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“It's the best karaoke in town!” Zorah said, excited.

This had to be a fucking nightmare.

It wasn't “ok” to mix my teammates with… that. With that side of my life.

I snorted and walked in after Colleen. The place had more people than last time, but I quickly captured the owner's red hair. She was behind the bar and serving drinks with a big smile.

Soon her gaze found me too and her excited expression became even greater. However, I just shook my head subtly in denial.

“Hey, come on!” Colleen grabbed my hand, pulling me with her. “There's a table over there.”

I followed my cousin and sat with the girls.

Drinks were ordered, but I felt like an impostor there.

I didn't like being there with my teammates. And everything got worse when Hayley decided to come to our table. With a kind smile, she welcomed us and said the first round would be on the house.

“Thanks!” I didn't know if my voice had even come out, but I hoped so. I was ashamed of that situation. Not because of Hayley, but because of myself.

“No problem…” She smiled and winked at me. The girls seemed oblivious to that. This, of course, excluded my cousin. This one captured Hayley's flirtation precisely. Her eyebrow rose in a silent question that I just ignored.

I downed my first drink while a group of feathered women sang Abba's “Mamma Mia” on stage.

“I'm going to get more drinks.” I announced. “Does anyone want anything?” I faced the others, but it was a rhetorical question. I didn't give them time to respond. “Great, I'll be right back.”

I walked to the counter and leaned on the wood there, looking into the green eyes of the owner of the place.

“Hi, Kendra. How can I be of service today?”

“They don’t know…” I commented quietly. Hayley smiled smugly.

“Okay, I won't be the one to tell. Relax, girl.”

“I didn't know we were coming here...” I started to say, but she interrupted me.

“Hey, you don't owe me any explanations.” She warned me, cautiously. There was silence between us for a moment before she reached over and handed me a bottle of water. “Stay sober, it will make your life easier.”

I nodded and thanked her for the water.

Halfway back to the table, I ended up seeing the last person I thought I would see in a place like that: Derek Torres. He was with his usual friend, whose name I never remembered, and another blonde guy who had longer hair.

“Kendra...” He stopped in front of me with an almost seductive smile.

“Derek…” I looked away at the two who accompanied him. “And friends…”

“Ivan and Stephen.” Torres introduced them again, referring to the brunette and then the blonde respectively.

“Okay, I need to go back to the table with my friends.”

I dodged them, but Derek grabbed my wrist.

“Wait, blondie.” I was forced to pay attention to him again. “My sister said something about your cousin…”

My expression of sympathy died there.

“Stay away from Colleen, Torres.” That wasn't a warning, it was an order.

“But she's very cute.”