Same But Different (Completed)

Chapter Twenty Two

Yuri's feet dragged along the hallway as she walked into Jordan's house with Jason, her stomach flipping uncomfortably. Her mind raced as she took in the scene before her. The furniture had been pushed aside, creating a huge space in the middle of the room where a swarm of high school students were dancing, laughing, and letting loose. The music blasted so loudly it vibrated in her bones, and the smell of alcohol, sweat, and teenage hormones thickened the air. Everything about this night felt off, but the weight of Jason's challenge gnawed at her, and she couldn't back down now.

"This is not a good idea," Yuri muttered under her breath, looking around at the chaos. Her palms were slightly clammy, and her heart thudded faster as she tried to block out the noise around her.

Jason leaned in, his breath hot against her ear, sending an involuntary shiver down her spine. "Don't change your mind now," he said, his hands coming to rest on her waist, pulling her a little closer.

Before Yuri could say anything, a voice called out her name from across the room. She turned to see Jordan bounding down the stairs, his wide grin and slightly slurred speech already giving away the fact that he'd had more than enough to drink.

"Jason and Yuri, together at MY party. Wow!" he cheered, stumbling a little as he came over. The heavy smell of alcohol clung to him as he slapped Jason on the back. Yuri suppressed a wince, trying to mask her discomfort.

Jason didn't seem bothered. "Hey, Jordan," he greeted casually, giving Yuri a pointed look as though silently daring her to back out now. But Yuri was no longer sure whether she was trying to convince him—or herself—that this was a good idea.

"Come on, we're about to start our fun games!" Jordan said with enthusiasm, pointing toward the staircase.

Yuri, however, was not having it. Before Jason could even consider agreeing, she snapped, "No thanks, we'll hang out down here for a while."

Jordan's smirk faltered, but only for a moment before he shrugged. "Okay, suit yourselves," he said with a wink, darting back upstairs.

Jason's expression darkened slightly. "Come on, Yuri, don't tell me you're backing off now," he lifted his eyebrow.

Yuri's eyes flickered toward the dance floor, where the bodies swayed in a blur of lights and movement. "I'm not going to play those lame-ass games," she said with a sigh, turning to face him. "I'd rather just dance and kiss a girl and finally prove to you that I'm not in fact into girls"

Jason's gaze sharpened. "How about Belle? I haven't seen her for a while." His voice was casual, but the way he said it made Yuri's stomach twist.

Yuri nearly choked on the drink she had just picked up from the side table. The idea of kissing Belle—of all people—was absurd. Belle liked Sasha, and the mere thought of them together felt like a punch to her gut.

"I need a strong beverage in my system to get through this night," she muttered, her lips barely moving as she tried to keep her voice steady. The weight of the situation was starting to crush her, and she needed something to numb it all.

Jason's eyes narrowed as he snatched the cup from her hand. "No, you don't. You need to be sober so you'll be in your right mind."

"If I kiss a girl, chances are likely that I'm not in my right mind," Yuri shot back, the sarcasm in her voice covering the unease that had started to claw at her. She shook her head, trying to ignore the sensation of something unraveling inside her.

"Oh, and Belle isn't even in the country. She moved away." Yuri stated. "Out of all people, why would you choose Belle anyway?"

"Because doesn't Belle do everything you ask her to? I don't know I thought she had the hots for you or something"