Chapter 1
Vi normally hated these kinds of parties. She’d much preferred hanging out with Mylo and Claggor, smoking some good weed. But after eavesdropping a little on some Piltie conversation, she’d heard there would be some good weed, so she, Mylo, and Claggor decided to check it out.
Much to Vi’s disappointment, the weed was shit. The alcohol was shit. Even the music was shit. This whole goddamned party was absolute shit. Whoever said college parties were fun deserved to step barefoot on a gear. Burn in hell, Pilties.
Vi and her adoptive brothers were hanging out upstairs, considering dipping. Would the back of The Last Drop be better than this shithole? Probably. Before she knew it, a circle had formed around them, and it took Vi way too long to realize what game they were playing—Seven Minutes in Heaven. She’d been too preoccupied on texting Powder back to pay attention.
Suddenly, her phone was taken out of her hand by Mylo. She looked up, realizing everyone’s eyes on her. She was not a fan of Piltie attention at all. But even the circle, full of both Pilties and Zaunites, made her uneasy. She looked at the center of the circle, where an empty bottle pointed at her. She looked around in slight panic until her eyes landed on another girl being shoved into the closet.
Oh.
“Oh, no, I’m not playing-” Vi tried to object, but she was already being pulled up by both Mylo and Claggor and led toward the closet where some Piltie girl stood. Claggor gave her a wink before shoving her into the closet.
Darkness surrounded her, and it took her eyes a moment to adjust to the darkness. The only sliver of light was the bit that shone under the door. She couldn’t see the other girl well, but she’d caught enough of a glimpse to know who the hell it was.
“Hey,” the girl said into the darkness. “I’m Caitlyn.”
A low grumble escaped from Vi’s lips, her hands finding the walls for support. It was far too cramped, but nonetheless, Vi tried to get as far away from the other girl. “I know who you are,” she said in a low voice, scoffing. “Everyone knows you, Caitlyn Kiramman.”
“Oh,” Caitlyn murmured. “That’s strange.” The navy-haired girl leaned against the opposite wall, playing with the ends of her hair.
Vi rolled her eyes at Caitlyn’s tone, a little too nonchalant for her liking. She could barely see in the dark, but even then, she could tell Caitlyn was acting all cool and laid-back. That was Vi’s thing. “What’s strange?” Vi challenged, crossing her arms and shifting her weight from foot to foot. The silence in the closet was unnerving, and she just wanted to get this over with. Come on, why is seven minutes suddenly so long?
“That everyone knows me,” Caitlyn replies. “Isn’t it a little odd?” She sipped at a bottle she’d brought in. “Isn’t the whole point of college to move on from that childish ‘popular girl’ stuff from high school?”
Vi scoffed, rolling her eyes. “Oh, spare me the speech, Piltie. It’s always the same hierarchy bullshit, and popular girls will do popular girl things with their popular girl friends.” She huffed, shaking her head. “It’s just as childish as high school.”
“That’s unfortunate,” Caitlyn hummed. “I was hoping for a new start, you know?”
“You’ve got that ‘perfect girl’ look, like some sort of movie star. No way you weren’t the most talked about in your Piltie high school.”
“Don’t flatter me. It’s not like people liked me for me . I’m just a last name.” Caitlyn sighed. “Plus, people just pretended they liked me. If they weren’t talking about me, then they were trying to find a way to bring me down. Then, when the secret came out that I liked girls, it got so much worse.”
Oh. Vi quieted down at Caitlyn’s reply. Perhaps Caitlyn’s life wasn’t all that Vi had assumed. Her eyes drifted to the floor. Suddenly, it felt awkward to be making assumptions. She shifted again, clearing her throat awkwardly. “...Sorry. People suck.”
“I find I like college more,” Caitlyn said next, offering Vi her bottle. “At least I’ve had a chance to start fresh, you know? There are faces from all over the place, not just Piltover and Zaun. I have a chance to make first impressions without a name attached.”
Vi took a good swig of the bottle. What was this stuff? Had Caitlyn brought it herself? It was the best thing she’d had at this awful party. “Starting over, huh?” she rasped, coughing. She wasn’t expecting this stuff to be strong, since everything else she’d had since arrival had been weak. Her eyes, despite not being fully adjusted to the darkness, dragged over Caitlyn’s body studiously. “Why are you in here with me?”
“I mean, I got dragged to this party by a friend. Then, I was dragged into the game. And now, here I am, with you.” Caitlyn took the time to regard Vi next—as much as she could with the limited visibility the darkness provided. “But I’d rather it be you than some freaky frat guy.”
“Gee, you’re just as sweet as a damn cupcake, huh?” Vi snorted, rolling her eyes as she leaned against the opposite wall. Deep down, she couldn’t deny that she was at least a little bit…happy? Glad? Shit, maybe it was the alcohol talking. “Aren’t you worried about the rumors?” she asked, crossing her arms. “Stuck in the closet with a poor Zaunite?”
“Stop with that. Piltover or Zaun, it doesn’t matter,” Caitlyn said, taking the bottle from Vi’s hands, her soft and slender fingers gently brushing against Vi’s calloused fingers. It sent a spark through Vi’s arm and down her spine. “I don’t care about some dumb rumors.” Then, Caitlyn went silent for a moment, pondering. “Do you?”
Vi swallowed hard, the moment of contact between them not going unnoticed, and Vi not going unaffected. She was suddenly glad it was so dark—then Caitlyn wouldn’t be able to see her cheeks dust in a light pink. “Of course I don’t,” Vi scoffed, her voice suddenly hoarser than before. She was starting to stumble over her words a bit. Maybe it was just the fact the two girls had been passing the alcohol back and forth. That had to be it. So, when Caitlyn offered the bottle again, she gladly took it, downing a few quick gulps.
“Good,” Caitlyn said next. “Then, it’s settled.” She stepped closer to Vi. It didn’t take very many steps to get very close, seeing as the closet was, well, a closet. “What’s your name?”
Vi felt her heart skip a beat as Caitlyn dared to step closer. She wasn’t sure if it was the alcohol or the fact that Caitlyn really was…breathtaking—or maybe it was both. But she felt oddly warm and…flustered? “It’s Vi,” she somehow managed to say without throwing up from nervousness. She gulped, trying to calm her racing heart as she handed the bottle back to Caitlyn before she dropped it.
Caitlyn finished the rest before setting it aside. Now there was nothing between them at all. Vi could swear she smelled the spicy perfume that Caitlyn wore. Some kind of oriental gourmand, she supposed. It only served to make Vi a little dizzier. Vi suddenly realized that Caitlyn hadn’t stepped back. “So, then, Vi. What are you doing in here with me?” Caitlyn asked, her voice low.
The low tone of Caitlyn’s voice sent shivers down Vi’s spine, and her breath hitched. With the alcohol clouding her better judgement, she took a step forward so that there was virtually no space between them anymore. “I…” She tried to find the words, but her mind was blank and her thought process in shambles. Caitlyn was just so…good-looking. It was starting to drive Vi a little crazy.
“You…” Caitlyn whispered, her breath sending shivers down Vi’s spine.
Vi’s words died in her throat. She’d always liked that people assume she managed to seduce girls with one smile, but it was her own little secret that she’d never even kissed a girl. Caitlyn’s confidence was starting to chip away at her little façade. She clenched her jaw, desperately trying to keep her cool and not let Caitlyn see how much of an effect she had on her. But there was no way Caitlyn wouldn’t notice the way her body trembled or the way her breathing was getting heavy. Vi tried to glare—something she was very good at due to Mylo’s attitude, but she couldn’t seem to give it any bite.
“What made you play Seven Minutes in Heaven?” Caitlyn asked, not backing down. “What were you hoping to accomplish?”
Vi hated it. Vi hated how cool and unaffected Caitlyn seemed to be, standing there calmly. She hated how she was slowly coming apart, and Caitlyn didn’t even look flustered. Her breaths came out fast and ragged, and she could feel her heart thumping against her ribcage, threatening to burst out and spill everything. “I didn’t-” She tried to form a response, but it was almost impossible to think clearly, and deep down, she knew it wasn’t because of the alcohol. She hadn’t had enough. “I was…” She had to stop talking in order to swallow, forcing down the lump in her throat.
But Caitlyn waited patiently, waiting to catch whatever words came out next, looking at Vi with appraising eyes. Caitlyn’s stare made it much harder to think straight. Vi felt like Caitlyn could see right down to her soul, and it made her body feel hot, and she felt light-headed. A few seconds passed, and it felt like an eternity of heavy silence, before Vi spoke again.
“Guess I just wanted to get stuck in here with you,” Vi said, trying to keep her tone casual. She wouldn’t back down this easily. She wouldn’t let this (smoking hot) Piltie girl reduce her to putty without a fight.
Caitlyn frowned. “Are you trying to flatter me?” she asked quietly, eyes boring into Vi’s. “I saw you. You were on your phone, not even realizing you were in the circle where the bottle was spinning.
Vi felt a rush of embarrassment at being called out like that. She winced, looking away. “I– That’s not– I wasn’t…” She rambled on, trying to find a good excuse but failing. Another pause passed between the two girls as she tried to gather her thoughts, but they suddenly tumbled out without her permission. “I mean, of course I’d want to get stuck with you out of everyone else. You’re the popular girl.”
Caitlyn scowled, suddenly taking a step forward, causing Vi to stumble back until her back hit the wall. She put her arm up against the wall, leaning close. “I told you not to talk about that ‘popular’ stuff.”
Vi gasped at the sudden change in position, eyes widening. “Fuck, sorry,” she mumbled, her breaths coming out in small gasps. She bit down any sounds threatening to come out now that Caitlyn was so close to her with that intense gaze. It made her knees feel weak, and she instinctively braced herself against the wall.
“I’ll forgive you this time,” Caitlyn murmured, a small smile on her lips. Serves you right . “But now that we’re here…tell me what you want.”
Vi tried in vain to keep her shaking and ragged breathing under control, but it was simply impossible—especially impossible with how close Caitlyn was. She could feel the heat from Caitlyn’s body and the subtle scent of her perfume. “What I want?” she repeated, overwhelmed. Her gaze dropped down to Caitlyn’s lips, then back to her eyes. Her gaze flitted between those two places for a moment. This was a dangerous question. What if she said the wrong answer?
“Yes,” Caitlyn breathed, reaching for Vi’s chin and tilting her head up. “By a turn of events, we’re here together… alone. So, what is it that you desire?”
Fuck. Caitlyn was using all the tricks in the book, and Vi cursed herself. This was the kind of stuff she should be doing to innocent Piltie girls, not the other way around. Nonetheless, her breath hitched at Caitlyn’s hand on her chin, and she couldn’t help the small whimper that escaped from the back of her throat. This close, she could see the details in Caitlyn’s irises, and she couldn’t help but find them absolutely captivating. “I… you…” her answer was a hoarse whisper, so quiet that she wasn’t even sure Caitlyn could hear her.
“You’re almost there.”
Goddess Janna, this girl is driving me insane , Vi thought to herself. This was torture. She steeled herself against the wall, desperately trying to maintain some semblance of control over herself, but it was like her body had a mind of its own now. The heat in her body had reached its head, and she was practically burning up. She needed something. Anything. “Please…” It came out as a whisper, almost like she was begging. This was embarrassing.
“Please, what, Vi?” Caitlyn pressed.
The use of her name sounded like liquid honey on Caitlyn’s lips, sending another shudder down Vi’s spine. But Caitlyn’s question made Vi freeze in panic. What was she going to say? She’d never been in a situation like this before, and the way the alcohol was making her head feel fuzzy didn’t quite help. Words refused to form in her mind, and she let out a sigh of frustration. It almost sounded like a whine.
Caitlyn used her thumb to run over Vi’s bottom lip slowly. “Have you ever kissed someone during Seven Minutes in Heaven, Vi?”
The gentleness of the touch along her lip had Vi’s head reeling. She wanted–. No. She needed more. It was torturous—her body and mind were at war with each other. “No,” she admitted in a breathy whisper, eyes fluttering shut. “I’ve never… I’ve never even kissed someone before at all.”
“Do you want to?” Caitlyn’s voice was low and rumbling, and it had Vi completely melting. She was on the verge of collapsing against the wall. This girl had Vi feeling crazy, so crazy that she didn’t even think before nodding, her reply a pleading whisper.
“Yes…”
Caitlyn nodded, her right hand snaking around the nape of Vi’s neck. Her left hand tenderly cupped Vi’s cheek as she pressed their lips together. The taste of berry lip gloss and alcohol mixed as Caitlyn’s lips met Vi’s.
Vi’s knees would have given out right then and there if it hadn’t been for the wall behind her keeping her upright. Caitlyn’s hand on her neck and her lips on hers set her entire world on fire. Her mind was completely fuzzy and lost in a daze of alcohol and desire. She returned the kiss, clutching the front of Caitlyn’s shirt.
Caitlyn pulled away slowly. Their lips stuck together for a moment, as if they had become one. “Was that okay?” she asked, her eyes searching Vi’s.
Vi was frozen in place, staring blankly with a flustered and dizzy look in her eyes as she attempted to process what had just happened. It was incredible . And she wanted more. “Yeah.” The word came out as a shaky half-moan, and she let her head fall forward onto Caitlyn’s shoulder. She suddenly felt weak.
Caitlyn gasped quietly in surprise, hesitantly reaching up, hand touching the back of Vi’s head gingerly. Slowly, she ran her fingers through Vi’s hair comfortingly. Vi let out a sigh, her eyes shutting at the feeling of Caitlyn’s slender fingers combing through her hair. It was so gentle and soothing, and it made her feel like every nerve in her body was simultaneously calming down and being ignited in fire and lighting. Vi allowed herself to lean into the touch, burying her face in Caitlyn’s chest, clutching tighter to the front of Caitlyn’s shirt. The alcohol from before and the alcohol from the bottle that was now discarded on the floor had her inhibitions gone, and she was drunk on the feeling of Caitlyn.
After a moment, Caitlyn allowed her instincts to take over. She gently wrapped her arms around Vi, her hands moving smoothly across Vi’s back. “Are… are you okay?” she whispered, still holding Vi tightly.
The feeling of Caitlyn’s arms around her and Caitlyn’s fingers tracing light circles on her back had Vi in heaven. She never wanted to let go—to face the world again. She just wanted to stay like this forever. “Yeah, I’m fine,” she mumbled into Caitlyn’s chest, nodding weakly. Her face was a rosy, flushed shade of red that wasn’t too far off from the color of her jacket.
Caitlyn softened, just standing there holding Vi. “Okay,” she murmured, her hand still tenderly stroking Vi’s hair. They stood there in silence for a few moments, just wrapped in each other.
Vi allowed herself to relax completely against Caitlyn, the tension leaving her muscles as she leaned against her. She found she wouldn’t mind if they remained in that position forever as long as Caitlyn kept stroking her hair like that. At the protest of her body, Vi forced herself to pull her face away from Caitlyn’s shoulder to look at her fully. “Why are you… being so gentle with me?” she asked quietly. “Everyone’s expecting you to be with some hot Piltie frat guy, not…” The sentence died, but the implication was clear.
“Hey,” Caitlyn murmured, her hands coming up to cup Vi’s face. “Don’t undervalue yourself like that.”
Vi’s eyes widened at the touch of Caitlyn’s hands on her face, the display of gentle affection, and she subconsciously leaned into them, her expression a mix of surprise and vulnerability. “I…” She wanted to protest, to say she was just being realistic, but the words caught in throat, and she didn’t try to force them out. “Are you disappointed you’re in here with me?”
Caitlyn shook her head. “I’m really glad it turned out to be you that the bottle landed on,” she said sincerely.
Vi’s jaw dropped slightly. She couldn’t believe it. Caitlyn was glad ? Caitlyn was happy it was her stuck in the closet, not some Piltie boy. Her.
Her heart thumped wildly against her ribcage as a wave of emotions washed over her, and she leaned closer. “Why?”
Caitlyn gave her a small smile, pushing a bit of Vi’s bangs away from her forehead. “Why not?”
Vi’s grip on Caitlyn subconsciously grew tighter at the gentle sweep of Caitlyn’s fingers across her bangs. There were so many things she could say—so many reasons why it shouldn’t be here. She had never truly been interested in anyone. But instead, all she could manage was a soft, “You’re an idiot, cupcake.”
Caitlyn laughed softly. “You think so?”
“Yeah, you are,” Vi repeated, letting out a small huff that she hoped sounded annoyed. “You could have anyone at this fucking party… and you want me?” She looked away, muttering, “I don’t get it.”
Caitlyn shrugged. “Anyone at this party… and somehow we both ended up here,” she murmured. “So, why think about other scenarios that didn’t even happen?”
Vi felt like she needed to burst out of that closet and run as far as she could. How did this girl manage to have such an effect on her? How was she so infuriatingly calm about this? It was driving her crazy, leaving her on edge. She didn’t know what to do with all the feelings that swirled inside of her. She wanted to pull away, to get some sort of distance, but Caitlyn’s touch felt too fucking good. She was practically addicted. Fuck weed. Fuck alcohol. “It’s… really hot in here, huh?” Vi asked hoarsely.
“Is it?” Caitlyn asked calmly. “I didn’t notice.”
Vi rolled her eyes, heart racing, butterflies in her stomach. Every inch of her skin was oversensitive, and it was killing her. “You’re such a liar,” she mumbled, frustrated.
Neither of them knew how much time was left in the seven minutes. It felt like a lifetime, yet only a few seconds at the same time. Neither of them had any idea how much time had passed since getting stuck in there. It felt like far too little time for both of them. They weren’t ready to leave that cramped little closet and face reality again.
“What if we stayed in here forever?” Vi suggested, dropping her head back on Caitlyn’s shoulder and burying her face in the crook of her neck. Caitlyn’s eyes widened at the interaction as Vi’s breath sent chills down her spine. She reached up to stroke Vi’s hair again.
“That would be nice.”
Fuck, fuck, fuck. Caitlyn was sending Vi into another spiral. Her touch, the sound of her voice, the scent of her perfume… All of these things made Vi go absolutely crazy. “You’re driving me insane, you know that?”
“What?” Caitlyn asked. “What do you mean?”
Vi lifted her head, her eyes full of a mixture of yearning and irritation. Caitlyn’s ability to keep her composure, façade or not, was admirable. But damn if it wasn’t giving Vi blue balls. “I mean, you’re… you,” Vi said, gesturing vaguely. “You’re so damn calm. It’s infuriating. Can’t you just lose control a little bit?”
“Lose control?” Caitlyn mused. “Not sure if you would like me much if I did that.”
Vi’s head spun with the images that Caitlyn’s words suddenly created.
Caitlyn, losing control.
Caitlyn, letting go.
Vi was suddenly overwhelmed by the desire to see Caitlyn like that. She wanted to push her so far to the edge, she could see it firsthand. She shook her head stubbornly. Was it stupid to push Caitlyn like this? Probably. But Caitlyn made Vi feel a peculiar mixture of irritation and desire so strong that Vi just couldn’t resist.
“I feel like I’ve known you my whole life,” Vi whispered, surprising even herself. If Mylo and Claggor could see her now… She’d never hear the end of it.
Suddenly, Caitlyn leaned in and kissed Vi again without warning. It was more intense this time, filled with emotion. Vi’s already pounding heart leaped as their lips met, and she melted into the kiss like it was the most natural thing in the world. This time, there was no holding back, no hesitation, no restraint. Just a raw, burning desire that neither of them could control. Vi grabbed Caitlyn’s shirt again, pulling her closer, the fabric balled up in her fists. Their bodies were flush against each other as Vi let out a low moan into the kiss.
“Time’s up you two!” a voice called from outside the closet. They pulled away just as the door opened. Vi tried to compose herself while Caitlyn shielded her eyes as the door swung open and light flooded the little closest.