Blast From The Past I

Luca

"Ahh, shit, Morgan!"

The triumphant smirk on Morgan’s lips as she rode me sent a jolt straight through my core. Her body moved with perfect rhythm, her hands splayed across my chest for balance as she bounced, her confidence undeniable. She bit down on her bottom lip, teasing me with that wicked glint in her eyes, knowing damn well she was breaking me down piece by piece.

She wanted this trip to LSU to see Haden and Ella. I had a mountain of shit to handle, and I was hoping we could push it to next weekend. But Morgan? She never accepted no—not when she wanted something.

My fingers dug into her hips as I flipped us in one swift motion, pinning her beneath me. She gasped, but that delighted sparkle never left her gaze. Hooking one of her legs over my shoulder, I sank deeper into her heat, earning a sharp cry from her lips.

“Fuck,” she moaned, her nails raking along my arms, urging me on.

I picked up my pace, keeping my strokes deliberate, punishing, making sure she felt every inch of me.

"Okay, we can go," I groaned, my control slipping.

A victorious smile spread across her face before she pulled me down into a kiss, hot and claiming. She wrapped her legs around my waist, pulling me in closer, giving me everything.

“But that means next weekend, we’re doing what I want,” I murmured against her lips.

She nodded, biting down on her lip, her body trembling beneath me. I felt it—the way her walls tightened around me, that delicious telltale sign.

“Are you gonna cum for me, baby?” I growled, maintaining the same relentless rhythm, hitting that perfect spot.

“Yes—fuck—yes!” she gasped, her back arching as her eyes rolled back, pleasure consuming her.

"Damn, you’re sexy,” I whispered, my own release slamming into me. I buried myself deep, groaning as I came, my body shuddering against hers.

I pressed my forehead to hers, dropping a soft kiss on her lips, feeling the way her breath still came in little, shaky pants. Slowly, her eyes fluttered open, that stunning smile lighting up her face.

“So,” she breathed out, mischief twinkling in her eyes, “let’s order these tickets.”

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Haden

"Ella!"

"Morg!"

I rolled my eyes as I watched Ella and Morgan sprint toward each other, colliding in a tight embrace that nearly knocked them both over.

"Okay, oww!" they said in unison, laughing but refusing to let go.

Luca walked up beside me, clapping my hand before pulling me into a brief hug.

"Those two," he chuckled, shaking his head.

I smirked, watching as Ella and Morgan practically skipped back to us, their faces glowing with excitement.

I pulled Ella into my arms, wrapping them securely around her waist. “Happy now?” I murmured.

She giggled, her eyes sparkling. “Ecstatic!”

Still so damn cute. I pecked her nose before turning my attention to Morgan and Luca.

"I heard Morgan was bugging you just as much as Ella was bugging me," I said, chuckling at Luca.

Morgan rolled her eyes. "Hello to you too, Haden."

Smirking, I released Ella and opened my arms for Morgan. She stepped in, rocking me side to side with exaggerated force, making me laugh.

"I missed you too, ass hat," she quipped, poking my side before stepping back.

Shaking my head, I looked at the group. "Are y’all hungry? Ella and I skipped breakfast."

I still had a game tonight, and there was no way I was playing on an empty stomach.

"We can eat," Luca agreed with a nod.

"Yeah, I’m starved," Morgan added, rubbing her stomach. "Oh, and Stella and Brad sent something for you two."

"Really? Let me see!" Ella immediately tried to dig into Morgan’s bag.

Morgan swiftly turned away, grinning. "You'll see it once we’re sitting down and eating," she teased, sticking her tongue out.

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"Morgan, just give us what’s in the bag already," Ella huffed, practically bouncing in her seat.

I chuckled, shaking my head. She looked like a kid on Christmas morning.

"Alright, alright, hold on," Morgan said, taking a slow sip of her Pepsi—clearly dragging it out on purpose.

Finally, she reached into her bag and pulled out two photo albums. One had my name, the other Ella’s. She handed mine to Ella and Ella’s to me. Curious, I flipped open the cover, and the first picture staring back at me made my face break into a wide grin. It was an old shot of Ella as a kid, her hair styled in colorful twists with matching beads. Her bright, toothy smile showed a missing front tooth, making her look even more adorable.

I smirked. "I remember this little girl."

Ella gasped when she looked at the picture. Squealing, she snatched the album from my hands.

“Oh my god! Look how cute I was!"

I laughed, shaking my head before tugging the album back. "Are, sweetheart. Look how cute you are," I corrected, kissing her cheek.

Morgan groaned, rolling her eyes. "Ugh, you guys are gross."

Ella just giggled and flipped open my album, her face lighting up instantly.

"Aww, little Haden! Your green eyes were always so bright," she cooed.

I glanced over and saw the picture she was gushing over—it was me at about seven years old, proudly holding up the first fish I ever caught with my dad.

Flipping to the next page, my smirk deepened. It was Ella again—her first-grade picture. She stood in her tiny school uniform, curly hair styled into two perfect afro puffs, grinning shyly at the camera. Below the photo, in neat handwriting, it read: Ella’s first day as a 1st grader. I smirked, my mind drifting back to the first time I met her.

Damn.

Feels like yesterday.

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I was outside playing tag with Micah, Michael, and a few other boys from our class, the afternoon sun beaming down on us as we ran across the field. The tall slide in the center was our safe zone, and I was sprinting toward it, laughter bubbling from my chest as Micah—who was it—spotted me and took off in pursuit.

Pushing my legs harder, I dodged to the side, trying to outrun him—until I suddenly slammed into something solid.

Or rather, someone.

A small oof sounded as the impact sent a girl tumbling to the ground. My heart pounded as I looked down to see her sitting in the grass, two fluffy afro puffs framing her face. Her knee was scraped, a trickle of blood trailing down her smooth brown skin.

Guilt immediately flooded my little body. “I’m sorry! Are you okay?” I asked, my high, young voice shaky.

She looked up at me with big, honey-brown eyes, glassy with unshed tears, but she nodded.

"I can help you get a Band-Aid?" I offered quickly, desperate to fix what I’d done.

"Okay," she whispered, her voice so soft, so sweet... so cute.

Carefully, I helped her up, my small hands wrapping gently around her tiny ones. We walked together to the teacher, who immediately knelt down to check her knee.

“Haden, thank you for bringing her to me,” the teacher said warmly. “I’ll take her to get it cleaned up, okay? Joella, tell Haden thank you.”

Joella.

Her bright eyes met mine, her expression still unsure but filled with something that made my stomach feel funny.

“Thank you, Haden,” she said softly.

Something in me stirred that day, something I couldn’t quite understand.

That evening, I ran home, practically bursting through the front door as I told my mom everything—how I met a really pretty girl today, and how one day, she was going to be my wife.

Mom laughed, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. “Oh yeah? What’s her name?”

“Joella, Mommy. She’s really, really, really pretty.”

She chuckled again, smoothing my messy hair. “Well, if you want her to like you back, you have to be really nice to her, okay?”

I nodded eagerly. Of course! I would be nice to her. The nicest anyone’s ever been.

That night at dinner, I told Dad the same thing.

He didn’t ask her name—just let out a deep laugh, shaking his head. “You’ve got some years before you need to be thinking about marriage, buddy.”

But my little mind was made up. I didn’t need years.

I told him that too, determined.

He only laughed again, ruffling my hair before sending me off to bed.

I lay awake that night, staring at the ceiling, thinking about her big brown eyes, her tiny voice, and those two perfect afro puffs.

I couldn’t wait for tomorrow.

I couldn’t wait to see Joella again.

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I smiled as I glanced over at Ella. She met my eyes and let out a soft laugh.

"I remember that day," she said, shaking her head. "You ran into me so hard I scraped my knee."

"Yeah, I remember too," Morgan chimed in with a smirk. "Haden wouldn’t let anyone else take you to the teacher. We should’ve known then."

Luca chuckled, leaning back in his chair. "That doesn’t surprise me. Haden’s always been bossy."

I rolled my eyes. I’m not bossy. Just dominant.

"I wouldn’t say I’m bossy," I defended.

The table immediately fell silent. Three pairs of eyes locked onto me, blank and unimpressed.

I sighed. "Oh, fuck you guys," I muttered with a smirk. Then, turning to Ella, I added smoothly, "Except you. Unless it’s literal." I winked.

Her cheeks tinged pink.

Morgan groaned dramatically, clutching her stomach. "I’m going to be sick."

Ella burst out laughing and gave Morgan a light shove on the shoulder. "Oh, hush. You and Luca are worse."

Luca simply shrugged, completely unbothered, a smug smirk tugging at his lips. Morgan just laughed, taking another bite of her sandwich like she wasn’t guilty as hell.

"Ella, you’ll always be so pure—doesn’t matter how dirty your sex life gets," Morgan teased, wiggling her eyebrows.

Ella gave a shy smile, her eyes flicking to me, and I immediately caught the slight discomfort in her expression. Without hesitation, I wrapped an arm around her shoulder and pressed a soft kiss to the top of her head. "Leave her alone, Morgan," I murmured, my voice firm but teasing. "You’re making her uncomfortable."

Morgan smirked but winked at Ella before finally letting the topic drop. For now at least.

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Joella

We continued flipping through the photos, sharing little stories here and there, each memory bringing out laughter and teasing. I turned the page and landed on a picture of Haden—his face absolutely smeared with cake.

Luca burst out laughing. "Oh man, that was Haden’s 9th birthday party. It ended in a full-on cake fight." He chuckled, "Aunt Carolyn lost her shit when we got cake all over her Persian rug."

Morgan snorted. "Did she make y’all clean it?"

"Every last one of us," Haden confirmed. "She handed us sponges and made us scrub it for hours—only to throw it out anyway. I was so pissed."

I smiled, watching the way Haden’s expression softened as he reminisced about the past. There was something about seeing him relive those childhood moments that made my heart swell. I flipped to the next page and was met with an array of photos featuring his grandpa, standing beside a much younger Haden at what looked like The Dungeon—only, it was different. The space lacked all the sleek updates and advanced tech it had now.

"Is this what The Dungeon used to look like?" I asked, glancing at Haden. He nodded, his gaze lingering on the images.

The first picture showed little Haden mid-throw, a knife flying toward a dummy target, while his grandpa stood beside him, watching closely. Mr. Russo looked huge compared to Haden, his towering figure a stark contrast to the small boy gripping the knife with determined focus. The next few photos captured different moments—his grandpa guiding him through loading and handling various firearms, his stance firm, his expression serious.

"So all of y’all were trained to handle knives and guns?" I asked, looking up at him.

He nodded again, his jaw tightening slightly. "Yeah. Grandpa trained us hard."

Luca groaned. "To the point of death. I swear, we were exhausted every single day."

Morgan and I exchanged a look, both of us silently acknowledging how intense that must have been. I flipped the page in Haden’s album at the same time he turned the next one in mine—only for both of us to freeze. It was a collection of photos from the formal. I recognized the shots instantly. My dad had taken a ton of pictures that day, and from the looks of it, Haden’s parents had done the same. I smirked, my eyes landing on a picture of little Haden standing in his crisp button-up shirt and khaki dress pants, looking way too serious for a kid his age. I was in a flowy pink dress, my mom having straightened my curls for the occasion. It was such a simple moment, but the nostalgia hit me like a wave.

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Morgan, Tanya, Ashley, and I stepped into the school gym, the sound of upbeat music and laughter filling the air. The space was packed—girls twirling in their short, pretty dresses, boys standing around in their button-ups and dress pants, trying to play it cool. Some kids were already dancing, while others huddled near the snack table, grabbing cups of juice and handfuls of chips.

I glanced around, taking in the lively scene when I heard my name being called.

Turning, I saw him.

Haden.

He stood across the gym, wearing a crisp blue button-up and khaki dress pants. His green eyes, always so bright, locked onto mine as a slow smile spread across his lips. Butterflies burst in my twelve-year-old stomach. He lifted his hand in a wave, and I managed to wave back, my breath catching when he started walking toward me—with Micah right by his side.

He stopped in front of me, smirking slightly.

"Save the last dance for me?"

My mouth went dry.

Haden Russo wanted to dance with me?!

Understand this—everyone had a crush on Haden. And when I say everyone, I mean everyone. The girls all wanted him to like them. The boys all wanted to be seen with him.

Ever since the day I had bumped into him all those years ago, I had never been able to get his bright green eyes out of my head. But we didn’t talk much. He was a grade ahead of me, and our paths only crossed in passing. Still, whenever he saw me in the hallway or at lunch, he would always flash me a smile and a small wave.

This was the first time he was actually standing in front of me, speaking directly to me, since that moment six years ago.

I couldn’t form words, so I just nodded shyly.

His smirk deepened, and after exchanging a knowing look with Micah, he turned and walked away.

I stood frozen until I felt three pairs of eyes staring at me, practically boring into my soul.

"What?" I asked, suddenly self-conscious.

Morgan was the first to break, practically squealing. "Ella, Haden just asked you to dance!"

The three of them shrieked in excitement, their high-pitched giggles making my face burn even hotter.

"Shhh!" I hissed, stealing a quick glance at Haden’s group. Of course, they were already looking.

Morgan, completely unfazed, grinned. "Oh, this is huge."

Ashley clapped her hands together, her excitement bouncing off her. "Okay, can we please go dance now? I really wanna dance with Brandon!"

"Me too!"

"Me three!"

Morgan and Tanya chimed in before bursting into laughter.

I rolled my eyes but laughed along with them as they darted off toward the dance floor. Tanya reached Brandon first, and as always, he was the sweetheart of the group, happily dancing with each of them in turn. Their laughter was infectious, and soon, I found myself joining in, letting the music take over.

But every so often, I felt it.

Eyes. Watching me.

And every time I glanced in his direction, I caught Haden’s gaze.

Each time, he would smirk, wave, and mouth, Last dance.

Each time, I would nod shyly before turning away, my stomach twisting in nervous anticipation.

The night flew by, the music never slowing, the gym filled with energy and laughter. I was twirling around with my friends when Brandon approached, his usual bright smile in place.

"Want to dance?"

I hesitated only for a moment before nodding. "Sure."

Brandon was polite, keeping his hands respectfully on my waist as we swayed to the music. I smiled up at him, grateful for how easy it was to be around him.

Then the music shifted.

The DJ’s voice rang through the speakers. "Alright, folks! It’s time for the last dance of the night!"

My heart stopped.

I looked around, searching for Haden, but he was nowhere to be seen.

Panic bubbled in my chest. Where was he?

I caught sight of Micah across the gym. He met my gaze, then lifted his hands in a shrug, his expression unreadable.

My shoulders slumped.

I turned back to Brandon, forcing a small smile. "I guess we can finish this dance."

Brandon’s grin widened. "I’d like that."

We continued to sway, but I felt distracted, my eyes still darting around the room.

Then I saw him.

Haden stepped back into the gym from the hallway, scanning the room until his gaze landed on me.

And in that moment, something shifted.

His expression changed.

The warmth in his eyes vanished, replaced with something colder.

I froze.

I wasn’t sure how, but I knew—he thought I had chosen Brandon over him.

I felt sick.

Mumbling a quick apology, I stepped back from Brandon. "I have to go," I said quickly. "I promised my last dance to someone else."

Brandon hesitated, his smile faltering, but he let me go. I turned, weaving through the crowd as fast as I could toward Haden.

He stood still, his face unreadable as I approached.

When I finally reached him, I gave him a nervous smile. "Hey."

He raised an eyebrow, arms crossed over his chest.

I swallowed. "It’s the last song… You told me to save it for you."

His jaw ticked. "Yet you already gave it away."

His voice was cold. Flat.

I shifted uncomfortably under his glare. "I-I couldn’t find you. We can still dance now."

Haden didn’t respond right away. Instead, his gaze flickered past me.

Curious, I turned to follow his line of sight—only to see Brandon watching from a distance.

And he was smirking.

Brandon caught Haden’s gaze, winked, then turned his attention back to Tanya, pulling her in closer as they danced.

I turned back to Haden, my stomach twisting.

The moment our eyes met again, I knew—he had already made up his mind.

His next words wrecked me.

"No, it’s okay," he said coolly. "It was a bet anyway. I was chosen to dance with the lamest girl in school. You saved me the embarrassment."

The breath left my lungs.

Tears stung my eyes, but I was too shocked to move, too stunned to even defend myself. I just stared at him, searching for any hint of a lie, any sign that this wasn’t real.

But his face remained blank.

Then, without another word, he brushed past me, his shoulder bumping mine as he stormed toward the exit.

Micah, who had been standing nearby, glanced at me with sad eyes before quickly turning and jogging after him.

And just like that, Haden was gone.

And I was left standing there, my heart breaking in a way I didn’t even understand yet.