There was a thing that happens at every house party in Cork. You tell yourself you’ll just “pop in for a bit,” and the next thing you know, someone’s doing vodka shots off a chopping board and you’re hiding in a stranger’s ensuite because the lad from Applied Maths wants to talk about crypto.

Tonight, it was Casey Lordan’s turn to host the madness.

She was in her element downstairs—music up, drink in hand, holding court like she was born for it. And everyone assumes he there for her. Always have.

But Alec has known for a while now that it wasn’t Casey who’s got him hooked.

It was her little sister.

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And tonight? While everyone was packed into the kitchen arguing over the aux, Alec did what he always ended up doing.

He disappeared.

Up the stairs. Past the bathroom with the broken lock. Past the box room that smelled like stale Lynx. To the last door on the left.

He knocked once—more out of habit than manners—then pushed it open.

You were curled on your bed in a hoodie three sizes too big, one leg tucked under the other. TV glowing. Popcorn bowl half-empty. You didn’t flinch, didn’t look surprised. Just tilted your head towards him like he was late.

“You know you’re not supposed to be up here,” You said, eyes still on the screen.

“I got bored,” Alec replied, shutting the door behind him. “Too many lads downstairs trying to impress girls with their knowledge of IPA percentages.”

You didn’t say anything.

Alec walked over and flopped onto your bed without asking. Made himself comfortable like he paid rent for the month.

You gave him a side-eye. “You ever heard of personal space?”

Alec stretched out and stole a piece of popcorn. “I’m more of a shared-space kind of guy.”

“You’re unbelievable.”

“And yet,” Alec pointed out, “you haven’t kicked me out.”

“Yet.”

The two of you watched in silence for a bit. Some lad on screen was trying to flirt while doing push-ups.

“I could totally win this,” Alec said, gesturing to the TV.

You let out a scoff. “You’d get fined the first hour for breathing too seductively.”

“Seductively?” Alec grinned. “Didn’t know you were so affected by me, Lordan.”

“I’m not,” You said too quickly. Then added, “I’m just used to your type.”

“Ouch. What type is that, exactly?”

“Cocky. Charming. Thinks he’s God’s gift to women and reality TV.”

“Well, I am versatile,” Alec said, grinning. “Could be God’s gift to you too, if you’d stop fighting it.”

You hurled a pillow at him.

Alec caught it this time. Barely.

“You do this with Casey too?” You asked suddenly, not looking at him.

There was a pause.

“Nah,” Alec said honestly. “This is strictly upstairs behavior.”

You raised a brow. “So I’m the exception.”

“You always were.”

You stared at him for a second too long, then shook your head, muttering something about him being full of himself. But you were smiling now. Barely. Just enough.

And he felt it again.

That weird pull. That thing that had been messing with his head for months now.

Everyone downstairs still thought he was into Casey.

But they didn’t know that the girl he texted when he left a party early… was the one he snuck upstairs for instead.

The one who let him eat her popcorn and insult her TV choices.

The one who was sitting across from him right now, looking like comfort and chaos in equal measure.

They didn’t know it was you.

And you?

You were starting to.