End the dance

The song finally starts fading out.

Not all at once.

Just enough that people around you start laughing, yelling to friends, and stumbling toward drinks before the next track starts.

Bella stays pressed against you for another second anyway.

Long enough that it feels intentional.

Then she finally turns around fully for the first time.

And Jesus Christ.

Up close somehow makes everything worse.

Loose dark hair stick lightly against flushed cheeks while her chest rises and falls underneath the tight black dress from how hard she was dancing. One hand stays resting against your shoulder while flashing lights bounce across dark eyes still locked onto yours.

And the smile she gives you?

Dangerous.

“You’re crazy,” Bella says loudly over the music while laughing breathlessly.

You grin. “You started it.”

Bella laughs harder immediately.

“No I did NOT,” she says.

“You did.”

“You literally stole my friend’s spot.”

“She looked done.”

“She was NOT done,” Bella says while laughing again.

The bass starts building into the next song underneath your feet while people around you shift closer together again.

Neither of you moves away.

If anything, Bella steps closer now that the dancing stopped.

Close enough that you can smell perfume, sweat, and **** underneath the flashing lights.

Close enough that your hands still resting lightly on her waist suddenly feel way more dangerous.

“You’re confident,” Bella says.

“You were throwing ass in the middle of the club,” you reply. “Kinda an invitation.”

Bella covers her face laughing immediately.

“Oh my GOD.”

“You know I’m right.”

Bella drops her hands slowly while still smiling.

“Okay maybe a little.”

The way she says it sends another rush straight through your stomach.

One of Bella’s friends suddenly grabs her arm from behind laughing hysterically.

“BRO LOOK,” the blonde friend yells.

Bella turns around just as the friend holds up her phone.

And immediately both of you see it.

The video.

Your hands on Bella’s hips.

Bella grinding against you underneath flashing lights.

The crowd around both of you completely losing their minds.

“Oh my GOD,” Bella says while laughing so hard she almost folds forward.

“No way,” you say immediately.

The blonde friend keeps laughing while replaying it.

“Girl your dress was fighting for its LIFE.”

Bella hides her face again.

“Shut UPPP.”

The friend zooms into another part of the video while everybody around starts laughing harder.

Even you.

Because honestly?

The two of you look ridiculous together.

The energy.

The crowd reactions.

The way Bella was completely throwing herself into the music.

The way the entire crowd started circling around the two of you like it was part of the show.

At one point in the video the crowd erupts louder after Bella starts moving harder against you again underneath the flashing lights.

“OH MY GOD,” Bella yells while grabbing the phone closer. “Look at your face.”

“I was fighting for my life,” you reply immediately.

“That is the most shocked I’ve ever seen a man look.”

“To be fair,” you say while laughing, “you were throwing ass like crazy.”

Bella bites her lip trying not to smile too hard.

“Yeah,” she says proudly. “I know.”

The friend keeps replaying the clip while shaking her head laughing.

“You two were literally the center of the dance floor.”

“Yeah okay,” you say while pointing at the phone. “I definitely need that AirDropped.”

Bella immediately looks back up at you laughing.

“You WANT the evidence?”

“Absolutely.”

“Thats insane.”

“You looked good,” you reply casually.

Bella pauses for half a second.

Then bites her lip harder this time.

Not even trying to hide the reaction.

“You’re crazy,” she says.

“You like it.”

Bella laughs softly again.

“Yeah,” she admits immediately. “I definitely like it.”

Jesus Christ.

She says everything so directly.

No hesitation.

No awkwardness.

No pretending she isn’t into you.

The music starts getting louder again while the next song builds harder around the crowd.

Bella still doesn’t move away.

If anything, she presses slightly closer.

Close enough now that your hands naturally settle lower against her waist again while people squeeze past around you.

“You know what was my favorite part?” Bella asks loudly.

“What?”

“The second you touched my ass.”

You blink once.

Bella grins immediately after seeing your reaction.

“You literally froze,” she says.

“To be fair,” you reply, “you were being so fucking sexy.”

Bella laughs again, louder this time.

“DUHHHH, That was the point,” she says proudly.

The blonde friend behind her groans dramatically.

“Oh my god you two are so gonna hook up before midnight.”

Bella immediately bursts out laughing again.

“You are SO annoying.”

“But am I wrong?” the friend asks.

Bella opens her mouth to answer.

Then stops.

Then looks back at you instead.

And yeah.

That definitely answers the question.

Your pulse spikes again instantly.

The crowd starts moving harder again as the next bass drop gets closer.

Bella leans closer toward your ear this time.

“So,” she says softly enough that you barely hear it over the music, “you dancing with me again or what?”

The way she says it feels loaded now.

Not shy.

Not subtle.

Interested.

Her eyes drift downward briefly before returning to yours again while flashing lights bounce across her face.

And honestly?

At this point you want her even more than when you first walked onto the dance floor.

Because now it’s not just physical.

It’s the confidence.

The teasing.

The way she keeps looking at you like she already knows exactly where tonight is heading.

You grin slightly while sliding one hand more firmly against her waist again.

Bella smiles immediately.

Big.

Dangerous.

Excited.

Then the next bass drop hits.

And she grabs your hand pulling you straight back into the crowd.

────────────────────

STATUS UPDATE

Confidence:

83/100

Intoxication:

51/100

Attraction:

89/100

Emotional Connection:

21/100

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