Villain Origin : Every Crime I Commit Helps Me Level Up-Chapter 42: The Party

"Hey! You two planning to gather the whole forest?" Derek called, waving them back. "Maya says dinner in twenty!"

They returned with their firewood, the moment between them unresolved but not forgotten. André stacked his collection neatly by the stone fireplace while Gia arranged kindling in a careful pattern like she’d been taught during their teenage camping trips. Their fingers brushed once as they worked, a fleeting contact that sent a current of awareness through them both.

Dinner was a lively affair, with Derek regaling them with tales from football practice and Tasha sharing gossip about their teachers’ rumored romances. Maya had outdone herself with a feast of grilled trout caught fresh from the lake that morning, roasted potatoes with rosemary from the small herb garden outside, and a summer salad bursting with colors.

"Coach Peterson nearly had an aneurysm when Johnson missed that tackle," Derek laughed, gesturing with his fork. "His face turned this shade of purple I didn’t think was humanly possible."

"Speaking of colors," Tasha interjected, leaning forward conspiratorially, "did you hear that Ms. Winters showed up with a hickey on Monday? And Mr. Sanchez was ’coincidentally’ wearing a turtleneck in eighty-degree weather?"

Maya rolled her eyes. "You’re incorrigible. They’re both single adults, you know."

"Still our teachers," Gia pointed out, sipping her wine. "It’s weird."

"It’s human," Liam said quietly, adjusting his glasses. "Everyone’s looking for connection."

The statement hung in the air for a moment before André changed the subject, asking about Maya’s graduate research in marine biology. As dinner continued, Gia kept stealing glances at André when she thought no one was looking, cataloging the changes in him since he’d retreated into his mysterious new life in the city.

As they were clearing the dishes, a knock came at the front door. Maya answered it to find a group of college-aged guys standing on the porch, the golden sunset light casting long shadows behind them.

"Hey there, neighbors," said Jake in front, a tall blond wearing a university t-shirt. "I’m Jake. We’re staying at the Reynolds place down the shore."

"Maya," she replied with a friendly smile. "We saw you guys arriving yesterday."

"We’re having a little get-together tonight," Jake continued. "Nothing crazy, just some music, drinks, good company. Thought we’d invite you all to come by."

Maya glanced back at the others, who had gathered in the main room to see who was at the door. "What do you think, guys? Up for a party?"

"Hell yes," Tasha replied immediately, already calculating what to wear. Her eyes lit up with anticipated excitement.

Derek looked less enthusiastic but shrugged. "Sure, why not?"

Liam and Gia exchanged a look before nodding their agreement. André remained silent, his expression noncommittal.

"Great!" Jake grinned. "Any time after nine. Just follow the shore path, can’t miss us. Oh, and we’ve got a bonfire planned later if the weather holds."

After he left, the cabin burst into activity as everyone prepared for the unexpected social event. Showers were taken, outfits debated, and pre-party drinks mixed. Tasha commandeered the bathroom, emerging in a cloud of perfume and hairspray, while Derek spent an inordinate amount of time deciding between two nearly identical button-down shirts.

"The blue one," Maya told him decisively after watching him hold them up for the fifth time. "It brings out your eyes."

André found himself pulled into the excitement despite his initial reservations. He’d been so isolated these past months, buried in work and responsibilities. The prospect of a night of carefree fun felt simultaneously foreign and desperately needed.

"You coming?" Gia asked, appearing in the doorway of the room he was using. She’d changed into a sundress, her hair loose around her shoulders, a small pendant glinting at her collarbone.

André nodded, tucking his phone into his pocket. "Wouldn’t miss it."

By nine-thirty, they were making their way down the shore path toward the glow of lights and the distant thump of music emanating from the Reynolds cabin. The night had turned cool but pleasant, the path illuminated by the nearly full moon reflecting off the lake’s surface. Tasha and Maya linked arms, giggling as they navigated the uneven ground in their sandals. Derek and Liam walked ahead, deep in conversation about a sci-fi show they both followed, while André and Gia brought up the rear, a comfortable silence between them.

The Reynolds cabin was larger than theirs, with a sprawling deck that wrapped around three sides and extended over the water on stilts. String lights had been hung in zigzag patterns overhead, creating a warm, inviting glow. The party was already in full swing when they arrived—music pulsing through speakers set up on the deck, people dancing both inside and out, drinks flowing freely. Jake greeted them at the door with red cups filled with something fruity and potent.

"Welcome to Paradise Cove!" he shouted over the music, ushering them inside.

The cabin had been transformed into the quintessential college party scene. Furniture had been pushed against walls to create an impromptu dance floor in the main room where about twenty people were already moving to the beat. In the kitchen, a makeshift bar had been set up on the island, complete with an impressive array of liquor bottles, mixers, and a large cooler filled with ice and beer. Someone had set up a beer pong table on the deck, where a heated competition was underway, spectators cheering with each successful shot.

The next few hours passed in a blur of dancing, drinking, and shouted conversations. André stayed relatively sober, nursing the same drink for most of the night while watching the others let loose. Tasha immediately hit it off with a group of college girls, while Derek and Maya were inseparable on the makeshift dance floor, her head thrown back in laughter as he attempted a series of increasingly ridiculous dance moves.

A girl with purple-streaked hair introduced herself as the resident DJ and took song requests, transitioning seamlessly from nostalgic 2010s hits to current chart-toppers. The atmosphere grew increasingly electric as the night progressed, inhibitions lowering with each round of drinks.

In the kitchen, a spirited game of "Never Have I Ever" had formed, with penalties involving increasingly creative mixed drinks. Liam, to everyone’s surprise, found himself at the center of attention when he revealed he’d once hacked into his high school’s grading system—"Not to change grades," he clarified hurriedly, "just to fix a glitch in the attendance record."

By eleven, the promised bonfire was roaring on the beach, a circle of logs arranged around it for seating. Stories and jokes flowed as freely as the alcohol, strangers becoming fast friends in the primal glow of the flames. A few adventurous souls stripped down to underwear for midnight swimming, their shrieks and splashes punctuating the night air as they hit the cold water.

Gia stayed close to André for much of the night, her inhibitions gradually lowering with each drink. She joined a limbo contest on the deck, bending backward with surprising flexibility to the cheers of onlookers.

"I haven’t had this much fun in forever," she confessed to André as they took a break on the deck, the party noise slightly muffled behind them. "When did we all get so serious?"

André watched the moonlight play across her features. "Growing up doesn’t have to mean growing boring."

"Says the guy who disappeared into corporate America," she teased, bumping her shoulder against his.

"Touché," he acknowledged with a small smile. 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

Back inside, they were pulled into a dance circle that had formed in the living room. Someone had cranked up a bass-heavy track that reverberated through the floorboards. Bodies moved in sync, hands raised to the ceiling, a collective energy building with each beat drop. André found himself letting go more than he had in months, the music washing away the tensions he carried.

By midnight, the party had reached its peak. A group in the corner was playing a drinking game involving cards and increasingly complex rules. Two guys were engaged in an enthusiastic but terrible rap battle in the kitchen to the delight of their audience.

Gia swayed against André as they danced, her arms looped around his neck, head occasionally resting on his shoulder. The scent of her shampoo—something citrusy and warm—mingled with the faint sweetness of her drink.

"I’m glad you came this weekend," she murmured, her breath warm against his ear. "I’ve been trying to get you to hang out for months."

André smiled, steadying her with hands at her waist. "I’m glad I came too."

She looked up at him, eyes slightly unfocused but warm. "Promise me something?"

"What’s that?"

"Don’t disappear again. At least not without telling me why."

Before he could respond, she wobbled slightly, her balance compromised by the alcohol. "Whoa. Room’s spinning a bit."

"Maybe time to call it a night," André suggested, concern replacing the moment’s intimacy.

Gia nodded, leaning more heavily against him. "Maybe you’re right."

André glanced around the room, locating Derek and Maya still dancing close together. He caught Derek’s eye and pointed toward the door, then at Gia. Derek nodded in understanding.

"Come on," André said gently, guiding Gia toward the exit. "Let’s get you back."

As they slipped out of the party, Liam watched from across the room, his expression falling as he observed them leave together. His shoulders slumped visibly as he took another sip of his drink, the ice long since melted.

Tasha approached him, a determined look in her eye as she assessed his dejected posture. She’d been watching him watch Gia all night, and her patience had finally run out.

"You know she’s not going to notice you if you keep standing in corners," Tasha said bluntly, startling Liam from his thoughts.

He adjusted his glasses nervously. "I don’t know what you mean."

Tasha rolled her eyes. "Please. You’ve been watching Gia all weekend like a sad puppy. It’s painful."

Liam blushed, looking down at his drink. "That obvious, huh?"

"To everyone except her," Tasha confirmed, moving closer. "But here’s a thought—maybe you’re looking in the wrong direction."

Liam’s brow furrowed in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Tasha reached up to straighten his collar, letting her hand linger there. "I mean, some girls actually prefer the dorky, cute guys. The ones with actual brains instead of just muscles."

Understanding slowly dawned on Liam’s face. "Girls like... you?"

"Now he gets it," Tasha murmured before leaning in to press her lips against his in a bold, decisive kiss.

When they finally parted, Liam stared at her in astonishment.

"I’ve had a crush on you since sophomore year," Tasha admitted, a rare vulnerability showing through her usual confidence. "But you never looked my way."

"I had no idea," Liam said, still dazed from the kiss.

Tasha smiled, taking his hand. "Well, now you do. And we’ve got all night to make up for lost time."

Meanwhile, André and Gia made their way slowly back to the cabin, the path lit only by the moon and the distant glow from the party behind them. Gia leaned against him, her steps unsteady but her mood still light.

"The stars are amazing out here," she said, tilting her head back to gaze at the clear night sky. "You never see this many in the city."

André glanced up, appreciating the vast expanse of stars visible away from urban light pollution. "It’s something else."

Gia stumbled slightly on a dip in the path, losing her balance momentarily.

André caught her elbow, steadying her. "You got lucky on that one."

They reached the cabin, and André helped Gia up the porch steps and inside. The house was dark and quiet, emphasizing how alone they were. The familiar creaks of the old wooden floors echoed in the stillness as they made their way to the stairs.

"I should get you some water," André said as they climbed to the second floor, his hand at the small of Gia’s back to ensure she didn’t lose her balance.

Gia nodded, but when they reached her bedroom door, she turned to face him instead of going in. "André?"

"Yeah?"

She hesitated, then took a step closer, looking up at him with something vulnerable in her expression. "Don’t go... not yet." Her voice was soft, barely above a whisper. "Do you want to come inside?"