𝐘/𝐍'𝐬 𝐏𝐎𝐕

Lunch was supposed to be normal. Just me, Caleb, Lili, and Storm, sitting in our usual booth at a diner we'd been coming to for years.

The kind of place that had decent burgers, greasy fries, and bottomless coffee—nothing fancy, just a solid spot where we didn't have to think too hard.

And for a little while, things actually felt... okay.

Storm was finally talking to me again—granted, most of it was aimed at Caleb and Lili, but at least she wasn't actively ignoring me.

Lili had her feet propped up on Caleb's chair, chewing on a fry while Caleb was making his usual overdramatic arguments about why Die Hard was, in fact, a Christmas movie.

It was easy. Familiar.

Until I heard my name.

"Y/n?"

I glanced up, mid-sip of my drink, and immediately locked eyes with a girl standing at the edge of our table. She was tall, blonde, and familiar—but I couldn't quite place from where.

Then she smirked, crossing her arms. "Come on. Don't tell me you don't recognize me."

My brain caught up a second later.

Emily.

"Shit," I muttered, setting my drink down. "Yeah. Now I do."

Caleb and Lili exchanged a glance. Storm, sitting across from me, was already narrowing her eyes.

Emily grinned. "Knew you'd get there eventually."

It clicked fully now. I'd seen her a handful of times at scenes—she worked for one of the other fire departments in the area, usually responding to the same calls we did. We'd never really talked much, just quick nods or casual "stay safe" exchanges in passing.

"Sorry, I didn't expect to see you here," I admitted, leaning back slightly. "You off today?"

"Yeah, rare thing," she said, then nodded toward my uniform shirt. "You just get off shift?"

I glanced down at my work-issued T-shirt, realizing I hadn't even changed yet. "Nah, we're on lunch. Got called in earlier than expected."

Emily nodded, then shifted her weight slightly, eyeing me. "It's weird seeing you out of work mode. You're usually all serious and focused."

Lili snorted. "Trust me, serious is not her default setting." I threw a fry at her across the table as I shook my head.

Emily smirked. "Good to know." Storm let out an exaggerated sigh. "Do you need something?"

Emily raised an eyebrow at the tone, glancing at her. "Wow. Protective little sister, huh?"

Storm didn't blink. "Yep."

Lili laughed under her breath. I rubbed the back of my neck. "Ignore her."

"I dunno. Kinda like it," Emily teased, before turning back to me. "Anyway, just figured I'd say hey since I saw you over here."

It was casual, easy.

And yet, something felt off. Emily was cool. She was confident, carried herself like someone who knew exactly what she was doing. Objectively? She was attractive.

So why the hell did this feel... wrong? I forced a small smile. "Good to see you."

Emily hesitated for half a second, then said, "Maybe we should grab coffee sometime?"

Storm's entire demeanor soured. Lili raised an eyebrow, glancing at me. Caleb was suddenly very invested in his drink.

I hesitated.

Because why not?

Madelyn wasn't here. She wasn't sitting across from me, throwing some sarcastic comment my way or rolling her eyes when I stole fries off her plate.

She wasn't looking at me like she used to—like she was waiting for me to catch up to something she had already figured out.

I cleared my throat. "Yeah. Sure."

Emily grinned. "Great." She pulled her phone out, unlocking it and handing it to me. I put my number in, handing it back.

"I'll text you," she said. Storm groaned audibly. Emily shot her an amused glance, then looked back at me. "See you around, Calloway."

With that, she walked away. The second she was gone, Storm let out a noise of disgust, stabbing her fork into her salad with unnecessary force.

"I hate her." I laughed. "Jesus, Storm, you barely know her."

"That's exactly why I hate her," she shot back. "What kind of person just walks up and asks for your number?"

Lili, still smirking, leaned back. "Uh, normal people?"

Storm ignored her. "She just seems... I don't know. Fake."

Caleb, finally looking up, gave me a slow once-over before speaking. "What do you think?"

I hesitated. Emily was cool. She was confident, flirty, direct.

And yet... The entire time she was talking, I had to remind myself to pay attention. The entire time she was standing there, I was aware—painfully aware—of the fact that she wasn't Madelyn.

I exhaled slowly, forcing a shrug. "She seems nice."

Storm groaned again, dropping her head onto the table. "Unbelievable."

Lili grinned, nudging Caleb. "This is gonna be fun."

Caleb just shook his head as he chuckled.

.  .  .

𝐌𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐲𝐧'𝐬 𝐏𝐎𝐕

Carlacia and Madison had invited me out, promising an easy, laid-back afternoon—something light, something to pull me out of my own head.

I almost declined, but then Lili texted that she was picking up Storm from school and bringing her too, and that changed things.

Because if there was one person I did want to see, it was Storm. She had always been a bright spot, this unfiltered, unapologetic, smarter-than-her-years kid who somehow managed to make me feel like I belonged even when her sister couldn't.

And right now? I needed to feel like I belonged somewhere.

I showed up at the restaurant a little late—thanks to traffic—and found them already at a booth, Lili sitting next to Carlacia while Madison was across from them.

Storm was next to Madison, swinging her feet under the table, talking animatedly about something when she spotted me.

Her whole face lit up.

"Madelyn!"

My chest squeezed as she hopped out of her seat and ran over, throwing her arms around my waist. I laughed, hugging her back.

"Hey, kid," I said, pulling away to get a good look at her. "I feel like I haven't seen you in forever."

"Because you haven't," she huffed, then shot a pointed look at Lili. "Some people have been keeping you from me."

Lili rolled her eyes. "Don't start."

Storm just grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the booth. "Sit next to me."

I slid in beside her, smiling as she immediately started catching me up on everything—school, soccer, some drama with her friends that I was now invested in despite having no idea who these kids were.

For the first time in days, I actually felt okay. Until she said it.

"Oh, by the way, Y/n has a new friend now," Storm said, reaching for her drink like it was the most casual thing in the world.

My stomach dropped. Carlacia raised an eyebrow. Madison looked up from her menu. Lili stiffened, her eyes flicking toward me, probably to gauge my reaction.

I kept my face blank. "New friend?"

Storm nodded, making a face. "Yeah. Some Emily chick from another fire department. She ran into us at lunch the other day and started flirting with Y/n like, immediately."

My heart clenched, but I kept my expression neutral. "Oh."

Madison blinked. "Ooh, Emily?"

Storm huffed. "Ugh, I don't like her."

Carlacia, sensing something, leaned forward slightly, chuckling. "Why not?"

"She just seems fake," Storm said, scrunching her nose. "And I dunno, I feel like she only talked to Y/n because she thought she was cool or whatever."

Lili snorted. "You don't think your sister's cool?"

Storm shot her a look. "She was cool. Now she's just stupid."

We all burst out laughing, Madison nearly choking on her drink. Carlacia smirked. "You're, like, brutally honest, kid."

Storm shrugged. "Someone has to be."

I forced a small smile, stirring my drink like I wasn't actively trying to keep my breathing steady. "So, what? They just talked?"

Storm leaned back in her seat. "She asked for her number."

My grip tightened slightly on my straw. Carlacia was definitely watching me now. Storm made another face. "And Y/n gave it to her."

I swallowed. It wasn't like I didn't expect this. I had told myself over and over again that this was bound to happen eventually. That Y/n was going to move on, because that's what people did.

And yet... There was something about hearing it like this—casually, offhandedly, like it didn't even matter—that made my stomach twist into knots.

Carlacia's eyes flicked toward me, sharp and knowing. I could already hear what she wanted to say. I pretended not to notice. Instead, I shrugged. "Good for her."

Lili exhaled sharply, looking away. Storm rolled her eyes. "Ugh, not you too."

I blinked. "What?"

She waved a hand. "Everyone keeps acting like this is normal. Like she's just—allowed to move on like that."

I forced a laugh. "She is allowed, Storm."

Storm frowned, shaking her head. "I just don't get it. She liked having you around. She was happier when you were here. Now she's just pretending like none of it ever happened?"

My throat was tight. Carlacia tilted her head, still watching me like I was an unraveling thread. I smiled at Storm, ruffling her hair lightly. "Your sister does what she wants."

Storm grumbled under her breath. "Yeah, and look where that's gotten her."

Carlacia smirked. "She's got a point."

I pretended not to hear her either. Instead, I picked up my drink and took a long sip, focusing on the cool burn of the ice against my teeth, willing the conversation to move on.

Because if I let myself think about it too much—about Y/n sitting at some table with a new girl, flirting, handing over her number like it meant nothing—

I might actually lose it.

.  .  .

𝐘/𝐍'𝐬 𝐏𝐎𝐕

The second I saw her walk in, I knew this night was about to go to hell.

I had already been tense, barely in the mood to be here, but Caleb had dragged me out, practically forcing me to "stop being a hermit." I'd been distant lately—his words, not mine—but the truth was, I just didn't know how to be around everyone right now.

Not with the way things felt off. Not with the way Madelyn was keeping her distance.

And now, she was here.

Madelyn walked in with Carlacia and Madison, looking good—too good, honestly—like she hadn't spent the past few weeks avoiding me, like she hadn't looked at me like I was a stranger the last time we were in a room together.

She wasn't avoiding me tonight, though. No.

Tonight, she was looking right at me.

But it wasn't her usual look—not the teasing glances, not the warmth, not even the frustration I'd gotten used to. No, this was something colder, something sharp and edged.

I exhaled through my nose, gripping my drink a little tighter.

This was going to be a long night.

The group settled in. We were at Austin's house playing a mix of card games and drinking. People laughed, joked, but there was an undercurrent of tension. Our tension.

Madelyn, of course, sat on the opposite side of the room. She was talking to Mariah and Carlacia, legs crossed, sipping from her drink like she wasn't aware of the fact that I was watching her. Like she wasn't always aware of me.

I should've looked away. I should've ignored her.

But then— "You look comfortable," Madelyn said suddenly, her voice carrying just enough weight that it cut through the noise. I frowned, glancing at her. "What?"

She tilted her head, her expression unreadable. "Just... you seem good. Relaxed. Like you don't have a single thing on your mind."

The way she said it—casual, light, but laced with something—made my stomach tighten.

"Should I not be?" I asked, my tone flat. Madelyn shrugged. "Guess that depends."

I set my drink down. "On what?" She smiled, but it wasn't real. "How's Emily?"

Silence.

It was like the whole room felt the shift. Caleb glanced between us. Carlacia exhaled. Lili muttered something under her breath.

I clenched my jaw. "That's what this is about?"

Madelyn laughed, but there was no humor in it. "Oh, don't flatter yourself."

I narrowed my eyes. "You're bringing her up, Madelyn. Not me."

Her lips twitched, but I could see it—the crack, the way her fingers gripped her drink a little tighter. "Look, if she makes you happy," she said smoothly, "then I'm happy for you."

I scoffed. "Yeah. You sound thrilled."

She shrugged. "What? You didn't want me, but you want her?"

It hit like a slap. I stiffened, my fingers curling into fists at my sides. "You were out with a guy last week," I shot back. Madelyn tilted her head. "And?"

My jaw clenched. "And you don't see me bringing it up."

She smirked. "Because you don't care, right?"

I opened my mouth, but she didn't give me the chance to answer. "It's not the same," she said, her voice softer now, but no less cutting. "I never said I wasn't looking for something."

The words felt like a punch to the gut. For the first time all night, I didn't have something smart to say. Because she was right.

I had spent so much time trying to pretend like none of this mattered, like I could just walk away from her, like I could survive the distance, but here I was—seething at the thought of her with someone else, knowing damn well I had no right to be.

Madelyn set her drink down, standing up. "I need some air." She turned, heading toward the door, and before I even had time to think, my body moved on instinct.

I followed her.

𝐌𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐲𝐧'𝐬 𝐏𝐎𝐕

I should've just left. I should've walked out the door, gotten in my car, gone home, and left Y/n sitting there, stewing in whatever mess she had made for herself.

But I didn't. Because the second I stepped outside, the cool night air barely hitting my skin, I heard her footsteps behind me.

I exhaled sharply, already bracing myself. "You don't have to follow me." Y/n ignored that. "You're really gonna act like you don't care?"

I turned, crossing my arms. "I don't."

She scoffed, running a hand through her hair. "Bullshit."

I narrowed my eyes. "Oh, so now you want to talk?"

Y/n clenched her jaw. "What do you want me to say, Madelyn?"

I laughed, shaking my head. "It doesn't matter, Y/n. Because every time you say anything, it just leads back to the same thing. The same fucking loop." She exhaled through her nose. "And what loop is that?"

I stepped forward, looking her dead in the eyes. "The one where you pull me in just enough to make me think I matter, and then you run."

Her face flickered—just for a second. "That's not fair."

I shook my head. "No, what's not fair is the fact that you get to act like I never meant anything to you while getting pissed the second you think I might be moving on."

Her jaw tightened. "I never said that."

I crossed my arms tighter. "You didn't have to."

She stared at me, and I could see it—the war happening in her head, the way she wanted to argue but couldn't find the words. So I pushed further.

"I spent months waiting for you to pick me," I said, my voice quieter now, but no less firm. "And you never did." Y/n exhaled sharply, looking away. "It's not that simple."

I threw my hands up. "Then what is it, Y/n?"

She didn't answer. I felt my stomach twist. I shook my head, swallowing hard. "You know what? Forget it."

I turned to leave. And then—

"I don't know."

Her voice stopped me.

I froze. She exhaled, running a hand down her face. "I don't know, okay? I don't know what I'm doing. I don't know how to fix this. But I do know that I don't want to see you with someone else."

My heart clenched. But I didn't turn around. Because I already knew what I was going to say.

I inhaled sharply. "That's not good enough."

She tensed behind me.

I turned slightly, just enough to glance over my shoulder. "If you can't even say that you want me, then don't stand here acting like you have the right to stop me from finding someone who does."

Silence. She had nothing to say to that. And that? That was all the confirmation I needed.

I swallowed past the lump in my throat, took a breath, and walked back inside.

And I didn't look back.