Always you

CHAPTER 9 : THE WEEKEND

Tamsyn’s POV

By Wednesday, the week already felt like a blur of noise, whispers, and stolen glances I didn’t mean to give. Ridgeview had a way of swallowing you whole—between the endless hallways, the shining lockers, and the sharp-edged laughter of people who never seemed to have bad days.

I had learned how to blend in years ago. Smile when necessary. Keep your head high. Never let anyone see the cracks. But every so often, I caught myself drifting—eyes following a familiar silhouette across the courtyard, a tall figure whose presence pulled at something deep inside me.

Daxon Asher.

Even just thinking his name made my chest tighten, and I hated that. I hated that after a year of trying to forget, I could still recall the curve of his grin, the sound of his laugh, and the way he used to say my name like it meant something.

But that was before everything shattered. Before I found out I was nothing more than a bet.

A stupid, heartless bet made by one of his friends—a challenge to see if Daxon could make me fall for him.

And he had.

Only, I hadn’t realised until the night I overheard them laughing about it. Until I saw the truth written all over his face when I confronted him.

Now, a year later, he was back in my orbit again. Same smirk, same eyes, but maybe colder. Maybe guiltier.

It didn’t matter. I wasn’t that girl anymore.

---

Thursday came with its usual chaos. Ashley and I sat in the cafeteria, sunlight pouring through the glass walls, catching on her golden curls as she scrolled through her phone.

“You’ve been zoning out a lot this week,” she said suddenly, giving me a knowing look. “Something on your mind?”

I tore my gaze away from the table across the room—his table—and forced a smile. “Just tired,” I said, picking at my salad. “You know how this place drains people.”

Ash raised a brow. “Right. And by ‘this place,’ you mean Ridgeview or a certain six-foot-tall heartbreak walking around in a leather jacket?”

I froze for half a second, then gave her my most unimpressed stare. “You’re delusional.”

She laughed. “Sure. Totally. Anyway, we’re going out this weekend. No arguments.”

I groaned. “Out where?”

“Club Lux,” she said, eyes sparkling. “My cousin’s throwing a party there Friday night. Music, drinks, and actual fun. You need this.”

“I don’t dance.”

“You did once,” she teased, leaning closer. “Back when you smiled more.”

That earned her a piece of lettuce tossed in her direction.

She ducked, laughing. “Come on, Tam. You’ve been holding yourself together for too long. Let loose for one night. Please.”

I sighed. “Fine. One night.”

Ash grinned in triumph. “Perfect. You won’t regret it.”

---

By the time Friday arrived, I almost regretted saying yes.

The day dragged on, and every hallway seemed like a trap for memories. Daxon passed me twice—once near the lockers, again outside the music room. Neither of us said a word. But silence can scream louder than words ever will.

He looked… different. Older, maybe. A little more guarded. There was something unreadable in his eyes when they briefly flicked toward me. I turned away both times before the ache could return.

I didn’t owe him a thing—not even a glance.

When the final bell rang, Ashley practically dragged me to her car.

“Don’t bail,” she warned, waving her keys at me. “You promised.”

“I’m not bailing,” I muttered, slipping on my sunglasses. “Just mentally preparing for bad music and too much perfume.”

“Please, you’re going to love it,” she said, already blasting a playlist as we pulled out of the parking lot.

I leaned back against the seat, watching the school fade in the rearview mirror. Ridgeview’s silver gates reflected the setting sun, and for a moment, it felt symbolic—like I was leaving behind more than just another school day. Maybe I was leaving behind a version of myself I didn’t need anymore.

---

That night, I stood in front of my mirror, barely recognising the girl staring back at me.

Black dress. Smoky eyes. Hair that actually looked like I’d tried.

Ashley had gone full glam and insisted on doing my makeup too, claiming I needed to “remind the world what power looks like.” I laughed, but she wasn’t wrong.

It wasn’t about Daxon—not anymore. It was about me.

For the first time in a long while, I wanted to feel alive.

“Ready?” Ash called from the hallway, voice impatient.

“Coming,” I said, grabbing my purse. My heart thrummed—not with nerves, but with something like defiance.

The night was young. The city was waiting. And for once, I wasn’t going to overthink it.

---

We arrived at Club Lux around ten. The bass hit before we even walked in—low, heavy, electric. Lights pulsed across the walls, bodies moved in rhythm, and laughter spilt from every corner. It was chaos. Beautiful, glittering chaos.

Ash squealed, pulling me straight to the bar. “Two strawberry martinis!” she shouted over the music.

I rolled my eyes, but a smile tugged at my lips. The crowd swallowed us whole, and for once, I didn’t mind.

I let the sound drown everything else out—the thoughts, the memories, the ghost of a boy I was still trying to unlove.

When someone asked me to dance, I didn’t hesitate.

I just said yes.

---

And for that moment, I forgot Daxon Hale existed.

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