Chapter One: The Spark and the Spill

Faye didn’t usually dress up to go out—not anymore; But something about that night felt like it needed armor. Maybe it was the way her chest had ached when she found Liam’s sweater in the back of her closet that morning. Or how she caught herself scrolling through old photos, pausing too long on the ones where her smile looked real.

So she wore the heels that made her taller and the lipstick that made her feel braver. Not for anyone else. Just to remind herself that she still existed. That she could be the main character in her own story again.

The bar was alive, humming with low laughter and the clink of glasses. A group of girls danced by the DJ, couples whispered secrets in corners, and the air was just thick enough with perfume and beer to feel like it belonged to another world. A better one.

Faye ordered a whiskey sour, because Liam hated whiskey. She took a long sip and let the burn settle in her throat like a dare. Something about ordering a drink that Liam would had disapproved of makes her feel a little more powerful.

That’s when she saw them.

Malex was leaning against the pool table, cue stick in one hand, an easy smirk in place. He was the kind of handsome that didn’t try... just was. His presence was messy and electric, like a firecracker waiting to go off. Enzo stood close by, more composed, dark eyes tracking the game like he already knew how it would end. When he laughed—low and rich—it made Faye’s skin prickle.

They looked at each other like they were sharing a private joke. Then Malex looked at her.

It was just a glance. A flicker. But it landed.

“You play?” Malex asked, nodding toward the pool table as she passed by. His voice was warm and teasing.

Faye blinked, caught off guard. “Only when I want to embarrass myself.”

Enzo’s lips curved. “That makes three of us.”

She laughed—really laughed—and for the first time in weeks, it didn’t feel forced.

They invited her to join the game. One drink became two. Jokes turned into stories. Somewhere between chalking the cue stick and arguing over rules, she forgot she was supposed to be heartbroken.

The most surprising part wasn’t how charming they both were; it was how open they were with each other. Small touches. Shared drinks. Quiet looks that didn’t need explanation. And yet, they let her in, as if the space between them had a door and she’d just wandered through it by accident.

At one point, Malex leaned in and said, “You’ve got great eyes, you know that?”

Later, Enzo added softly, “There’s something about you, Faye. Like you’re not sure if you’re here or dreaming.”

And maybe she wasn’t.

By midnight, her head was spinning—not just from the drinks, but from them. Their energy. Their chemistry. The way they each made her feel noticed in completely different ways.

As she stepped outside for air, her phone buzzed. A text from Liam.

"Hope you're okay."

She stared at the screen, then back at the bar door, where Malex and Enzo were probably still laughing, probably waiting.

Faye slipped her phone back in her pocket.

She wasn’t okay. Not yet.

But maybe, just maybe, she was on her way there.

And maybe getting a little lost was the first step.