A Night to Remember

Thankfully the other days were more relaxed. Romer waited for me in the morning and we spent every free time together, but he stopped coming to my classes. True to his promise I had no consequencesfor getting kicked out of the chemistry class and the professor acted like it never happened.

Finally the weekend came and Tara’s birthday arrived. We gathered at her house to celebrate, the atmosphere was filled with warmth and laughter. Tara’s parents, whom I called Aunt Vera and Uncle Jonas, had always treated me like one of their own, caring about me just as much as they did over Tara and Cara.

“Happy birthday, sweetie!” Aunt Vera exclaimed, pulling Tara into a tight hug before turning to me. “And you, Lya, how’s my other daughter doing?” she asked with a playful smile.

“I’m good, Aunt Vera,” I laughed, hugging her in return.

We spent the evening eating cake and talking about all the things Tara wanted to do for her birthday. After the cake cut, we headed to the club, excited for a girls’ night out. Being a Saturday, the place was completely filled, the music loud and the energy buzzing. But for us it was just the three of us dancing, laughing, and getting lost in the beat.

Suddenly, as I was swaying to the music, I saw him out of the corner of my eye Niall. He’d always flirted with me, making jokes and teasing comments that, were even funny. But lately, something in his behavior had changed. The playful jokes that I could once laugh off now felt tense and uncomfortable, as if he wasn’t just joking anymore. No matter how much I tried to brush him off, he kept pushing, stepping over boundaries that were no longer so easy to ignore.

I tried to avoid his gaze, hoping he’d leave me alone. But it was only a matter of minutes before Niall started making his way over me. He closed the distance between us swiftly, his eyes dark and intense in a way that sent a shiver down my spine.

“Lya,” he said, stepping closer than I was comfortable with. I tried to back away, but he only moved forward, matching my every step.

“Niall,” I greeted stiffly, trying to sound polite without encouraging him. “Enjoying the party?”

“You look stunning tonight,” he murmured, while leaning in. That was something wrong with him tonight that made my stomach whirl “We should be together, you and me. You’d make the perfect Luna.”

“Niall, no,” I said firmly, taking another step back. “I don’t feel that way about you. I never have. We are just good old friends.”

But my words didn’t seem to reach him. His expression darkened. “You’re beautiful, Lya. I’ve wanted you for so long, and I know you’ll come around. We belong together.”

I shook my head, my heart pounding as I felt the cold surface of the wall behind me. There was nowhere to go. His frame loomed over me, the weight of his presence pressing down like a cage.

“Niall, stop. I said no,” I repeated, voice trembling slightly.

“Why fight it?” he whispered, his face mere inches from mine. “You’ll see. Sooner or later, you’ll—”

“Move away from her. Now.” The sharp voice cut through the music, making Niall stiffen. He didn’t bother to turn around, his jaw clenched in annoyance.

“Otherwise, what?” he growled, his tone mocking.

Before I could process what was happening, Romer stepped forward, putting himself between Niall and me. His hand on Niall’s chest, pushing him back slightly to create some space.

Niall’s eyes got even darker and like the world slowed down, I saw as he swung his fist toward Romer’s face, but Romer catched Niall’s fist in mid-air, holding his hand firmly in place.

The room seemed to hold its breath, the two of them locked in a tense standoff, Niall’s knuckles straining against Romer’s grip. Then, as if not ready to give up, Niall’s other hand came up in a blur of motion, aiming another punch straight at Romer’s jaw. Without missing a beat, Romer twisted Niall’s captured wrist, using the force of Niall’s own momentum to drive his other hand into his own face.

There was a loud crack and blood immediately started flowing from his nose, staining his shirt and splattering on the floor. He stumbled back, eyes wide open with shock and fury.