Tilly leaned in, waiting. Giving her the choice.
Savannah closed the distance.
The kiss wasn’t frantic. It wasn’t messy or desperate. It was slow and careful, like they were trying to say something without breaking it. Like Tilly was asking her to listen. Like they were apologizing with their mouth.
Savannah didn’t pull away.
Her fingers curled into the front of their jacket, grounding herself as her breath shook. Tilly rested their forehead against hers when they broke apart, just barely.
Savannah closed her eyes. “Tilly.”
“Let me fix it,” they said softly. “Let me apologize the right way.”
She nodded once.
They slipped out of the room hand in hand, unnoticed in the noise, into the hallway where everything went quiet.
The door shut behind them, and the party dulled to a distant hum. The hallway was cold. Still.
Tilly barely got out, “I didn’t trust you, and I hate that I—” before Savannah grabbed their jacket and kissed them again.
Harder this time. All the things she’d been holding in all night crashed into her chest at once.
They pressed her gently back against the wall, kissing her like they’d been holding their breath since the argument. Slow at first. Then not slow at all.
“We were supposed to talk,” Savannah whispered against their mouth.
“I know,” Tilly said. “I just needed you to know I’m here.”
She swallowed. “You scared me.”
“I know,” they said again, softer. “I’m sorry.”
They kissed until the cold seeped through their clothes and their lungs burned, and neither of them could remember what they’d planned to say.
“I missed you,” Tilly whispered.
Savannah felt it like a hand closing around her heart. “Yeah,” she said. “I missed you, too.”
They would talk.
Just not yet.
Back inside, Jamie was sprawled across the couch like she owned the place, champagne in hand and eyes too sharp to be trusted.
“Erin,” she stage-whispered. “Harper. Come here.”
Harper groaned. Erin leaned in anyway.
“They’re gone,” Jamie said solemnly. “Together. From Savannah’s own house.”
Erin tried not to laugh. Failed.
Harper snorted. “Mind your business much?”
“Yes! It’s a capital B,” Jamie whispered. “Hallway Business.”
“You are drunk,” Erin said.
