𝐘/𝐍'𝐬 𝐏𝐎𝐕

I had barely been home for five minutes before I was ambushed.

The second I set my bag down, I heard it.

"Y/n!"

Storm came running into the living room like a bat out of hell, nearly knocking into me as she threw her arms around my waist.

I huffed, catching her easily. "Jesus, munchkin, did you take pre-workout before I got home?"

Storm pulled back, dramatically placing a hand on her chest. "Oh, I'm sorry, am I not allowed to be excited that my beloved, overworked, constantly MIA sister has finally returned home?"

I snorted, ruffling her curls. "You're so dramatic."

Storm narrowed her eyes. "Wonder where I get it from."

I rolled my eyes, tossing my keys onto the counter. "Alright, what's up, gremlin? You got that look on your face." She gasped. "What look?"

"The one where you want something." She scoffed. "Excuse you. Maybe I just missed you."

I raised an eyebrow. "Uh-huh. And?" Storm grinned sheepishly. "And... I was kind of hoping you'd let me go to my friend Sophie's house this weekend."

I frowned. "Storm, you just had a sleepover last weekend."

"I know! But her parents are taking us to this trampoline park, and they're gonna have, like, a whole sleepover thing after with pizza and movies—"

I sighed, crossing my arms. "You sure this is a real plan and not some chaotic scheme you and Sophie cooked up?"

Storm huffed. "Y/n. I am a young lady of integrity."

I snorted. "First of all, no, you're not. Second, what time does it start?"

Storm's face lit up. "So I can go?" I rolled my eyes. "I didn't say that."

Storm immediately switched tactics, clasping her hands together. "Come on, Y/n! You never let me do anything fun." I arched an eyebrow.

"That's insane, considering I let you have, like, two sleepovers a month. If anything, I should start charging rent for these freeloaders you keep bringing into my house."

Storm grinned. "Well, if you do start charging rent, just know Sophie's got a cool forty bucks in birthday money. I think we can work out a deal."

I blinked. "Did you just offer your friend's money as payment?" She shrugged. "Capitalism."

I threw my head back laughing. "Oh my God, you're an actual menace."

Storm beamed. "I learn from the best." I shook my head, sighing. "Alright, fine. But I need Sophie's parents' number." Storm let out a high-pitched squeal, hugging me again. "Yes! Oh my God, you're the best!"

I chuckled, patting her back. "Yeah, yeah. Go text her before I change my mind." Storm bolted down the hall to her room, probably already typing in all caps.

I sighed, rubbing my temple. This kid was going to be the death of me. But, honestly? I wouldn't trade it for anything. A few minutes later, I heard movement behind me. I turned just in time to see Storm standing in the kitchen, eyeing me suspiciously.

"What?" I asked, sipping my water. Storm squinted. "You're acting weird."

I scoffed. "No, I'm not."

"Yes, you are," she said, hopping onto the counter. "You're all... distracted."

I blinked. "What? No, I'm not." Storm smirked. "You so are." I sighed, shaking my head. "You're imagining things."

Storm leaned forward, gasping suddenly. "Oh my God."

I sighed dramatically. "What now?" Her eyes gleamed. "Is it about a girl?"

I choked on my water. "What?!" Storm cackled, kicking her feet. "Oh my God, it is!"

I coughed, glaring. "No, it's not!" Storm grinned like she had just cracked the biggest case of her life. "Oh, this is juicy. Who is she?"

I groaned, rubbing my face. "Storm—"

"Tell me, tell me, tell me," she chanted, bouncing on the counter. I sighed. "You are the most annoying child on the planet." Storm smirked. "And yet, you love me."

"Debatable."

She gasped. "Wow. Wow. My own sister. Betrayal. This is like Hamlet."

I arched an eyebrow. "You haven't even read Hamlet."

"I absorbed it through cultural osmosis," she deadpanned. I laughed, shaking my head. Storm crossed her arms. "Alright, fine. If it's not a girl, why are you so distracted?"

I hesitated. I couldn't exactly tell my 12-year-old sister that I had a borderline scandalous conversation with Madelyn last night that had been plaguing my thoughts ever since. I sighed. "Just work stuff."

Storm immediately narrowed her eyes. "Liar."

"I—"

"You never get this in your head about work. You love your job. It's something else."

I groaned. "Storm."

"Just admit it's about a girl," she grinned. I rubbed my temples. "Can you please go pack for your sleepover and stop psychoanalyzing me?"

Storm giggled but hopped off the counter. "Alright, alright. But this isn't over."

"Unfortunately, I know."

She smirked before disappearing down the hall. I let out a long exhale, running a hand down my face. Jesus. If my twelve-year-old sister was picking up on this, I was so screwed.

.  .  .

𝐌𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐲𝐧'𝐬 𝐏𝐎𝐕

I had barely set foot into the apartment when I was bombarded.

"You were sexting?"

Madison's voice rang through the room, her jaw practically on the floor. She, Carlacia, and Mariah were all gathered around me, looking like I had just admitted to robbing a bank. I groaned, dropping onto the couch and covering my face. "Oh my God, don't call it that."

Carlacia grinned, sitting on the arm of the couch. "What else do you call texting someone at midnight about all the ways you wanna be touched?"

Mariah laughed, plopping down next to me. "Damn, babe. Straight for the jugular."

I whined, sliding down the couch. "This is why I didn't wanna tell you guys."

Madison gasped, sitting across from me. "Madelyn. You have to tell us everything. How did this happen? When did this happen? Are y'all gonna get your freak on after the fair?"

Carlacia snorted. "We need details." I groaned again, covering my face with a pillow. "I regret this."

Mariah grinned. "Oh no, no, no. You opened the door, Cline. Now you gotta walk through it."

I sighed dramatically. "Fine. It happened the night before last."

Carlacia leaned forward. "How did it start?"

I huffed, pulling the pillow down slightly. "I sent her a picture."

Madison gasped. "A picture?"

"Not that kind of picture!" I shrieked. "I was exhausted from press stuff, so I just sent a tired selfie, and she said I looked—" I paused, face heating.

Mariah grinned. "She said you looked what? "

I groaned, covering my face. "Tragically hot." Carlacia and Madison cackled. Mariah gasped, clutching her chest. "Oh my God, she flirts like that? "

I peeked out from the pillow. "Constantly."

Carlacia shook her head, grinning. "Nah, nah. I need to see these texts."

Madison nodded, bouncing slightly. "Same. We need context for this chaos."

I hesitated, glancing at my phone. Then sighed. Screw it. I pulled up my texts with Y/n and handed the phone to Carlacia. The moment she started reading, her jaw dropped.

"Oh. Oh."

Mariah and Madison leaned over, eyes widening as they scanned the screen. Madison screamed. "Madelyn, what the hell? "

Carlacia covered her mouth. "Nah, this is wild." Mariah blinked. "Wait, she said that?"

Madison shook her head, laughing. "This escalated fast as hell." I whined, hiding behind the pillow. "I KNOW."

Mariah handed the phone back, shaking her head in disbelief. "Damn. Y/n is bold." Carlacia smirked. "And you were eating it up."

Madison grinned, pointing at me. "You liked it." I groaned but didn't deny it. Because, well. Yeah. I did. Carlacia leaned in. "Okay, so what happened after?"

I sighed. "I kinda freaked out and ended the convo."

Madison gasped dramatically. "You did what? " Mariah raised an eyebrow. "Did she freak out too?" I shook my head. "No, she just said we'll see how long that lasts." Carlacia snorted. "Oh, she's a menace."

Madison sighed, shaking her head. "So. Did y'all talk about it after?"

I hesitated, then sighed. "No." Mariah blinked. "Wait. What? "

I groaned. "We've texted, but we haven't even acknowledged that night."

Carlacia's jaw dropped. "Madelyn. What?"

Madison threw her hands up. "How do you go from talking about all the ways she wants to touch you to pretending it never happened? "

I sighed, rubbing my face. "I don't know! I think we both just—like, I don't know, avoided it?"

Mariah grinned. "Oh my God. This is so messy."

Carlacia nodded, smirking. "And you love it."

I groaned again, sinking into the couch. "I hate you all."

Madison grinned, nudging me. "Oh, babe. You love us."

Mariah chuckled. "But seriously. Y'all have tension that could burn down buildings. If something doesn't happen soon, I'm suing."

Carlacia nodded. "Maddie is right. We know this isn't over."

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. Because they weren't wrong. This was so not over. Carlacia tilted her head, her grin unwavering. "So, what are you gonna do about it?"

I groaned. "That's the thing—I don't know."

Mariah raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean you don't know? You like her."

Madison nodded enthusiastically. "You definitely like her. And if this"—she gestured wildly toward my phone—"is any indication, she definitely likes you back."

I hesitated, picking at a loose thread on the couch cushion. "I mean... yeah, I do like her."

Carlacia let out a loud gasp, shoving my shoulder. "FINALLY!"

Mariah grinned. "Oh, this is a big moment. We should celebrate."

Madison smirked. "Should we call Y/n? Let her know the news?"

I groaned, hiding my face in my hands. "Shut up."

Carlacia cackled. "Nah, we gotta unpack this. What made you realize?" I exhaled, letting my head fall back against the couch. "It kinda hit me when I was in LA."

Mariah leaned in. "Oh? Do tell."

I chewed my lip, thinking back to those few days away. "It wasn't even one thing. It was... all of it. I'd be in the middle of something—an interview, a press event—and I'd think, I wish I could tell Y/n about this."

Carlacia's eyes softened. "That's adorable."

Madison smirked. "And gay." I rolled my eyes, but I couldn't stop the small smile tugging at my lips. "And then, I don't know... I just started missing her."

Mariah tilted her head. "Missing her how?"

I sighed. "Like... it just felt weird not talking to her. I'd wake up and check my phone, expecting some dumb text from her. Or I'd hear something funny and almost send it to her before remembering she was probably busy."

Carlacia gave me a knowing look. "Mmm. Yeah. You're down bad."

Madison grinned. "Oh, so down bad."

I groaned, sinking lower. "I hate you guys."

Mariah chuckled. "We're just stating the obvious." Carlacia nudged my leg. "Okay, so what's the problem? You like her, she likes you—why not just go for it?"

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "Because... I don't know if she actually wants something."

Madison blinked. "Huh?"

I chewed my lip, trying to put it into words. "I mean, yeah, we flirt—but what if that's all it is for her? What if she's just having fun?"

Mariah crossed her arms. "Okay, but what if she's not?"

I sighed, shaking my head. "I just... don't want to read too much into it. I don't wanna push something if she doesn't actually want—"

Carlacia snorted, cutting me off. "Madelyn. You two were sexting."

I whined, covering my face. "STOP SAYING THAT."

Madison smirked. "Okay, fine. You were... emotionally connecting through explicit textual exchanges."

Mariah snickered. "Better?"

I groaned into my hands. "You guys are so annoying."

Carlacia grinned. "Our point still stands, though. You're not imagining this, Mads. Y/n is feeling something, too."

Madison nodded. "And if you're not sure where she stands, then ask her."

I hesitated. Because the truth was... I was scared to ask. What if this wasn't anything serious for Y/n? What if I was just another flirtation to her? What if she looked at me and laughed at the idea of us?

Mariah must have seen the hesitation on my face because she softened. "Mads. You don't have to figure it all out right now. But you do have to stop running from this."

Carlacia nodded. "And stop overthinking."

Madison grinned. "And maybe kiss her already."

I huffed, shaking my head. "You all suck."

Mariah smirked. "And you're in denial."

Carlacia shrugged. "Just don't wait too long to do something about this, Mads."

I exhaled. Because, deep down, I knew they were right. And I needed to do something. Soon.

.  .  .

𝐘/𝐍'𝐬 𝐏𝐎𝐕

I was never nervous about seeing Madelyn.

Until tonight.

As we walked toward the entrance of the fair, the buzz of the crowd and the colorful lights flashing against the night sky did little to ease the tightness in my chest.

Lili and Caleb were chatting animatedly about which food stand we needed to hit first, but my brain was occupied with only one thing: Madelyn.

More specifically, seeing Madelyn for the first time since... Yeah. That.

The sexting. The flirting. The dangerous line we crossed and then never acknowledged again.

I adjusted my hoodie, exhaling through my nose. I needed to play this cool. No big deal. Just a casual night at the fair with friends. No weird tension. No overthinking. Just vibes.

"Alright, let's place bets now," Caleb announced as we approached the entrance. "How long before Y/n and Madelyn sneak off and 'accidentally' lose the rest of us?"

Lili snorted. "I give it twenty minutes, tops."

I groaned. "Can y'all not?"

Caleb smirked. "What? It's a valid bet."

"Yeah," Lili added, nudging me. "You have been acting a little weird about seeing her again."

I rolled my eyes. "I'm not acting weird."

Caleb and Lili exchanged a look. I ignored them. Ahead of us, I spotted Madelyn and her friends gathered near the ticket booth. My stomach flipped. There she was.

She was laughing at something Carlacia said, her hands stuffed into the front pocket of her jeans, blonde hair falling effortlessly around her shoulders.

And when she turned—when she saw me—her laughter softened. Her lips parted slightly.

A flicker of something unreadable passed through her expression. I swallowed. Lili and Caleb veered ahead of me, approaching the group first. I took my time. As I got closer, Madelyn shifted on her feet, hands slipping out of her pocket like she wasn't sure what to do with them.

Then she smiled.

"Hey," she said. I let out a slow breath, forcing a smirk. "Hey."

Small talk. Play it cool. Her eyes flickered over me, like she was trying to gauge something.

"Long time no see," she added, voice a little lighter, but there was something beneath it—something unsure.

I nodded, rocking on my heels. "Yeah. Been a minute."

Carlacia and Caleb were already mid-conversation, and Lili had hit it off with Madison and Mariah almost immediately. But Madelyn and I? We were standing here. Being weird. And I hated it. She shifted. "So... how have you been?"

I exhaled, slipping my hands into my pockets. "Good. Work's been busy. You?"

She nodded. "Same."

God, this was awkward. This was never awkward with Madelyn. Before I could decide how to fix it, she opened her arms slightly.

"You wanna hug me or are we too cool for that now?" she joked, but there was a flicker of hesitation in her eyes.

I huffed a small laugh, stepping forward. "Get over here, Cline." Her arms wrapped around my shoulders, my hands settling on her waist as we embraced. It was brief. Quicker than normal.

And when we pulled back, our faces hovered too close for a second. I could see the exact moment she thought about what happened between us. The way her breath caught slightly. The way her fingers lingered before she pulled away.

I cleared my throat. "So, uh..."

"Yeah," she said quickly, stepping back. "This should be fun."

God, kill me now. Before I could make things worse, Carlacia looped an arm around Madelyn's shoulder, smirking. "Alright, lovebirds, are you done being awkward so we can actually enjoy the fair?"

I scowled. "We are not—"

Madelyn groaned, shoving Carlacia off of her. "Oh my God, shut up."

Carlacia just laughed, high-fiving Lili like they had already made some unspoken alliance. Madison smirked, stepping in. "Okay, let's do intros before we start making Y/n and Madelyn suffer more."

I shot her a look. She just grinned. After a few minutes of introductions—Caleb shaking hands with JD and Drew, Lili making rapid friends with Madison and Mariah—I realized something:

Everyone got along way too fast. Like, suspiciously fast.

Lili and Madison were already laughing over something. JD had roped Caleb into a conversation about basketball. Carlacia and Mariah were teaming up against Drew over some ridiculous debate about theme park rides. Madelyn caught my eye, her lips twitching.

I sighed, shaking my head. "This is dangerous."

She smirked. "Very."

Caleb popped up next to us, throwing an arm over my shoulder. "Alright, what's first? Food or rides?"

Lili crossed her arms. "Food. Always food."

JD nodded in agreement. "Seconded."

Madelyn hummed. "Funnel cakes?"

Mariah grinned. "Funnel cakes."

Drew clapped his hands. "Alright, let's roll."

As we started walking, Madelyn fell into step beside me.

It felt natural—like our earlier weirdness was already fading into the background.

She glanced at me. I glanced at her. Neither of us said anything at first. Then she cleared her throat. "So... about the other night."

I sighed, shoving my hands into my hoodie pockets. "Listen, Madelyn—"

"No, wait, let me go first," she cut in quickly, brows pulling together. I stayed quiet. She hesitated before sighing. "I don't regret it," she said, voice soft but sure. "I just... I don't know what it means."

I exhaled. "I mean... it was late. We were both—" I shrugged. "Lonely."

Her lips parted slightly, and something flickered across her face. Like she wasn't sure if she liked that explanation. Like maybe she was hoping I'd say something else. She nodded slowly. "Yeah. Maybe."

I swallowed, glancing