𝙄𝙨𝙖𝙗𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙖 𝙋𝙊𝙑:
After Mikey drove away, I felt a rush of excitement as I headed upstairs to my and Will's flat. The evening had been perfect, and I couldn't wait to tell Will all about it. But as I opened the door, I sensed a shift in the atmosphere.

Will was sitting on the couch, his laptop open but clearly not focused on it. He looked up as I entered, and I could see a flicker of something in his eye maybe concern or annoyance.

"Hey, how was your date?" he asked, trying to sound casual but not quite succeeding.

"It was amazing!" I said, unable to contain my smile. "Mikey is really great. We had dinner at that new Italian place, and then we took a walk in the park."

Will's expression hardened slightly. "Oh, cool. So, he just dropped you off then?"

"Yeah," I replied, a bit confused by his tone. "He was really sweet. We had a lot in common."

"Did he even walk you to the door?" Will asked, his voice edging on defensive.

I frowned, sensing the tension rising. "No, he didn't. But it was fine! We had a great time, Will. Why does it matter?"

"Just seems a little rude, that's all," he shot back, crossing his arms. "I mean, if he's really interested in you, wouldn't he want to make sure you got inside safely?"

I could feel my irritation bubbling up. "Come on, Will. It was just a date!"

"Yeah, but," he said and took a deep breath, his voice rising slightly. "You deserve someone who treats you right. And I'm just saying, it's not like he made an effort."

"Are you seriously joking right now?" I asked, incredulous. "You've known me since year 7. Why do you care so much about who I'm dating?"

Will ran a hand through his hair, clearly frustrated. "I just don't want to see you get hurt, Izzy. You're my best friend. I care about you."

"Well, it feels like you care more about controlling my life than about me," I shot back, my heart racing. "I'm allowed to go on dates and have fun without you judging me!"

He opened his mouth to respond but then closed it, his expression softening for a moment. "I'm not trying to control you. I just... I don't like the idea of you being with someone who might not have your best interests at heart."

I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself. "Mikey is a good guy. We had a great connection. Just because you don't like him doesn't mean he's bad for me."

Will looked away, his jaw clenched. "I just wish you'd be careful. That's all."

"Careful? Will, I'm not a child! I can handle myself," I said, my voice firm. "You need to trust me and let me make my own choices."

The silence that followed was thick with tension. I could see the conflict in Will's eyes he wanted to protect me, but his jealousy was getting in the way.

"Fine," he finally said, his voice quieter. "Just... just think about what I said, okay?"

I nodded, feeling a mix of frustration and sadness. "I will but you need to understand that I'm allowed to explore my own life, even if it means dating someone you don't approve of."

With that, I turned and walked to my room, closing the door behind me. I leaned against it, trying to shake off the argument and the lingering tension