CHAPTER 221: BETS ON HOW LONG BEFORE WE HEAR MOANING NOISES

Ash’s POV

The tension finally loosened up.

Dominic was laughing again.. like real, chest-deep laughter, and it made me wanna cry and hug everyone at once.

He looked lighter. Like himself again.

You could tell his friends genuinely adored him. Even tho they were loud, dramatic, slightly deranged, but pure love nonetheless.

And that... made me really glad.

We’d gone through three boxes of pizza, half a chocolate cake, and what I’m pretty sure was a very illegal amount of vodka.

Jasper was slumped on the couch.

Casper was trying to convince Ren that pineapple on pizza was a government conspiracy.

Dominic had one arm slung lazily around my shoulders, looking hungover.

The alcohol left everyone a little honest and everything was a little too funny.

"Okay," Jasper announced, waving his red cup dramatically. "I just wanna say...."

"Oh god," Ren muttered. "He’s about to monologue."

"...that I’m the hottest twin. Objectively. Science agrees."

Casper sat up. "Science can kiss my ass."

Then I noticed Dominic quiet down a little.

His laugh faded. He was just staring into his cup like it was saying something back to him.

I nudged him. "Hey. You okay?"

He nodded slowly, but his eyes didn’t match the smile. "Yeah... just thinking."

Jasper groaned. "Uh oh, not the deep thoughts. We were doing so well, man."

Dominic chuckled, shaking his head. "No, it’s nothing bad. Just..." he exhaled, and softened his voice. "I really wish Liam was here."

Everything paused.

Even Jasper stopped talking.

Dominic stared at the table. "It feels so empty without him. Like there’s this hole in everything we do, and no matter how many people are in the room, it still feels quiet."

His voice cracked at the end.

And it hurt... hearing him say that out loud.

Because yeah. That invisible absence.

Ren set his drink down quietly. "He’d be proud of you, man. You know that, right?"

Dominic smiled a little. "He’d probably be roasting me right now. Saying my haircut’s trash or that I’m being dramatic."

"Definitely the haircut part," Jasper said softly, waving his hands dramatically.

Dominic snorted, tried laughing.... but it came out shaky.

He stopped, then looked down again.

I reached over, brushing his arm slightly. "Dom..."

He laughed lightly. "God, I sound pathetic."

"You don’t," I said. "You sound human. I understand how you’re feeling. I’m sure we all do."

Casper cleared his throat. "Liam was one of us. And he still is. He’ll always be part of the glass circle. Just... not here. Physically."

Jasper lifted his cup again, staggering as he stood up. "Okay... I’m proposing a toast."

"Oh no," Casper muttered. "He’s tipsy."

"To Liam," Jasper said, holding his cup high. "The realest of us all. Gone too soon but never forgotten. Also..." he hiccuped, "...may he haunt whoever took his last slice of pizza that night."

We all raised our cups, laughing through the ache.

"To Liam," we echoed.

And for a few seconds, it felt like he was right there with us.

The laughter. The warmth. The chaos.

Like he never left.

I glanced around the room... and then frowned.

Wait.

"Uh... where’s June?" I asked, scanning the corners beside the snack table.

Jasper looked around too. "Wait, where’s Ian too?"

I froze. "You don’t think..."

Ren, without even looking up from his phone, said casually, "Last time I saw her, she was with Ian."

"Oh my god," Jasper groaned dramatically.

"Of course you did. Those two are probably making out or something."

Everyone burst out laughing.

"GUYS," I groaned. "You’re all so dramatic."

Dominic chuckled, shaking his head. "We should save some cake for Alia before Jasper finishes it."

"Who’s Alia?" Jasper stopped mid bite.

"My baby sister," I said proudly. "She’s eight. But she talks like she pays rent."

Dominic laughed. "Trust me, you’ll love her. I miss that kid. She’s got the best comebacks I’ve ever heard."

"Yeah," I said, grinning. "She’s on a sleepover at Violet’s. Turns out they trauma-bonded over the same guy."

That made Dominic choke on his drink. "Wait....WHAT? I’ve missed a lot."

"Oh, don’t worry," I said quickly, laughing. "They’re both over him now. I think."

Ren’s head shot up. "They’re EIGHT!"

I shrugged. "Welcome to Gen Alpha."

Jasper snorted. "She sounds like chaos. I like her already."

"Oh, she’s the definition of chaos," Dominic said. "One time she drew a picture of Ash with a triangle nose and onion hair. It was so bad I cried laughing."

Casper grinned. "I need to meet this child."

I held up a finger. "Careful. She hates new people. The first time Ian met her, she kicked him in the knee."

The room erupted.

Jasper dropped his red cup. "WHAT?! SHE WHAT?!"

"She kicked me," came Ian’s voice came from the doorway.

Everyone turned.

He was standing there with June right behind him....both of them looking slightly flushed, messy hair, and just... suspiciously glowy.

Well, well, well.

June’s cheeks were pink, even her lips were a little swollen.

The something-happened kind of pink.

She caught my eye, and smiled. Looking all innocent and wide-eyed, but I knew that look.....the "don’t ask me what just happened" look.

I raised a brow, whispering "we’ll talk later," and she immediately looked away, biting back a grin.

Yeah. My best friend definitely did something nasty on that beach.

But then, for a moment, she quickly glanced at Ren, and I caught it.

And the way her smile faltered made my stomach twist.

Because now I wasn’t sure if she was blushing over Ian...

Or just trying really hard to convince herself she was over Ren?

Dominic smirked. "Well, speak of the devil. Or, the knee victim."

Ian pointed at me. "Your sister’s terrifying. She told me to apologize for bullying you. I did."

Jasper cackled. "She should’ve gone for the balls."

Everyone lost it.

Ian clutched his chest. "Ouch, bro! That’s cruel."

"Oh please," I said, smirking. "You deserved it."

Ian gasped dramatically. "What is wrong with you people?"

"They’re drunk." Dominic pointed to Jasper.

"Personality development arc," Casper nodded.

Then I turned to June. "Where were you guys? We already ordered pizza."

June smiled, trying to act innocent. "Ian took me to the beach. You should’ve seen it.... it was so pretty at night."

Jasper instantly gasped, and started singing. "Ouuuuu, Ian and June, sitting in the beach..."

"Oh my god," June groaned, hiding her face. "Could you not?"

"K-I-S-S-I-N-"

"JASPER!"

Ian smirked. "You’re just jealous no one’s kissing you."

"Touché," Jasper said. "Still, use protection."

Ian threw a napkin at him. "You’re the reason I have trust issues."

"Yeah, and you’re the reason we need noise-cancelling headphones tonight," Jasper shot back.

Everyone lost it.

Dominic was dying in laughter. Casper fell over. Ren even cracked a small smile.

Ian just laughed and grabbed a pizza box like he didn’t care.

"C’mon, Juney. Let’s go before the children here start chanting again."

Then he reached for June’s hand, and started leading her toward the stairs.

"Alright," he said. "We’re calling dibs on the room with the TV."

The moment the door shut behind them, the room went silent.

Then everyone exchanged weird glances.

Jasper smirked first. "Sooo... bets on how long before we hear moaning noises?"

"Jasper!" I yelled.

Casper was crying laughing. "My money’s on twenty minutes."