---
Part 44
The game had ended, but the storm it left behind was far from quiet.
Anna's lips still tingled from Ethan's bold kiss. Kylie sat frozen, her pride bruised, her jealousy burning like fire. And Nick… Nick hadn't said a word since his whispered confession to Anna.
The silence was unbearable. Then, out of nowhere, Nick leaned back in his chair, stretched lazily, and smirked.
"You know what? This game's gotten way too serious. Let's lighten it up."
Before anyone could question him, he turned to Kylie, leaned over, and pressed a sudden kiss on her cheek.
The entire room froze.
Kylie's eyes widened in shock, then immediately glimmered with triumph. She tilted her chin, letting out a laugh. "Well, well, Carter… I didn't know you had it in you."
Anna's heart lurched. For a split second, she couldn't breathe. Had Nick really just…?
Ethan's eyes darkened instantly, protective instinct rising as he pulled Anna closer.
But Nick didn't flinch. His smirk stayed, though his eyes — only Anna noticed — held something deeper, something unspoken.
"Why?" Anna whispered, her voice barely audible.
Nick finally looked at her, and though his words were casual, his gaze was anything but. "Because sometimes, Rosé, the best way to shut down someone's game is to beat them at it. Kylie dared Ethan to kiss her, he didn't… so I did. Now she can stop crying about it."
Kylie blinked, her smile faltering. For the first time, she realized Nick's move wasn't about her at all — it was a strategy, a way to strip her victory away and throw her off balance.
"You kissed me just to prove a point?" she scoffed, trying to sound amused, but there was an edge to her tone.
Nick leaned back, crossing his arms. "Exactly. You don't get to use dares as weapons, Kylie. Not when other people's feelings are involved." His eyes flicked meaningfully toward Anna.
Anna's chest tightened. He did it… for her? To protect her from Kylie's manipulative games?
But Ethan's jaw clenched. "You didn't have to touch her at all, Nick. Don't act like a hero."
Nick's smirk returned, sharper now. "Relax, Ethan. It was just a cheek. You already staked your claim, remember?"
The tension between the two boys was electric, thick enough to suffocate the room.
Kylie, however, leaned closer to Nick, her voice low and sly. "Careful, Carter. If you keep kissing me, I might start liking it."
Nick's smile didn't waver. "Careful, Kylie. If you keep talking, you might forget it meant nothing."
The sharpness in his voice made Kylie flinch — but she quickly masked it with another fake laugh.
Anna sat there quietly, her emotions spiraling. Ethan's kiss still burned on her lips, Nick's whispered words echoed in her head, and now his unexpected kiss to Kylie twisted her feelings even more.
She didn't know whether to feel relieved, jealous, or… hurt.
All she knew was that nothing between the four of them would ever be simple again.
---