Same But Different (Completed)

Chapter Twenty Two

"Or something" Yuri murmured, the words tumbling out before she could stop them. Her chest tightened as the memories of her past mistakes came rushing back—when she pretended to be Sasha just to sabotage Belle's relationship. 

Before she could join the dance floor, Jason seized her hand, pulling her towards the stairs. "This is not going to be good," Yuri thought, her mind spiraling as she tried to push back the rising sense of dread.

The room upstairs was chaotic, buzzing with laughter, chatter, and the occasional shout. People stood around in small clusters, sipping drinks and exchanging stories, but all of them turned their attention to Yuri and Jason as they entered. Jordan flashed a crooked smile as he waved them over.

"What are you guys playing?" Jason asked, his voice light despite the tension Yuri could feel running between them.

"We're playing seven minutes in heaven, spin-the-bottle style," Jordan said, tearing a piece of paper and scribbling their names, folding them up and tossing them into a small container. Yuri's heart skipped a beat. She didn't even want to know how this was going to play out.

"Practically, it's seven minutes in my closet," Jordan continued with a grin. "Spin the bottle, and whoever it lands on has to pick a piece of paper from the container. That person then joins the lucky soul in the closet for seven minutes of 'fun.'"

"That sounds so interesting," Jason chuckled nervously, though Yuri could see the underlying uncertainty in his expression as he downed the drink he had snatched from her earlier.

"We NEED alcohol to get through this night," Yuri whispered in his ear, though her voice lacked the conviction it usually had when she made a joke.

Jason, however, was serious. He let out a deep breath and braced himself. Yuri knew it wasn't just about her anymore; this was Jason's twisted way of trying to prove something to himself, something he wasn't sure of. She could feel his resolve and could only wonder if he'd go as far as kissing a guy just to prove a point.

The bottle spun.

Yuri's heart pounded as she scanned the faces of the other participants: a brown-haired guy she didn't recognize, a blonde girl beside him who shot her a friendly smile, a brunette girl beside Yuri, and a redhead chewing gum as she stared intently at the bottle. And then, there was Whitney, who had been absorbed in her phone up until now, a figure Yuri hadn't even noticed until she caught a glimpse of her across the room.

The bottle finally landed on the redhead. Yuri's breath hitched as Leah picked up a piece of paper with a smirk. "Okay, Lylia, who did you get?" Jason asked, leaning forward with interest.

"I got Sam!" Lylia chuckled, waving the paper in the air. Sam, the brown-haired guy, blushed deeply as the crowd cheered, and Lylia dragged him off to the closet. The sound of their laughter echoed through the room, but Yuri couldn't shake the feeling that the night was spinning out of control.

As time passed, Yuri realized something. The tension in her chest had nothing to do with the game or Jason—it had everything to do with the fact that this game, this night, was a distraction from her own tangled emotions. She missed Jason—the real Jason—the one she had before things got complicated. But she didn't know how to go back to that friendship, to the simplicity of it all before, but right now she felt those days were coming back. The fun banter, the teasing, the looking out for one another. 

Her thoughts halted as she realized Jason staring at her.

"Why are you grinning like that?" Yuri asked, her voice tight.

"Because it's your turn," Jason replied, his grin widening.

Yuri's heart skipped again. She reached for the container with shaking hands, trying to focus on the task at hand. She shuffled the papers, trying to delay the inevitable. After what felt like an eternity, she pulled one out and opened it with a trembling hand.

"Who is it?" Jason asked, eyes wide with amusement.

Yuri looked up, her throat dry, and met his gaze. "I- I picked my own name," she said quietly.

A stunned silence swept over the room, and then laughter erupted. Jason took the paper from her hand with a grin, his eyes lighting up.

"She needs to get another chance. She can't obviously make out with herself," he said, teasing her.

Jordan agreed, and Yuri felt her heart race with a mix of dread and anticipation. Right, I can't make out with myself, Yuri thought to herself almost like a reminder. She pulled another paper quickly. The room held its breath.

Jason's eyes locked onto hers. "Who is it?" he asked again, more serious this time.

Yuri glanced at the paper and finally said, "It's you."

The room erupted into laughter as Jason took her hand, leading her toward the closet. The game was about to get a lot more complicated.