I couldn't help but feel a little giddy when Lily rang the doorbell that afternoon. She had never really met my parents properly before, and I was curious about how the dynamic would be. Lily and I had been friends for a while now, and she fit into my life like a missing puzzle piece. I was nervous, but I knew it would be fine. My mom, who was always welcoming, had already mentioned how she was looking forward to it, and I was sure my dad would be just as laid-back as usual. It was a relaxed Saturday, and having Lily over seemed like the perfect way to spend it.

When Lily walked through the door, her usual energy bounced off the walls, and it didn't take long for her to completely mesh with my family. My mom immediately started chatting with her about everything—where she was from, what her family was like, and, of course, her thoughts on the city's newest restaurants. My dad, who usually kept to himself, found himself laughing at one of Lily's jokes. It was funny how she had that effect on people, how effortlessly she could become part of a conversation.

Lily had already met my sister, Sophie, but today felt different. Sophie was a little quieter around her, maybe because she looked up to her, but they quickly found common ground when Lily started asking her about high school and what it was like being the "cool" older sister's sibling. I smiled as I watched them bond over their mutual love of reality TV shows and all things teenage gossip. It was one of those moments where everything felt right—like the kind of family evening you wish could last forever.

After dinner, my mom and dad headed upstairs to their room for the night, and Sophie went to her own room to finish homework, leaving Lily and me to hang out. We decided to have a proper girls' night in, just the two of us. We made face masks and pulled out a few bottles of sparkling water, treating ourselves to a little spa time while scrolling through social media. We ended up watching some old rom-coms, laughing at all the cheesy moments and quoting our favorite lines.

As we settled into the cozy chaos of my room, the familiar weight of comfort and ease surrounded me. Lily, with her humor and unfiltered honesty, was the kind of person I felt like I could talk to about anything. We were sitting on the floor, tossing popcorn at each other, when she suddenly grew quiet. I noticed her eyes sparkle with something between excitement and mischief.

"So," she began, her voice teasing, "I heard something interesting today."

My heart skipped a beat. I wasn't sure if I was ready for where this conversation might go, but I had a feeling.

"You and Noah," she said with a smirk, "you kissed, didn't you?"

I froze, my breath catching for a second. The memory of the kiss felt so vivid, like it had just happened. I hadn't told anyone, except for a few vague references to Lilly that night, but here she was, bringing it up as if it were the biggest thing that had ever happened.

I tried to play it cool, shrugging and trying to sound nonchalant. "It was... nothing," I said, but my words felt hollow.

"Oh, come on, Em," Lily grinned, nudging me with her elbow. "I can tell you're not exactly upset about it. He's hot. You guys have chemistry. It's so obvious."

I laughed, my cheeks burning slightly. "Maybe. But it's just... complicated, you know?"

Lily gave me a raised eyebrow. "Complicated? Girl, you've had this thing with him brewing since forever. I'm sure it was more than just some random kiss."

I hesitated for a moment, unsure if I should share more. I hadn't even fully processed everything yet. But Lily was right—it wasn't just any kiss. The tension, the way everything had felt before, during, and after. It was something more.

"I don't know, Lil. I just... I don't want to get involved in some drama. Noah has this whole complicated past with his ex, and I feel like I'm just in the way. He still spends time with her and—" I cut myself off before I could say too much.

Lily looked at me, her expression softening as she nodded. "I get it. But you're not just 'in the way,' Em. Noah's been hanging out with you for a reason. He's obviously into you."

I felt my heart skip a beat. "But what if he's just playing around? What if he's not serious?" I asked, voicing my fears aloud.

Lily looked at me like I was being silly. "Come on, you really think Noah would just play around with you? Nah, he's not that guy. And you're not the type of girl he'd mess with. Trust me on this one. He's into you."

I let out a long breath, the knot in my stomach not quite loosening. But her words did comfort me a little. Maybe I was overthinking it.

Then, as if to lighten the mood, I shifted the topic. "What about you, though? Anyone special in your life?" i asked, grinning as i nudged her with my shoulder.

"Well..." she hesitated, feeling a little shy about it. "There's Jake... Noah's best friend."

My eyebrows shot up. "Jake? The one who's always hanging out with Noah? What's up with that?"

She rolled her eyes, trying not to sound too obvious. "I don't know, but he keeps liking my stories and texting me with these heart-eye emojis."she laughed nervously. "It's not a big deal. I mean, we're just friends, right?"

My grin grew wider. "I'm pretty sure he's into you. You should totally see where that goes."

We spent the rest of the night talking about boys, dreams, and life. We played around with our masks and did silly impressions of the movie characters.

We both drifted off to sleep soon after, exhausted but content, and I thought about everything that had happened so far. Noah, Jake, the kiss, the confusion—it was all so complicated, but maybe things were starting to fall into place.