An endless summer

Chapter 3

I slip into my attire—a sleek, snug, sparkly skirt paired with a black tube top—and gracefully descend the stairs, joining the eager group awaiting our Uber ride to the club.

As we settle into the Uber, the excitement buzzed among us like electricity.

"It feels nice to go out again." I say, adjusting my earrings in the dim light of the car.

"I know, right?" replies Jasmine, flipping her hair over her shoulder.

"And you look stunning, by the way," Emma chimes in, giving Jasmine a playful nudge.

Jasmine grins, "Thanks, but let's see how long I can last in these heels."

Laughter filled the car as we navigated through the city streets, each passing moment bringing us closer to the pulsating energy of the club.

I glance at my phone, interrupted by a message from my mom:

Mom: Hey, sweetheart, everything alright?

Me: Yeah, all good. Just chilling with everyone, watching a movie.

As I typed, a pang of guilt hit me. I hated lying to my mom, but if she knew I was heading to the club and then throwing a party at her place, she'd flip.

Mom: Alright, have fun. Just don't stay up too late.

Me: We won't. Love you.

Mom: Love you too.

Stuffing my phone into my bag, I wait for the Uber to halt, then slip out after the others, the distant thump of music already audible.

At the entrance, ID checks were mandatory before they granted us entry. Following Mason and the crew, we secured a booth.

"I could use a drink," Jasmine declares, still on her feet.

"I'm coming," I affirm, rising from the booth.

"Count me in!" Emma chimes, catching up with us.

"Man, Mason's giving you quite the look," Jasmine quips once we were out of earshot.

I shrug it off, not wanting to read too much into it. They were probably just teasing me, I reason.

At the bar, we order our drinks. "Three mojitos, please," I request, handing over the cash to the bartender.

After a brief wait, he places the drinks on the counter, and we each grab one. I took a quick sip before running into a familiar face.

"Hey, hold up, I'll catch you girls later," I call after Jasmine and Emma.

"Ellie?" The boy's face lit up.

"Yeah, Dan, right? Oh my god, it's been ages!" I grin. Dan used to be Liam and Mason's best friend a couple of years back, but their friendship faded when he quit the football team.

"Sure has. How've you been?" Dan inquired, his smile accompanied by dimples.

Dimples.

"I'm doing great, what about you?"

    
                                 ————
                             Mason's pov

I watch as Dan and Ellie chat, noticing how he effortlessly made her smile and even laugh. It seems like she's already won the bet.

As they walk away, his hand ventured down to her waist, and she doesn't seem to mind?

My jaw clenched, and I redirect my attention to the girl next to me, who was rambling on about something trivial.