"Like a moth to a flame
I'll pull you in, I pulled you back to
What you need initially…"
The music thrummed through the air like electricity, and Alex was right in the center of it, her body tangled with Jasper's, her body moving with his in perfect rhythm. The world around her blurred into lights, color, and music, but Jasper was sharp, clear—as if the universe had drawn a spotlight around just the two of them.
"Cause he seems like he's good for you
And he makes you feel like you should
And all your friends say he's the one
His love for you is true"
They moved like they'd been dancing together forever. Not awkward, not stiff, not calculated like one of her science presentations. Just natural. She laughed as Jasper spun her around, his hand sliding down to the small of her back as he pulled her close again.
"But does he know you call me when he sleeps?
But does he know the pictures that you keep?"
His forehead brushed hers, their eyes locking, and something tightened in her chest. She wasn't just dancing. She was feeling. Free. Bold. Magnetic.
"But does he know the reasons that you cry?
Or tell me, does he know where your heart lies?
Where it truly lies"
"You're full of surprises, gorgeous," Jasper whispered in her ear, his lips nearly brushing her skin. "I don't think I'll ever get used to this side of you."
"Good," Alex smirked, lifting her chin. "Keep being off-balance."
"Where it truly lies"
She didn't even care that people were watching. Let them stare. Let them talk. For once, she wasn't thinking about grades or expectations or the labels stuck to her back like old name tags. She was alive—eighteen, glowing, dangerous in all the best ways.
Jasper twirled her again, and this time when he pulled her back, their faces were so close she could see the mischief in his eyes, the way his smile was slightly crooked, like he knew he'd won something rare. Something impossible.
"You sure you're not secretly a heartbreaker?" he teased, voice low.
"Only yours," she said, breathless before she could stop herself.
"Right here with me, babe
Where it truly lies
My bed, babe
Where it truly lies
In my arms, babe
Where it truly lies"
Jasper blinked, clearly taken off guard. Then his smile deepened, eyes flickering with something darker. "Careful, Dunphy. You say things like that, and I might just fall harder."
Her heart skipped a beat.
"Where it truly lies"
The music changed again, but they didn't stop. Didn't slow. If anything, they moved closer, their bodies finding a new rhythm that didn't need music.
And she was letting it happen.
She was done being the girl on the sidelines. Tonight, she was the flame.
And Jasper? He was willingly flying right into it.
Jasper leaned in close, his breath grazing the shell of Alex's ear as the bass of the music thumped around them.
"Why don't you go grab a drink, gorgeous," he murmured, his voice velvet-smooth, teasing. "I'll be back in just a moment. Nature calls."
Alex turned her face slightly, just enough to meet his eyes. "Are you sure you'll survive a few minutes without me?" she teased back, her smirk mirroring his.
Jasper chuckled, the sound low and warm. "Barely. But I'll try not to get lost without my guiding star."
He winked, then disappeared into the crowd with that signature swagger of his, leaving behind the faint scent of cologne and trouble.
Alex exhaled slowly and smoothed her hands down her dress, suddenly hyper-aware of everything—the way people looked at her now, the way the slit in her dress swayed when she walked, the memory of Jasper's hands on her waist.
She made her way to the drink table and poured herself something fizzy and non-alcoholic, needing a moment to cool down. All around her, people were laughing, dancing, snapping selfies for their stories. But it all felt like background noise compared to the tornado Jasper Knight had become in her life.
"Nice dress," someone muttered as they passed. Alex ignored them.
She stood there, sipping slowly, watching the dance floor and waiting for her moth to find his way back to her flame.
Just as she took another sip, a familiar voice came from behind her.
"Well, look who it is," a boy sneered, swaggering up beside her. "Nerdy little Alex Dunphy. Damn, if I knew you were hiding a body like that under those turtlenecks, I would've asked you out a long time ago."
Alex stiffened, her fingers curling around the edge of the table.
The boy leaned in closer, breath sour with cheap alcohol and arrogance. "Why don't we change that? I could help loosen you up a little. Take that stick outta your ass. Or if you prefer—put a bigger one in." He smirked as he reached for her waist.
Splash.
Alex didn't even hesitate. Her drink went flying into his face, soaking his shirt and knocking the smirk clean off.
"Sorry," she said coldly, glaring up at him. "Not interested. Do I look like one of those dumb whores you sleep with?"
The boy froze for a second, dripping, stunned. Then his face twisted in rage. "Who the hell do you think you are, bitch?"
He raised his hand like he was about to strike her—
But his arm never came down.
A second later, it was caught in a steel grip.
"What do you think you're doing?"
Jasper's voice was ice. He stood beside Alex, his tall frame radiating danger, his fingers locked tight around the boy's wrist.
Before the boy could react, Jasper shoved him back, grabbing the front of his shirt and slamming him against the wall. The music faded into the background, like the world had gone silent except for Jasper's voice.
"You try any bullshit like that on her again," he growled, eyes blazing, "and you'll need help for the rest of your miserable life. I'll break every limb you've got and beat you so bad you'll eat through a straw for rest of your life. You understand me, coward?"
The boy choked slightly, his hands scrabbling at Jasper's grip. He nodded—terrified.
Jasper released him with a shove. "Get the hell out of my sight."
The guy stumbled away, soaked, humiliated, and shaken.
Jasper turned to Alex, his anger still simmering just beneath the surface, but his eyes softened the second they met hers. "You okay?" he asked, his voice low but steady, his hand brushing lightly against her arm like he needed to feel she was really there and unharmed.
Alex nodded slowly, the adrenaline still pulsing in her veins. "Yeah. I just… didn't expect that."
He studied her face for a second, then glanced around at the crowd—some people were pretending not to stare, while others were whispering. Jasper let out a quiet sigh and leaned in closer.
"Come on," he murmured gently. "Let's get out of here for a bit. Just you and me. Clear our heads."
Alex blinked. "Outside?"
He nodded with a small, reassuring smile. "Yeah. The air's better out there—and I figured you might need a moment without a thousand eyes watching."
Without waiting for an answer, he held out his hand again—this time not to lead her into a crowd, but away from it.
She hesitated only a heartbeat before placing her hand in his.
As they pushed open the side doors, stepping into the cool night air, Alex felt her heartbeat finally start to slow. The music faded behind them, and all that remained was the sound of distant laughter, a soft breeze, and the rhythm of their footsteps—two people walking side by side under the stars.
The cool night air wrapped around them as Jasper led Alex to his car parked just beyond the glow of the porch lights.The rooftop was already folded down, leaving the leather seats bare to the open sky.
Jasper opened the passenger door for her like a gentleman—playful smirk and all—and Alex slid in, the chill of the seat grounding her. He walked around and got in beside her, the night wind gently tousling his dark hair.
For a moment, neither of them spoke. The tension from earlier still lingered like smoke, but it was slowly being replaced by something softer, something unspoken.
Jasper tilted his head to look at her. "You really know how to throw a drink," he said with a teasing grin, trying to break the silence.
Alex gave a small laugh, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "And you really know how to go full dark knight in a crowd."
He smiled at that but didn't reply right away. Instead, he leaned back against the seat, staring up at the stars.
"I hate people like that," he muttered after a moment. "Guys who think they can say and do whatever they want without consequence."
She looked at him, studying the sharp line of his jaw, the faint tension still in his shoulders. "Thanks," she said quietly. "For stepping in."
He glanced at her, his voice softer now. "You shouldn't have to thank anyone for basic decency, Alex."
She exhaled slowly, her eyes drifting up to the sky too. "Still. Most people wouldn't have done anything."
Jasper turned toward her, his elbow resting casually on the steering wheel. "Well, I'm not most people, remember? I'm your handsome Shakespearean knight." He winked, but his tone was warm.
Alex rolled her eyes but smiled despite herself. "You're also annoying."
"I'm annoyingly charming. Big difference."
They both laughed, and for a while, the night was quiet—just the two of them, sitting beneath the stars, far away from the noise and chaos.
Then Jasper asked, voice low and almost hesitant, "Do you want to go somewhere? Just drive. Talk. No one else but us?"
Alex turned her head, surprised by the softness in his tone. She didn't say anything for a beat.
And then, she nodded.
"Yeah," she said. "Let's drive."
The Corvette purred to life as Jasper turned the key, the soft rumble of the engine blending with the hush of the night. They pulled out of the driveway, the wind catching Alex's hair as the road stretched ahead, lit by flickering streetlights.
They didn't speak for a few minutes, letting the silence between them settle like a comfortable blanket. The music on the radio played softly—some slow indie track that neither of them really listened to.
Jasper's hand was on the wheel, but his eyes kept flicking toward her, like he was still trying to process something. Then, without taking his eyes off the road, he said, voice calm but with a current underneath:
"That was… one of the negative things that could have happened tonight."
Alex looked at him, brow raised slightly. "You mean the jerk trying to touch me?"
He nodded. "Yeah. That. And…" He hesitated, then grinned sideways. "Other than, you know, the number of guys who were clearly ready to throw themselves at you tonight."
Alex tilted her head with a sly smile. "Why? Would you be jealous?"
Jasper slowed the car slightly as they reached a quieter stretch of road, lined with trees and bathed in silver moonlight. He turned to look at her—really look at her. His eyes weren't teasing this time. They were dark, focused, sincere.
He leaned in just a little, close enough that his breath brushed her ear, and whispered:
"Yes."
Then he paused, his voice low and magnetic.
"I don't want to share you with anyone."
Alex's breath hitched ever so slightly. Her heart did this odd flip in her chest she didn't quite understand—but couldn't deny either. The wind blew a soft strand of hair across her face, and Jasper gently brushed it away, fingers lingering a second too long.
The car rolled on in silence again, this time crackling with electricity.
She didn't say anything right away. She didn't have to.
Because the look in her eyes said it all: Maybe… she didn't want to be shared either.