The air buzzed, electric, almost otherworldly. Neon lights hung from the towering pines, slicing the darkness with flashes of purple, pink, and green. The bass thumped through the earth itself, syncing with laughter and footsteps that moved like a living tide. Smoke curled from incense and hidden fog machines, carrying a sweet tang that made the night feel alive.
Aiden stepped into the clearing, boots crunching softly on pine needles. Bodies swayed and twisted, masks and neon paint glinting under the lights. For a moment, he wasn't Aiden, the quiet kid from town. He was someone else entirely, charged, untamed.
This wasn't Chicago. Not the cramped loft parties, the sticky floors, the cheap beer in plastic cups, the subpar DJ blasting generic tracks over drunken shouting. No, this place breathed. The forest itself seemed part of the music, the trees bending in rhythm, firelight flickering across the crowd, smoke drifting like wisps of another world.
Even the drinks were different, cups glowing faintly under the neon lights, liquid swirling with colors he didn't recognize, the scent of fruit and spices lingering in the air. It wasn't just a party; it was a living organism, and he had stumbled into its pulse.
Hands pulled him toward the center, powder clinging to skin like a second, glittering layer. Heat, music, and movement consumed him. Every sense is overloaded, yet somehow aligned.
A circle of fire crackled in the distance, shadows dancing like ghostly spectators. Somewhere, someone laughed his name, sharp and teasing, cutting through the bass.
Angela perched on a fallen log, neon paint glowing faintly on her cheeks. She laughed softly, caught mid-conversation with a girl Aiden didn't recognize. When he stepped into the glow, she jumped, eyes wide.
"Oh my god—Aiden!" Her gasp cracked into a grin that lit her whole face. "You scared me. I didn't think you'd come."
"I wasn't sure I would either," he admitted, his voice half-swallowed by the bass.
Her companion had vanished into the chaos. Angela blinked, then focused on him, the smile softening. She held out a plastic cup, the liquid inside shimmering in shades of pink and green.
"Here," she said, nudging it toward him. "You'll need something to survive this madness."
Aiden accepted it, the warmth of her hand brushing his fingers briefly, sending a small shock through him. He took a sip. The taste was sharp, sweet, and somehow alive, like it had been made to pulse in rhythm with the bass. He thought briefly of the flat, watery beer of Chicago parties, and couldn't help smirking. Nothing there ever felt like this.
They talked in fragments over the music. Aiden's gaze drifted over the crowd: Tyler on a truck doing a keg stand, Connor and Ben tearing across the field in a glowing football game, Jessica somewhere lost in the dancing throng, Eric moving sharply behind the DJ booth.
Angela leaned closer, voice raised. "It's insane, right? You've never seen anything like this before."
"No," Aiden murmured, chest vibrating with bass. "It's like the world… cracked open."
She tucked hair behind her ear, eyes shimmering. "You really surprised me. You're usually so… serious. Responsible. Not the type to sneak into a forest rave."
He grinned, shifting closer. "…Besides, you being here helped."
Her laugh curled around him, warm and playful. "Smooth. You been practicing that?"
"Only on the way here."
Aiden noticed the subtle shift, Ben's gaze, flicking toward them before snapping back to his game.
"So tell me," Aiden said, lowering his voice, "why are you sitting here alone instead of out there? Or… with someone?"
Angela smirked, playful yet deliberate. "Maybe I was waiting for someone." Her eyes lingered.
Aiden tilted his head, letting the moment stretch. "You know… if you're trying to make someone jealous, you don't have to work this hard."
Her flush warmed the neon-lit shadows. "What? That's… no, that's not what I—"
"Mm-hm," he said with a grin. "Tyler? Too busy drowning in beer. Connor? Doubtful. Mike? He'd be on you already… though honestly, he's not even thinking about you tonight—he's into Bella anyway." He gestured vaguely, careful not to draw attention. "Eric? Too lost in the music. Which leaves…"
Her eyes darted away, lips pressing into a thin line. The silence said more than words ever could.
"Trying to make someone jealous, huh?" he asked lightly, tilting his head, letting the words hang between them.
Angela froze, then laughed too quickly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "What? No, that's not—"
Aiden hid a smirk behind a sip of the glowing drink she'd handed him. "I don't really like being played," he murmured, low and edged with amusement.
Angela blinked, caught off guard. "I'm not—"
He leaned close, letting his breath brush her ear. "Come on. I'm not stupid. You want his attention? I can help."
"Help?" she whispered, voice uncertain.
"Yeah." He lifted his cup lazily, swirling the neon liquid. "Play along. Act closer than we are. Give him something to notice. But…" His gaze lingered on her face. "…it'll cost you. Could be a drink, a dare… maybe something more fun."
Angela's lips parted, caught between curiosity and hesitation. She didn't pull back. Instead, she leaned slightly closer, brushing his hand as she handed him another glowing drink.
"You know," Aiden said, grinning as he accepted it, "I never thought the preacher's daughter would sneak into a rave in the woods."
Angela rolled her eyes, mock-offended, then laughed softly. "Preacher Girl, remember? Can't let the reputation die completely."
"Preacher Girl, huh?" He raised his cup toward her. "I think I like it. Makes the stakes even more interesting."
Angela smirked, leaning in slightly, their knees brushing again. Aiden swirled the neon drink, tasting the fizz. The tension between them sparked hotter, more deliberate.
The forest pulsed around them, alive with neon chaos. Somewhere in the crowd, Ben's gaze flicked toward them again—half-conscious of the glowing football game he was supposed to be dominating. Aiden noticed a thrill running through him. The game had officially begun.
[Second Later]
Angela downed the rest of her glowing drink in one smooth motion, the neon liquid fizzing as it hit her chest. She wiped her lips with the back of her hand and grinned at Aiden.
"Come on," she said, tugging at his arm lightly. "Let's see if you can really handle the madness."
Aiden laughed, letting himself be pulled along. The forest was a blur of color, movement, and music, the crowd swaying and leaping like one living organism. He followed her, the dark whisper at the back of his mind nudging him forward, daring him to push limits, take chances.
They weaved through the throng of dancers, neon paint streaking their clothes and skin, laughter and shouts colliding with the pounding bass. Every step brought them closer to the open field where the football game was in full swing.
Aiden caught sight of Ben, tense and focused, tossing the glowing ball between Connor and Mike. The moment their eyes met, Ben's jaw clenched ever so slightly. Connor, catching Aiden's glance, smirked and gave a subtle nod, clearly pointing him out.
Angela leaned closer to Aiden as they approached, her hand brushing his arm. "See him?" she whispered, her voice playful. "Think you can handle him noticing us?"
Aiden's grin widened, feeling the dark presence in his mind stir with approval. Make him notice. Make him burn.
"I think I can," he murmured, letting his gaze flick to Ben again before following Angela's lead into the heart of the crowd. The energy around them seemed to surge, the forest pulsing with every step, every laugh, every brush of skin as they drew near the football game.
The game, the lights, the music, it all seemed to shrink to a single, intense moment, with Aiden and Angela at its center, daring Ben to look, daring him to react, and relishing the thrill of the chase.
Aiden and Angela stepped into the edge of the football field, brushing past laughing players and dancers, letting their movements draw attention without looking for it. The neon lights flickered across their skin, glitter catching the glow as Angela looped her arm through his.
Ben's eyes snapped toward them immediately, jaw tightening. He was mid-throw, but his focus wavered, the glowing football catching the light as his hands gripped it tighter than necessary. Connor shot him a knowing smirk, nudging him subtly.
Angela caught the glance and leaned close, brushing her fingers along Aiden's arm as she whispered, "Think he likes what he sees?"
A flicker of the dark presence whispered in the back of Aiden's mind: Push it. Tease him. Make him notice. Don't stop.
Aiden smirked, letting the whisper guide a playful tilt of his head and a deliberately slow step closer to Angela. "Looks like someone's losing his cool," he murmured, loud enough for her to hear but just under the music's thrum.
Angela laughed softly, spinning slightly in his grip, brushing her shoulder against his, making the movement feel deliberate, teasing. She leaned in to whisper again, "We're just having fun… aren't we?"
Ben's jaw clenched further. His hands tightened around the ball, but he didn't look away. Heat flared in his chest, eyes darting between them, but he stayed rooted in place, refusing to break.
Aiden's grin widened, the dark entity stirring in his mind like coals fanned by a breeze. One more step. A laugh. A touch. Watch him burn.
Angela's hand brushed his arm again, just lightly enough to make the contact noticeable, enough to spark tension without overdoing it. Aiden followed the rhythm, leaning close, laughing with her, letting the teasing be natural, effortless.
Ben's glare sharpened, but he stayed firm, forcing a controlled exhale as Connor tossed the ball back toward him. The game went on, but the awareness of Aiden and Angela's presence lingered like a heat in the air.
Aiden leaned just slightly closer to Angela, whispering in her ear, "Looks like the plan's working… at least a little."
Angela's eyes glinted mischievously, and she leaned her shoulder against his, letting the brush of skin and laughter carry the tension. Around them, the forest pulsed with neon and bass, the crowd alive, but in this small pocket, the three of them were locked in a silent, electric game.