Flashback | Katherine's 21st Birthday Party

The bass thumped through the floorboards, the walls of Katherine's sprawling family home practically vibrating with the force of the music. Bodies swayed and gyrated, the air thick with the heady scent of sweat and spilt beer. In the centre of it all, Katherine and Noreen laughed and danced, their faces flushed with exertion and the giddy rush of youth.

They were the undisputed queens of the party, their infectious energy drawing the crowd to them like moths to a flame. Katherine was resplendent in a shimmering gold dress, her fiery hair cascading down her back in wild curls. And Noreen, her teal eyes sparkling with mischief, the sleek lines of her black mini dress hugging every curve.

They moved together, hips swaying in perfect sync, lost in the primal beat of the music and the thrill of being young, alive, and invincible. The world was theirs for the taking; tonight, they would dance until the stars burned out.

Across the room, James Maeers stood in the shadows, a brooding figure starkly contrasting with the writhing mass of bodies. He nursed a beer, his icy blue gaze fixed on the dance floor - or, more specifically, on Noreen.

He watched as she threw her head back, her laughter ringing out over the pounding bass. Watched as she spun and dipped, her lithe body moving with a grace that bordered on sinful. Watched as a tall, muscular guy pulled her close, his hands skimming over her hips with a familiarity that made James's blood boil.

He told himself it was disgust, revulsion at the wanton display. Noreen Hunter was everything he despised - a party girl, a wild child, a reckless fool who cared for nothing beyond her own pleasure. She was beneath him, not worthy of his time or attention.

But even as the thought formed, he knew it for a lie. Because he couldn't tear his eyes away from Noreen or quell the hot, dark thing that coiled in his gut as he watched her move. It was want, pure and simple - a bone-deep hunger that gnawed at him and kept him awake at night with visions of silken skin and gasping breaths.

He hated her for it, hated himself for the weakness that drew him to her like a moth to a flame. She was a distraction, a temptation he couldn't afford. Not if he wanted to succeed, to prove to his father and the world that he was more than just a pretty boy with a trust fund.

And so he stood in the shadows, his jaw clenched and his fingers white-knuckled around his beer bottle, watching as she danced, laughed, and lived with a freedom he could only dream of.

He was so lost in his own dark thoughts that he didn't notice Katherine sidling up to him, a knowing smirk playing about her lips.

"If you stare any harder, you might just burn a hole through her dress."

James startled, tearing his gaze away from Noreen to fix Katherine with a scowl. "I don't know what you're talking about."

She snorted, taking a sip of her colourful cocktail. "Please. You've been eye-fucking Noreen all night. It's kind of pathetic, really."

He bristled, his hackles rising at her implication. "I'm not...I wouldn't...she's not my type."

Katherine raised a delicate eyebrow, her green eyes sparkling with mirth. "Oh? And what exactly is your type, James? Boring, subservient, and dumb as a box of rocks?"

He opened his mouth to retort, but she cut him off with a wave. "Save it. I know you've got this whole 'too cool for school' vibe going on, but I see right through you. You want her, and it's driving you crazy that you can't have her."

James clenched his jaw, a muscle ticking in his cheek. "You don't know what you're talking about."

Katherine shrugged, draining the last of her drink. "Maybe not. But I know Noreen. And I know that she's never going to go for a guy who's too chickenshit to make a move."

With that parting shot, she sauntered away, leaving James alone with his thoughts and the bitter taste of jealousy on his tongue.

He told himself she was wrong, that he didn't want Noreen, that he couldn't care less who she danced with or went home with. But even as the lies formed, he felt his gut twist and writhe, demanding acknowledgement.

A sudden commotion near the back door saved him from further introspection. The crowd parted, revealing Noreen and her dance partner stumbling onto the porch, their lips locked and their hands roaming with drunken abandon.

James felt his stomach lurch, a wave of nausea rising in his throat. He couldn't watch this or bear to see her with someone else. Without conscious thought, he moved towards the back door, his feet carrying him out into the cool night air.

He told himself he just needed some space, some distance from the pounding music and the press of bodies. But as he stepped onto the porch, finding himself face to face with Noreen and her conquest, their lips still fused and their bodies entwined.

For a moment, he simply stared, frozen in place by the sight of her. The moonlight danced over her skin, casting her in an ethereal glow that stole his breath. She was beautiful, achingly so, and for a heartbeat, he allowed himself to imagine what it would be like to be the one holding her, tasting her, losing himself in her.

But then reality crashed down, cold and brutal. Noreen wasn't his, would never be his. And the man pawing at her, who got to touch, taste, and worship at her altar...

"Get a room."

The words were out before he could stop them, harsh and biting in the still night air. Noreen and her partner sprang apart, their eyes wide with surprise and a hint of guilt.

But then Noreen's gaze landed on James, and something shifted in her expression. Her lips curved into a smirk, her eyes glinting with challenge as she slowly licked her upper lip. James felt a heat that made his blood run hot and cold all at once.

"Jealous, Maeers?" she purred, her voice low and throaty. "Don't worry, there's plenty left for you."

Her partner chuckled, his hand tightening possessively on her hip. James felt a surge of white-hot rage, his fists clenching at his sides. He wanted to tear the guy's arm off, to throw him off the porch and claim Noreen for his own.

And so he did the only thing he could. He turned on his heel and strode back into the house, ignoring the sound of Noreen's laughter echoing in his wake.

James pushed through the crowd, his mind a swirling maelstrom of anger and lust and self-loathing. He needed to get out of here. Needed to put as much distance between himself and Noreen as possible. Because if he stayed, if he let himself dwell on her image in another man's arms...

He didn't know what he might do.

He was so lost in his own thoughts that he didn't notice Katherine until she was right before him, her eyes narrowing with concern.

"James? What's wrong? You look like you're about to punch something."

He shook his head, his jaw clenched so tight it ached. "I'm fine. I just...I need some air."

She studied him for a long moment, her gaze far too knowing for his liking. "This is about Noreen, isn't it? You saw her with that guy..."

He flinched the words like a physical blow. "I don't want to talk about it."

Katherine sighed, her expression softening. "James, I know you have feelings for her. I've seen how you look at her and watch her when you think no one's looking. And I get it, I do. She's amazing. But if you don't tell her how you feel..."

"I don't feel anything," he snapped, the lie tasting bitter on his tongue. "She's just another party girl, another notch on some asshole's bedpost. I couldn't care less what she does or who she does it with."

Katherine recoiled as if he'd slapped her, her eyes flashing with hurt and anger. "Don't," she said, her voice low and fierce. "Don't you dare talk about her like that. She's my best friend, and she deserves better than your bullshit."

James felt a flicker of shame, hot and uncomfortable in his gut. He knew he was being an ass, knew he was lashing out because he couldn't deal with the tempest of emotions raging inside him. But he couldn't seem to stop himself or stem the flow of venom that poured from his lips.

"You're right," he said, his voice cold and mocking. "Noreen does deserve better. Better than a drunk fratboy groping her on the porch, better than a room full of people who only want her for her looks. But then again, maybe that's all she's good for. Maybe that's all she'll ever be."

The words hung in the air between them, harsh and ugly in the sudden silence. For a moment, Katherine simply stared at him, her face a mask of shock and disgust. Then, without a word, she turned away and left him alone in the crowded room.

James watched her go, a hollow feeling spreading through his chest. He knew he should go after Kat and apologise for his cruelty and callousness, but he couldn't seem to make himself move or find the words to take back what he'd said.

Because deep down, in the darkest, most twisted part of his soul...he meant it. Every bitter, spiteful word.

He hated Noreen for making him feel this way and exposing the ugly truth of his desires. And he hated himself for wanting her, for being too weak to resist the siren call of her beauty and fire.

He was still standing there, lost in his own dark thoughts, when the music abruptly stopped, replaced by the sound of Katherine's voice ringing out over the crowd.

"Alright, everyone! It's time for the birthday girl to blow out her candles! Gather 'round, let's make this a moment to remember!"

The crowd cheered, jarring James from his reverie. He blinked, shaking his head to clear the cobwebs. He should leave and slip away before anyone notices his absence.

But then he caught sight of Noreen, her face flushed and her eyes bright as she made her way to the centre of the room. She was smiling, laughing at something Katherine had said, and the sight of her hit him like a punch to the gut.

He couldn't leave. Not yet. Not until...

"James!"

Katherine's voice cut through the crowd, and he turned to see her beckoning him over with a mischievous grin.

"Come on, we need you for the picture! It's not a proper birthday unless we get a shot of the Trio!"

James hesitated, every instinct screaming at him to run, to get as far away from Noreen and the temptation she represented as possible. But then he caught sight of her face, the way her smile faltered just a bit as she noticed his reluctance.

And in that moment, he knew he was lost. Because no matter how much he hated Noreen, no matter how much he hated himself...he couldn't bear to be the reason for that flicker of hurt in her eyes.

And so, with a sigh of resignation, he made his way over to where they stood, forcing a smile onto his face as Katherine slung an arm around his shoulders.

"Say cheese!"

The flash went off, immortalising the moment. Katherine's face split in a grin of pure joy. Noreen's eyes sparkled with laughter, a hint of mischief, and something deeper and more dangerous.

And James, his smile tight and his eyes shadowed the picture of a man torn by desire, between the man he was supposed to be...and the man he wanted to be.

He only hoped that, someday, he would figure out which one was real. And that, when he did...it wouldn't be too late to make the right choice.

– End of Flashback -