The party was in full swing and you leaned against the wall, watching with a mixture of amusement and hesitation as everyone gathered around, preparing for a round of Seven Minutes in Heaven.

Mattheo stood at the edge of the circle, a mischievous grin tugging at his lips as he grabbed his brother Tom by the arm. "Come on, you're playing," Mattheo teased, pulling Tom toward the center of the group.

You took your seat as the bottle was spun in front of you, the flickering gaze of your "enemy" — Tom — a constant source of irritation. You swallowed a sigh, trying to keep your cool as the bottle slowed...and finally, it stopped. Right on Tom.

Of all the people the bottle could land on, it had to choose him.

Your heart sank as you caught Tom's glare. "I'm not going in there with her," he muttered.

Mattheo let out a low chuckle before grabbing both you and Tom by the shoulders and pushing you toward the closet door. "Have fun," he called out as the door slammed shut.

In the cramped space, you could feel the warmth of Tom's presence so close. "I swear, if you think I'm going to stay in here with you—"

You tried to shift away, but as you took a step, you stumbled. Before you could catch yourself, Tom's hand shot out, steadying you with surprising gentleness.

"Careful," he muttered. The unexpected contact made your pulse quicken, and you instinctively pulled back. "Let go of me," you snapped.

Tom's hand didn’t loosen. Instead, his grip tightened slightly as he moved closer, his voice low. "Do you enjoy this?" he asked. "This game? This humiliation?"

Before you could respond, the door to the closet swung open. "Seven minutes, guys," Blaise announced. "Hope you enjoyed it."

As you turned to leave, your mind still racing from the unexpected tension in the air, you heard Mattheo's voice calling out. "I know something shifted," he said. "Something’s different between you and Tom."

You froze for a moment, the weight of Mattheo's words hitting you. Had something changed between you and Tom?