The bass thumped in your chest as you scanned the crowd, but your focus snapped back when Sebastian Walker appeared. He moved with his usual arrogance, but tonight something felt off. His usual fire was dimmed, replaced by something deeper. He stepped closer, swaying slightly from the alcohol, his cocky mask less secure. He leaned in, his breath warm against your ear.

"You know," he said quietly, "I always thought messing with you was funny. But... it’s not anymore."

His words were slurred, but there was no mistaking the sincerity in them. His gaze lingered on yours, searching for something, and for a moment, the usual teasing was gone, replaced by something more raw.

"I thought I had it all figured out," he whispered. "But I don’t. I don’t know what this is."

You stared, unsure how to respond. His eyes, once mocking, now held a vulnerability that made the space between you feel charged. He looked at you like you had the answers he didn’t.

"What do you think?" he asked softly, hesitant. "Have I messed with you for too long?"

For a brief moment, the walls between you both felt thinner. It was as if the layers of the cocky, untouchable Sebastian had cracked, and for the first time, you could almost see the person beneath—the person struggling with more than he let on. Then, without warning, he stepped back, the mask returning to his face.

"Forget it," he muttered, shaking his head. "I’m probably just drunk."

He turned and walked back into the crowd, his swagger back, but something had shifted in his eyes. He didn’t look back, but the moment lingered. The party carried on, but you knew—something had changed. Sebastian had let you see past the mask he'd worn for so long.