I don’t even want to acknowledge the little traitorous butterflies that decided to stir at that.
Collect my prize? Like, okay, Mr. Scottish man, reel it in.
I roll my eyes at myself, furious at the ridiculous commentary running rampant in my head. Kane’s smirk hasn’t faded, not even a little, and it’s wreaking havoc on my already fragile composure.
The pub’s warm light catches on the gold flecks in his eyes, and it’s annoying how much it adds to the already-too-smug expression he’s constantly wearing. Like he knows I’m going to choke again.
Well, fuck that.
Backing down isn’t an option. Not when he’s looking at me like that. Not when everyone’s watching. I take another deep breath, centering myself. It’s not like it really matters. One throw won’t change the fact that we’re about to lose. But still… I refuse to go down without a fight.
Cam looks way too pleased with himself, like he knows they've already won. Or like he wants to drag Rachel to a dark corner and devour her. Meanwhile, Rachel looks like she’s about two seconds away from decking him.
And Kane? He’s watching me with an expression I can’t read.
None of that matters.
Right now, I need to reclaim a shred of my dignity. If I can just get the dart to stick anywhere near the inner circle, I’ll walk out of here satisfied.
Okay, Raven, get your shit together.
I almost laugh at myself, because this is where my night has led. Psyching myself up over a dart like my life depends on it.
Rachel is shouting something about how I better get a bullseye. Cam and Tyler are standing off to the side, whispering like they’re plotting my downfall. The rest of their friends are shouting words of encouragement, but their voices hum in the background as I step up to the line.
I inhale deeply.
You know what’s absolutelystupid? I can throw knives better than this. And yet, I cannot, for the life of me, get a stupid dart to stick. I adjust my grip, roll my shoulders, and picture Kane’s smug face right in the center of the board.
And I let it fly.
The dart soars through the air and collides with the board, embedding itself deep in the center.
Silence.
For a second, I don’t even register what happened.
“Oh my God,” Rachel shrieks. “You did it!”
I blink. The dart is still there. Stuck. Dead center. I actually did it. And judging by the look on Kane’s face, he wasn’t expecting that either.
Rachel is screaming, jumping up and down like we just won the damn lottery. “Raven, you did it!!!WE WON!”
We’re both bouncing like maniacs, clutching each other in triumph as the pub erupts in cheers. Cam is laughing, clapping Kane on the back.
Tyler strolls up, patting me on the back. “Good job,Bird,” he chuckles, heading toward the bar.
I freeze mid-step.
Bird.
My stomach flips and the sound of the pub fades to a distant hum. No one has ever called me that, but my grandparents.
The moment unravels before I can grasp it. Kane is walking toward me, with his annoyingly smug smile plastered on his face.
“Now where was that skill the entire game?” His voice is thick with amusement as he winks.
He raises his hand to give me a high-five and the moment his palm meets mine, a jolt shoots up my arm like an electric current.
