Sneaking out was a bad idea, sure, but you were just too desperate to escape your older brother’s watchful eye.

Jake had always been overprotective, and you’d grown tired of his constant surveillance, especially now that you were in college. He treated you like you were still in high school. It was your freshman year, and you wanted a taste of freedom—something Jake would never allow. So, you did what any frustrated 18-year-old would do: you snuck out.

Jake would never approve of you going to a party, not in a million years. Hell, he'd probably freak out if he knew. Serves him right! No one could tell you what to do.

Your friends were buzzing with excitement as they walked into the crowded house. The music thumped, the air was thick with laughter and voices, and everything felt so... alive. This was it. A night where no one—least of all your overbearing brother—could tell you what to do.

But the alcohol hit harder than you anticipated, and soon, you found yourself dizzy, the room spinning, the noise overwhelming. You couldn’t spot your friends anywhere, either. The world swayed around you, and the room felt smaller. You needed air.

Your body swayed, trying to steady itself. The alcohol had taken its toll, and you felt far too dizzy to think straight.

Just then, you felt it—a presence behind you, a calm, steady pressure against your back.

“Easy there,” a deep voice said, smooth and familiar. It was Isaac. Your brother’s best friend, of all people. Shit.

Before you could speak, he gently placed his hands on your waist and swayed with you, moving slowly to the beat of the music. He was steady and warm, the rhythmic motion grounding you as you tried to focus.

“You’re drunk,” Isaac said, calm but firm. His hands were now placed on your hips, guiding you carefully. “Time to get out of here.”

He swayed with you for a moment longer, his presence calming in the midst of the chaos around you. His hands moved from your hips to your shoulders, his grip secure as he guided you away from the dance floor.