After The Chaos - Chapter 5
1140 Words
🎶 - https://open.spotify.com/playlist/430SIz2JG4kU0BQgEdNqIc?si=41kuvQtoSS-JHUDezroYZg
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Zeva's POV:
I followed Jazmine's gaze, my stomach twisting. Kiante was moving through the crowd, eyes locked on Keith like he was on a mission. Keith, of course, noticed immediately that smug smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.
I felt my heart skip a beat, not from attraction, but from the tension between them. Why do they have to make everything so complicated?
Jazmine muttered under her breath again, "This is about to get even messier..." I could only nod in agreement, gripping my drink like it could anchor me in this storm.
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Kiantes POV:
I pushed through the crowd, eyes locked on Keith like a predator tracking its target. That smug grin of his made my blood boil. Always acting like he owns everything. Even the team. Even Zeva.
The party buzzed around me—music blasting, people laughing and dancing—but all I could focus on was him. Keith leaned against the table, looking effortlessly confident, like last night hadn't happened. My jaw tightened. Last night, the captaincy... he stole it from me, and here he was, grinning in my face.
I spotted Zeva sitting nearby, fidgeting with her drink, and my chest tightened. I wanted to storm over and pull her away from all of this, protect her from...him from Keith. She didn't need this stress. And yet, I know even my presence wouldn't make her see what I saw—Keith's arrogance, his careless charm.
I straightened my shoulders. Time to make my point known.
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Keith's POV:
I leaned casually against the table, scanning the party like always. Music pounding, lights flashing, people everywhere—but my focus was already narrowed. Kiante. Great. Just what I needed tonight.
He's moving through the crowd, eyes locked on me. Oh, this is going to be fun, I thought, smirking. Why do I even bother with subtlety? I push off the table, approaching him, matching his stride.
"Enjoying the party?" I called over the noise, my tone teasing but sharp.
Kiante's jaw tightened. "You have no idea," he muttered, eyes blazing. I could see the fire, the frustration, the protectiveness around Zeva radiating off him. He thinks he's got this under control. I just smiled wider.
Let him try.
The tension between us was electric, pulling in every glance from the crowd. Zeva's near the couch, nervously gripping her drink, Jamzine at her side. I caught her eyes briefly and saw that mix of curiosity and unease. That little spark—it always gets me.
I could see Kiante noticing it too. His fits curled slightly. Typical. Breathe, Kiante. It's just a party.
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Zeva's POV:
I could feel Kiante's eyes burning into Keith, and the tension was unbearable. "Let's get out of here," Jazmine muttered, grabbing my arm. I nodded, grateful for the escape. The night air hit us like a cold wave as we pushed through the door, leaving chaos behind. I just stood there for a second, closing my eyes, letting the breeze wash away the tension.
Jazmine was quiet beside me. Too quiet. Her heels clicked on the pavement, quick and steady, like she was walking away from more than just the noise. I shoved my hands in my pockets, unsure if she wanted to talk, but I matched her pace.
Campus at night was almost peaceful—street lamps casting golden pools across the sidewalk, shadows stretching long and thin. The silence between us wasn't uncomfortable, exactly. Just heavy.
"You good?" I finally asked, glancing at her.
She gave a short laugh, but it didn't sound like usual. "Define good."
I didn't push after that. We both knew the answer.
When the dorm buildings came into view, I slowed, not ready for the walk to end but knowing it had to. Jazmine stopped, hugging her arms across her chest. "Guess this is me," she said, nodding toward her building.
"Yeah." I managed to smile. "Get some sleep, okay?"
"Right. You too." She lingered for a second, like there was more she wanted to say, then shook her head and disappeared inside.
I watched until the door closed behind her before turning toward my room.
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Jazmine's POV:
The quiet pressed in on me the second I shut the door to my room. There is too much space for my thoughts to echo. Withinkinginkint, I pulled out my phone and dialed the number I knew by heart.
It only rang once before she answered.
"Jazmine." My mom's voice was clipped, professional, the same tone she used on everyone else. Never me.
"Hey, Mom," I said softly, sitting on the edge of my bed.
There was a pause. Then: "Have you thought any more about switching out of that fashion program? You're smart enough to do law, or at least business. Designing clothes isn't a real career, Jazmine. It's a hobby."
I swallowed hard. "It's not a hobby. This is what I want. I'm good at it."
"Good doesn't matter," she snapped. "Do you want to waste your life chasing something shallow? You should be thinking about stability. Respect. Not playing dress-up."
My throat tightened. I bit the inside of my cheek, staring at the cracking in the ceiling ."I'm not playing. This is what I love."
"Love won't pay your bills," she said flatly. "You'll realize I'm right eventually. You always do."
The line went dead before I could answer.
I stared at the phone, chest heavy, eyes burning, though I refused to let the tears fall. Same fight. Same ending. Every. Single. Time.
Lying back, I pressed the phone against my chest and whispered to the empty room, "I'll never be who you want me to be."
The silence answered, louder than the party had ever been
Her phone buzzed in her hand. A message lit up the screen.
Zeva: U make it back okay?
For the first time that night, Jazmine let out a shaky breath that almost felt like relief. She typed back quickly:
Jazmine: Yeah. thx, Z. goodnight
Another buzz cam almost instantly.
Zeva: Goodnight. love you
Jazmine's lips curved into the faintest smile. The heaviness in her chest was still there, but at least she wasn't carrying it alone.
- Writer
