
She freezes, turns slowly. "Hey… Logan."
He smiles, that same easy grin that once used to melt her. "I'm glad you came."
"I can't say the same," she mutters.
"Can we talk?"
Sophie glances between them, already sensing the tension. "Okay, I think I better leave..."
Maya catches her wrist. "No. You're not going anywhere. You're stuck with me."
Sophie leans closer and whispers, "Too late," slipping out of her grip and darting off.
"Sophie! Remember...be sober!" Maya calls after her.
Sophie flashes an "OK" sign over her shoulder.
Maya exhales deeply, facing Logan again.
He glances in Sophie's direction. "Adopted sister?"
"Half-sister," she corrects, folding her arms.
He nods. "That explains it."
Maya crosses her arms tighter. "Look, Logan, there's nothing left for us to talk about."
He reaches out, gently catching her arm. "Wait."
She stills, her jaw tight.
"I never really got to say how sorry I am for what I did," he says softly.
Maya's eyes flicker with something cold. "Don't you think it's too late for that, Logan?"
"I know," he says quickly. "I was stupid for leaving you the way I did. I thought if I made you hate me, it'd be easier for both of us to move on. But I was wrong."
Maya pulls her arm free. "You were wrong. And I really don't care what you thought or didn't. What's done is done."
He takes a hesitant step closer. "I just need a little more time. I'll break up with Brielle. I can't get over you, Maya."
Her laugh is short and sharp. "I don't give a damn about you or Brielle, Logan. Just leave me alone. Stop being a dick."
She turns to walk away -- but his hand shoots out again, gripping her wrist.
"Maya, please..."
"Don't touch me."
The voice that cuts through the night isn't hers.
It's deeper. Firmer. Dangerous.
Damien stands just a few feet away, his expression unreadable but his eyes blazing. He grabs Logan's wrist, prying it off Maya with a force that makes Logan wince.
"Keep those hands to yourself," Damien says, his voice low, lethal calm threading every word. He steps closer, his breath brushing Logan's ear. "Or you'll lose them next time."
The air goes still. Logan's jaw tightens -- but he doesn't move.
Damien's eyes shift to Maya -- softer, protective -- and then back to Logan.
"Walk away."
Logan hesitates, then finally lets go, stepping back with a clenched jaw.
Damien's gaze lingers on him a beat too long before turning back to Maya.
For a moment, neither of them says a word. The music hums faintly in the background, laughter echoing from the pool -- but all Maya can hear is her own heartbeat pounding in her chest.