The crowd claps as Terry's speech comes to an end, and I force a smile, trying not to let on that anything is amiss. But my mind is racing, trying to process the fact that Ja'Marr is here, at Hannah's wedding.

As I turn back to Terry, he claps me heartily on the back, grinning from ear to ear. "Great speech, right?" he asks, clearly unaware of the inner turmoil I'm experiencing.

"Yeah, great speech," I reply unconvincingly, trying to keep my voice steady. I can feel the weight of Ja'Marr's gaze on me, but I don't dare turn around.

Terry looks at me, sensing something off in my tone. "You okay?" he asks, furrowing his brow in concern.

Despite my preoccupied state, I can't help but laugh a little. "Yeah, I'm fine," I reassure him, waving my hand dismissively. "Just a little thrown off by your, uh, spirited speech."

Terry grins, oblivious to the effect his drunkenness is having. "Come on, you know my speeches are always wild and crazy," he says, throwing his arm around my shoulders.

As Terry continues to chat excitedly beside me, I catch Hannah's eye from across the room. She's sitting with Jayden, and she sees the worried look on my face. Her expression changes to one of concern, and she tilts her head to the side, silently asking if everything's okay.

Hannah's eyes follow my gaze and land on Ja'Marr, who is still standing there watching us both. Suddenly, understanding dawns on her face, and her expression turns to surprise and curiosity.

From my vantage point at the side of the room, I can see Hannah lean in and whisper something to Jayden, gesturing in my general direction. Jayden glances over at me, and his eyes widen slightly as he realizes what's going on.

He whispers something back to Hannah, and she nods, looking back at me with an expression that's equal parts surprise and concern.

Feeling a strong need to get away from the current situation and sort out the thoughts swirling in my head, I excuse myself from Terry and make my way through the crowd. As I navigate my way through the crowd, I accidentally bump into someone. I apologize, looking up at who I've collided with, and my breath catches in my throat.

Standing in front of me is a woman of such breathless beauty that I can't help but stare in awe for a moment. Her eyes are a deep, mesmerizing hazel, framed by long lashes, and her hair is pinned up in a loose, elegant bun.

She smiles warmly at me, not at all bothered by the collision. "No worries," she says, her voice low and melodic. "I wasn't watching where I was going either."

I can't help but smile back at her, feeling instantly at ease in her presence. "Yeah, guess we're both guilty of that," I say, chuckling. "I'm Avery, by the way."

The stranger sticks out her hand in greeting. "Nice to meet you, Avery. I'm Calia."

Calia's smile broadens as she continues the conversation, her eyes sparkling with warmth. "You know, my boyfriend actually knows Jayden," she says, gesturing over to the dance floor where Jayden and Hannah are now dancing.

I can't help but chuckle at the obviousness of it. "Let me guess," I say, "he's also an NFL player?"

Calia laughs, clearly amused by my spot-on assumption. "You guessed right," she replies, shaking her head in mock resignation. "It seems like everyone in this circle is connected to the NFL world in some way."

"Well, speaking of the NFL, I work in the league too," I say with a smile. "I'm a contract coordinator, so I deal with a lot of the logistics and negotiations for the players and teams."

Calia's eyes widen with interest. "No way, really?" she exclaims. "That's so cool! I've always been fascinated by the business side of sports. It must be so exciting and fast-paced."

"Funny enough, I'm an actress," she says, laughing. "I just wrapped up a job on a TV show, but I think the film industry is my passion. I feel like I can really let loose and dive into a character when the cameras are rolling."

My eyebrows raise in surprise. "Wow, an actress? That's incredible," I say, unable to hide my admiration.

Just as my conversation with Calia is getting more interesting, I feel a hand on my shoulder. Startled, I turn around to see Ja'Marr standing behind me, a hint of determination in his eyes.

"Avery, can I talk to you?" he says, his voice betraying his tense mood.

My heart clenches in my chest at the sound of his voice. I glance over at Calia, silently apologizing for the interruption, then turn back to Ja'Marr.

"No."

Ja'Marr's expression hardens, a flash of disappointment in his eyes at my immediate refusal. "Calia, would you mind if I borrowed Avery for a moment?" he says, addressing her politely.

Calia notices the tension between Ja'Marr and me, and a protective look crosses her face. She steps slightly in front of me, facing Ja'Marr with a calm authority. "Actually, Ja'Marr, I think Avery's busy right now," she says firmly.

Ja'Marr looks taken aback by Calia's unexpected defensiveness, his eyes flickering between us. He shifts his weight, clearly annoyed that his request has been denied.

"I just need a few minutes alone with her," he says insistently, trying to make eye contact with me around Calia's protective stance.

But Calia stands her ground, her determination unwavering. "Avery's enjoying her time at her friend's wedding, and she doesn't need to be interrupted right now," she responds firmly. "Whatever it is you have to say, it can wait."

A muscle works in Ja'Marr's jaw as he processes Calia's words. Clearly, he's not used to being denied what he wants, and his frustration is almost palpable.

He glances at me, and for a moment, his expression softens. I can see the hint of pleading in his eyes, as if he's desperate to talk to me. But Calia is still standing firmly in front of me, her protective stance refusing to waver.

Before the situation can escalate further, another man appears behind Ja'Marr, gripping his shoulder firmly. "Come on, man, let's go grab a drink or something," the man says, clearly trying to diffuse the tension.

Calia turns to the man, recognizing him. "Tee!" she says, her tone firm but friendly. "Can you take Ja'Marr somewhere else for a bit? Avery and I were in the middle of a conversation."

Tee's gaze flicks over to me, and I can see a flicker of recognition in his eyes. It's as if he's seen me somewhere before but can't quite place where. Regardless, he nods at Calia's request and gently guides Ja'Marr away from us, steering him towards the bar.

As we watch Ja'Marr and Tee disappear into the crowd, I sigh heavily, feeling a mixture of relief and uncertainty. But before I can dwell on the situation any further, I shake myself back to reality and turn to Calia. "I should probably go find Hannah and check on her," I say apologetically. "Thank you for stepping in there. I really appreciate it."

Calia gives me a warm smile, her protective demeanor softening. "No problem," she says truthfully. "You just enjoy the rest of your friend's special day. I'm sure everything else can wait until later."

I feel a surge of gratitude towards Calia, appreciating her understanding and support. "You're right," I say with a grateful grin. "I'll make sure to catch up with you later and we can continue our conversation."

Calia grins back. "Sounds like a plan," she says, giving me a friendly wave as I prepare to go find Hannah.

I weave my way through the party, keeping an eye out for Hannah amid the crowd of guests. Luckily, it doesn't take me long to spot her standing with Jayden near the edge of the dance floor.

As I approach Hannah and Jayden, I couldn't help but feel frustration bubbling up inside me. Without warning, I deliver a playful slap to Jayden's chest, causing him to jump in surprise.

"Hey, what was that for?" Jayden exclaims, rubbing his chest where I hit him with a look of mock indignation.

I shoot Jayden a pointed look, silently demanding an explanation for Ja'Marr's presence. "You didn't think to mention that you invited my ex-boyfriend, did you?" I ask, my voice slightly elevated to be heard over the music.

Jayden holds up his hands in a gesture of innocence. "Whoa, hold on," he says, his expression turning sheepish. "I had no idea Ja'Marr was going to show up. I promise. I haven't talked to him in ages."

My eyes narrow as I study his face, trying to determine whether he's telling the truth or not. After a moment, I let out a heavy sigh. "You swear you didn't invite him?" I ask, my voice softer now.

Jayden nods firmly, looking slightly offended that I would even suspect him. "Cross my heart," he says, making the corresponding gesture. "I wouldn't do that to you, you know that."

Hannah, who had been listening silently up to this point, looks at me with a mix of understanding and concern. "Are you okay?" she asks, her voice laced with worry.

I take a moment to gather my thoughts before responding. "I'm fine," I say, attempting to sound casual. "It was just a little unexpected, seeing him here. But I'm handling it."

As I stand there, my thoughts in a whirlwind, Hannah steps forward and wraps her arms around me in a comforting hug. I gratefully lean into her embrace, feeling the tension in my body start to ease a bit.

Just as Hannah and I are sharing this moment, Terry materializes beside us out of nowhere, his cheeks flushed and a goofy grin on his face.

"Oh, there you two are!" he says loudly, slurring his words slightly from the drinks he's clearly had. He drapes an arm over each of our shoulders, pulling us into a lopsided group hug.

Hannah and I exchange a knowing look over Terry's drunk antics, and I can't help but laugh a little at his antics. "T, you're going to give yourself a hangover tomorrow," I tease gently.

Terry lets out a boisterous laugh, not at all concerned about the impending hangover. "Psh, I'll worry about that later," he says with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Right now, I want to dance!"

Hannah and I roll our eyes, but can't help but chuckle at Terry's carefree attitude. "Alright, alright," I say, giving in to his enthusiasm. "But you better not step on my feet this time."

Terry, still in his drunken state, links arms with me and starts to pull me towards the dance floor. Hannah watches us go with a knowing smile, shaking her head at his antics.

As we reach the dance floor, Terry lets go of my arm and starts to shimmy and shake his hips to the music, clearly having the time of his life. He grabs my hands and twirls me around, trying to get me to join in on his wild dancing.

Despite my previous tension, I can't help but laugh at Terry's carefree spirit. I let go of some of my worries and let myself be pulled into his infectious energy, dancing along with him to the beat.

For the next few songs, we dance carelessly, laughing and enjoying each other's company. Terry's drunkenness makes him carefree and free-spirited, while my worries and stress slowly melt away in the whirlwind of movement and music.

Just when I think I'm safe from any further surprises, Tee suddenly joins in on our dance party. He glides up behind me, wrapping an arm around my waist and spinning me away from Terry.

I stumble slightly, caught off guard by Tee's unexpected appearance, but manage to regain my balance as he spins me away from Terry and into his arms. I give him a look of surprise, still feeling slightly breathless from the twirl.

"Hey, we haven't met properly yet," he says, grinning down at me. "I'm Tee."

"Avery," I reply, feeling a little flustered by his sudden appearance and the unexpected feel of his hand on my waist. "Nice to officially meet you, Tee."

Tee twirls me around once more before pulling me closer, his hand still lingering on my waist. "The pleasure's all mine," he responds, his voice low and smooth. "And I gotta say, you're a pretty good dancer."

I can feel the warmth of my cheeks as his compliment registers. "Thanks," I stammer, thankful that the lighting on the dance floor is dim enough to hide my slight blush. "You're not so bad yourself."

As we continue dancing, I muster up the courage to ask Tee a question. "So, I understand you're good friends with Ja'Marr, right? I can't help but wonder what he would think if he saw us like this right now."

Tee's expression doesn't waver, but I can't help but notice a flicker of something in his eyes. He pauses for a moment before responding. "I don't think he'd be too happy about it," he finally says, his tone nonchalant, but I can detect a slight edge to it.

I glance up to where Tee is looking and spot Ja'Marr at the bar a few feet away, nursing a drink and watching us intently. A shiver runs through me as I feel the weight of his gaze, but Tee's arm on my waist is steadfast and reassuring.

Seeing Ja'Marr watching us, I turn my attention back to Tee, confused. "Why are you doing this?" I ask, my voice lowered so only he can hear me. "He's right there, watching us."

Tee's expression remains calm and collected. "Exactly," he says casually, pulling me closer to him in a gesture that looks both protective and possessive. "He's watching, which is exactly what I want him to do."

I glance back at Ja'Marr, his gaze still directed at us, and a flash of realization hits me. "You're trying to get under his skin, aren't you?" I whisper to Tee.

Tee grins, unabashedly acknowledging my observation. "Bingo," he replies, his voice low and sly. "It's fun to see him all riled up, especially when he sees me dancing with you."

I can feel the curiosity building up in me as I dance with Tee. "What happened between you two?" I ask, unable to hide the curiosity in my voice. "You were best friends just a few seconds ago."

Tee lets out a snort of laughter at my question. "Oh, man, that's a long story," he says, shaking his head slightly. "Let's just say, we had some differences of opinion, and things went south from there."

I furrow my brow, sensing there's more to the story than he's letting on. "Differences of opinion about what?" I ask, determined to get more information.

Tee hesitates for a moment, as if deciding how much to reveal. "It was over a girl," he finally admits, a hint of bitterness in his voice. "We both had eyes on the same girl, and let's just say things got ugly a few moments ago."

I can feel my heart quickening at his confession, my eyes darting back to Ja'Marr at the bar. "A girl?" I repeat, feeling a pang of jealousy in my chest. "Who was she?"

Tee follows my gaze to Ja'Marr at the bar, a sly grin playing on his lips. "Oh, she's around somewhere," he replies, his eyes never leaving Ja'Marr's annoyed expression. "Let's just say Ja'Marr thought he had a shot with her, but I had different plans."

I can feel a mix of emotions bubbling up inside me at Tee's revelation. Why does it hurt so much to know that Ja'Marr was once interested in someone else? Especially when I have Tee right here, being so attentive and protective towards me. I push the thought away, trying to focus on the present moment and the dance with Tee.

I continue dancing with Tee, his confident demeanor and the subtle possessiveness of his touch distracting me from my conflicted thoughts about Ja'Marr. The music continues to pulse around us, but my mind is a whirlwind of emotions.

The end of the night is announced and the night begins to wind down. People start to say their goodbyes and begin their journeys home. I find myself caught up in a final round of farewells, exchanging hugs and promises of keeping in touch with friends and acquaintances.

I made a promise to Jayden and Hannah to watch Jacoby during the weekend while they were gone, and they thanked me with warm hugs and grateful smiles. Terry too..

Terry gave me an enthusiastic hug and a sloppy kiss on the cheek, clearly still buzzed from all the drinks he had consumed. "You're the best, Ave," he slurred as he stumbled away with Jayden and Hannah.

When I arrived at Jayden and Hannah's house, it was a flurry of activity as they prepared to leave for their weekend trip. There was a final round of instructions about Jacoby's feeding schedule, his favorite toys, and what to do in case of any emergencies.

As I was going over the details, Terry suddenly stumbled into the living room looking disheveled and slightly flushed from the alcohol in his system.

"Hey, wait for me!" he exclaimed, collapsing onto the couch with a sigh. "I'm staying here too..."

Jayden and Hannah exchanged an amused look, clearly used to dealing with Terry's antics. "Are you sure you want to stay, T?" Hannah asked, her voice a mix of concern and amusement.

Terry gave her a thumbs up and a loopy grin as he settled into the couch cushions. "Yep, I'll keep 'em company," he slurred, gesturing between me and Jacoby. "It'll be fun."

Jayden and Hannah chuckled at their friend's drunken antics before turning to me. "Are you sure you'll be okay with him?" Hannah asked, concern tinting her voice.

Terry made a mock salute to Jayden before burying his face back in the couch cushions. "Aye aye, Captain!" he muttered jokingly.

Jayden and Hannah shared a laugh before gathering their bags and coats to leave. They gave me one last round of thanks and goodbyes before disappearing out the door to start their weekend away.

@spamkeyzavery: cheers 🥂

Liked by hannahkoo, worthyyy and 21k others.

@user1: aww little coby

@nfl: congrats!

@user2: the color theme is so pretty

@user3: i need allll the pictures from the wedding

@majortuddy: where my hug at??