Alyssa's PoV:

The party was in full swing by the time we arrived. Music blared from the speakers, people were laughing and chatting, and the house was buzzing with energy. I glanced around, taking in the sea of people celebrating. It felt surreal. Aiden had just finished the last football game of his high school career, and the night was all about having fun. The victory still hung in the air, even amidst the party chaos. Everyone had earned a celebration, and this was how we did it.

Mason was beside me as we made our way inside, his hand wrapped around mine, his smile wide and infectious. He had been my constant for so long now, and tonight, it felt like we were both celebrating something even bigger than our relationship. We were celebrating us, the way we had grown together, and all the changes that had come with it.

We took a shot together, toasting to the night, to him, to me, and to everything we had. The tequila burned as it went down, but in the best possible way. I smiled at him, feeling the warmth spread through my chest, and that's when he said it, making my heart flutter.

"I love you," Mason said, his voice soft but full of meaning.

My cheeks turned bright red. I didn't know what to say at first. It was like I hadn't expected it, even though we'd been together for months. The words hit me with more force than I expected, and I blushed harder. I shook my head, laughing a little. "Are you saying that because of what you just drank, or because you actually mean it?" I teased him.

He smirked, leaning in closer. "Maybe a little bit of both," he said, his lips brushing against my ear.

I kissed him then, without thinking. It was one of those deep, passionate kisses that made everything else blur. When we finally pulled apart, I looked at him, a little breathless. "I love you too" I said, feeling the words come out easier now that they were out there.

He gave me that smug grin of his. "I know," he replied, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

I couldn't help but laugh. "You're so cocky."

"I'm just confident," he said with a wink, pulling me close for another kiss.

We were interrupted by Luke, of course. He was always the one to drag us away from our little moments. "Hey, love birds!" Luke shouted, a beer in hand, his face lit with mischief. "You two up for a game of beer pong?"

I rolled my eyes but grinned. "Fine, but you're going down."

"Oh look who's confident" Mason grinned

It was just like the old days, the way we all slipped into our roles. Luke and I against Mason and Cameron. We were competitive, but there was something about that familiar energy-like we had all done this a thousand times before. The game was full of laughs, friendly taunting, and, of course, a lot of spilled beer. But in the end, Luke and I came out on top, much to Mason and Cameron's dismay.

We celebrated with a ridiculous little victory dance, spinning around and laughing. I caught Luke's eyes as we danced, and he raised an eyebrow. "Hey, Alyssa," he said, his voice a little too casual, "Is Nate single?"

I froze, my hands still mid-spin. "What?" I asked, confused by the sudden question but I couldn't contain the small smile risen up in my face "Why do you want to know?"

Luke's expression shifted, and he rubbed the back of his neck, clearly uncomfortable. "Uh, no reason. Just curious."

I raised an eyebrow. "Uh-huh, sure," I said, smirking. But before I could press him further, I spotted Nate and Amy on the dance floor, caught up in their own little world and quickly pulling me to it. I dance with them for awhile but I quickly tried to escape.

I weaved through the crowd, looking for my friends. I found them easily enough: Selena and Emily were standing off to the side talking quietly, and Aiden and Jaden were attempting keg stands, both of them clearly more than a little tipsy.

Something felt different about Emily, though. I couldn't put my finger on it, but she was acting a little quieter than usual, more withdrawn. She didn't look as carefree as she had earlier, and that small change didn't go unnoticed. But I decided not to say anything for now. It wasn't my business, and honestly, I didn't want to spoil the mood.

Mason and Cameron came over, and Cameron immediately dragged Selena to the dance floor. Mason, on the other hand, pulled me in close again, kissing me repeatedly, his hands roaming as he kept laughing. "You're so damn cute," he murmured between kisses, his lips brushing my neck.

I giggled, pushing him playfully away. "You're drunk," I teased him.

Emily, who was nearby, commented, "You two are so cute."

It was one of those comments that should've been lighthearted but suddenly felt more loaded. I glanced over at her but couldn't figure out what exactly was off about her. Maybe it was the fact that Aiden had been partying too hard with Jaden, and she seemed less herself, but I couldn't be sure.

The night carried on with everyone celebrating, but as the party got wilder, the house started looking more like a disaster zone. Aiden, Luke, and Jaden were getting way too carried away with the keg stand competition, laughing loudly and knocking into furniture. I knew it was only a matter of time before the place would look like a wreck.

Eventually, I heard people starting to talk about leaving. I wasn't ready to go yet-I wanted to stay for a while longer, to enjoy the night, to let everything soak in. But then, someone asked where Aiden was.

I looked around, and that's when I realized-Aiden wasn't there anymore.

"Where's Aiden?" Emily asked "I need to talk to him"

I looked around too, and a small panic flashed across my face. "I haven't seen him in a while," I said concerned. "I thought he was with Jaden" but Jaden was now alone near the keg.

The search started, everyone asking around, but no one seemed to know where Aiden had gone. As time passed, the concern grew. He couldn't have just vanished, could he? It wasn't like him to disappear, especially in a place like this.

But as much as we looked, there was no sign of Aiden. He was gone, lost in the crowd, somewhere in the chaos of the night, and really, really drunk.

The party that had been so alive and full of energy began to feel more chaotic as we kept searching for Aiden. It was strange not knowing where he was, especially when he'd been the life of the celebration just moments ago. Something felt off, and I couldn't shake the unease creeping up my spine.

Mason stayed by my side, his hand resting on the small of my back as we moved through the house. "He couldn't have just disappeared," I said, scanning the crowded living room for any sign of my brother.

"He's probably somewhere quieter. Maybe the backyard?" Mason suggested, though his tone didn't sound entirely convinced.

As we walked past Emily and Selena, I couldn't help but notice the tension in Emily's posture. She wasn't her usual self tonight, and it had been bothering me since earlier. I leaned closer to Mason and whispered, "Emily's been acting weird all night. I don't know what's going on with her, but I need to talk to Aiden."

Mason raised an eyebrow, glancing over at Emily. "You think her acting weird has something to do with Aiden disappearing?"

"I don't know," I admitted, rubbing my temples. "But something's not adding up. I need to find him."

Mason nodded, his expression serious now. "Alright, let's split up for a bit. But not too far-I don't trust some of the drunk idiots here."

"Me neither," I muttered, shooting a glance at Luke and Jaden, who were attempting to climb on the kitchen counter, both of them far too wasted to be any help.

We moved through the house, checking every corner. The backyard was packed with people drinking and laughing, but Aiden wasn't there. The bathrooms were occupied with partygoers fixing their makeup or trying to sober up. The garage? Empty.

After what felt like forever, Mason and I met up in the hallway by the bedrooms. "Nothing," I said, frustrated. "Where could he be?"

Mason shrugged, though his jaw was tight. "Let's check the rooms again. Maybe he's-"

Before he could finish, Emily appeared at the end of the hallway. Her face was pale, her eyes darting nervously. "Have you found him?" she asked, her voice quiet but anxious.

"No," I said, crossing my arms. "We're about to check the rooms again."

"I'll help," she said quickly, stepping forward.

The three of us began opening doors, peeking inside rooms that were either empty or occupied by couples too wrapped up in their own worlds to notice us. The farther we went down the hallway, the more my gut twisted with worry. Where was Aiden?

Finally, we reached the last door. It was slightly ajar, the light inside dim. Mason glanced at me before slowly pushing it open.

What we saw made my stomach turn.

Aiden was lying on the bed, his head tilted back, his eyes half-closed. Over him, straddling his waist, was Regina. Her shirt was off, and she scrambled to cover herself as soon as she noticed us.

"What the hell?" I blurted out, my voice sharp with confusion and irritation.

Regina glared at us, clutching her bra to her chest as she snapped, "Get out! Can't you see we're busy?"

Mason took a step back, his hand on the doorknob as he frowned deeply. "This is... unexpected."

I couldn't say anything else. My mind was racing. I didn't like Regina-she'd always been manipulative and self-centered-but seeing her with Aiden like this made my skin crawl. This wasn't like him. At all.

Before I could think of what to say, Regina got up, grabbed the door, and slammed it shut in our faces. Mason and I stood there, stunned, exchanging confused glances.

"What just happened?" Mason asked, his voice low.

"I... I don't know," I admitted, shaking my head. "This doesn't make any sense."

But when I turned to look for Emily, she was gone.