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6th Symphony Ch. 01

PREFACE

All characters in this story are either 18 years old or older.

Hi everyone, this is my first ever story submitted to this site. I've always been a hobby writer, but I've never really tried to write erotica before.

6th Symphony is meant to be a slow burn, drama heavy story. If that's not your cup of tea that's totally fine, but I really wanted to focus on the relationships and teen drama with this one.

This first part is more of an introduction to the story's flow and characters. It doesn't feature any real erotic content aside from some very slightly spicy descriptions.

The second part will feature the first sexual scenes and it will be done very soon.

My goal is to have it evolve into a harem story of sorts while giving it a fun twist to try to avoid the shortcomings of similar stories in the genre.

I feel like this isn't needed, but English isn't my first language. I welcome all feedback in the comments, just be nice when you tear me a new one lol.

Enough rambling, I'll let the writing speak for itself, enjoy!

--

A breeze drifted through my window, rustling the curtains. Shadows flickered as the moonlight filtered in.6th Symphony Ch. 01 фото

I sighed. I could barely move. My body felt like it would rather rot in this bed than do anything ever again. Was it my fault? Did I really mess things up this badly?

My phone's screen suddenly lit up, its glow blinding in the darkness. The vibration rattled through the mattress, deafening in the silence. I lazily glanced over. A text from Lena. Then another. Then another.

"Are you home already???"

"How did it go?"

"Alex!!!!!!"

"I told you to call me and tell me how it went!"

"I haven't heard from you in 4 hours."

"You're worrying me, Alex."

I wanted to reply, but I couldn't even lift my arm. What would Lena think? Would she take my side? Would she hate me?

I hated feeling sorry for myself, but I'd never dealt with something like this before. I was scared.

The screen dimmed again, the notifications left unanswered.

Time blurred. The only sounds were the crickets outside, my mom's TV downstairs, and my own breathing.

Just as sleep crept in, my phone jolted me awake. An incoming call--Lena. The vibration drilled into my skull.

What was I doing? My best friend was worried, and I was just lying here, useless. A surge of energy forced me to move. I grabbed my phone and answered, sitting up against the headboard.

Static, then her voice--familiar, grounding, but laced with worry.

"Alex... Did something happen?"

She was worried sick. I felt awful for making her feel like this.

For a moment, I forgot to reply, just listening to her. Every word felt like a bandage on my fractured spirit.

I sighed. Where to even start? What to say? Overthinking wouldn't change what had happened.

"Yeah. It... it didn't go well." My voice was thin, on the verge of breaking.

My heart pounded, my skin burned. I had to tell her. If I held it in, I'd spiral.

"What do you mean? What happened? Are you okay?" Her tone shifted--less frantic, more focused, determined to understand.

A tear slipped down my cheek. I wiped it away quickly. "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine, Lena. Don't worry. I'm not hurt. Nothing happened to me."

I was dodging, my words skirting the truth.

A deep breath on the other end. Then, her voice--relieved, sincere. "I'm really glad, Alex. You really had me worried." A pause. Then, more hesitantly, "So... what happened? Is Val okay?"

Hearing her name made me wince. Focus, Alex. Communicate. Lena is my friend. If I don't talk about it, this will just fester.

"Well... everything was great tonight. The restaurant was nice, we talked and laughed. Later, we were just sitting in the park and... she kissed me. I wasn't against it--she seemed really into it. After making out for a bit, she invited me to her place. She didn't say much, but the implication was clear. I was nervous."

I paused, took a breath, and closed my eyes. Continued.

"We got to her room. She was into it, having fun. It made me happy. I was probably more nervous than she was--at least, more than she looked. I even apologized, said we could take things slow. I didn't want her to feel pressured, especially since it was my first time."

As I replayed the night in my head, my voice caught. Tears welled up. I sobbed.

"Please, listen to me. It's fine. Whatever happened, I'm almost certain it's not your fault, okay?" Lena's voice was steady, sure. Her confidence seeped into me.

"I... after I got on top and moved in to kiss her... her face just... changed." My voice cracked. "She looked so scared, Lee. Terrified."

"Alex..."

"She started screaming. Kicking me." I fought the tears, tried to push through. Get it over with, like ripping off a bandage.

"Alex, it's okay. You don't have to tell me everything. Listen, I know it's late, but I'm coming over."

I heard her moving, keys jingling.

I couldn't speak. She continued.

"I'm so sorry, sweetheart. I'll be there soon. Just hang in there."

I sobbed into my pillow. I felt... dirty. What had I done wrong? Did I hurt her? Did she feel forced? Her face kept flashing in my mind. I felt like a monster.

Headlights swept across my room. A car pulled into the driveway. A knock at the door. Muffled voices--my mom questioning Lena, then silence. Footsteps on the stairs.

A soft knock. "Can I come in?"

Lena's voice. She sounded... sorry.

I peeled my damp face from my pillow, cleared my throat. "Yeah. Please." My voice was weak, small.

The door opened, and for a second, she was just a silhouette against the hallway light. My eyes adjusted. She stepped inside, closed the door, sat on the bed next to me. Her hand rested on my back, warm, grounding.

Lena was always beautiful, but tonight, she looked like an angel sent to mend me. Her dark, wavy hair framed her face, silvered by the moonlight. One eye visible--hazel, soft, full of sympathy.

For a moment, we just looked at each other. Her hand traced slow circles against my back.

"Do..." She hesitated. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Did I? Honestly, I just wanted a distraction. Having her here helped more than words could.

"Maybe later." I lay back, one hand on my forehead. Her hand retreated. She sat a little too formally. "Let's just talk about something else for now."

Her eyes wandered around my room. Then they landed on something.

"Is that... your Game Boy?" She stood, walked to my desk, and picked up the old console. A huge smile spread across her face. For a second, it made me forget everything.

"I thought you'd have thrown this away or forgotten about it." She giggled, flipping it over in her hands.

I sat up. "It doesn't get much use, but I'd never throw it away." A small smile tugged at my lips.

We met in middle school. I'd brought that Game Boy to recess, and some older kids teased me. Lena had stepped in, no hesitation. When I asked why, she just said her mom taught her to stand up for people.

"Right, you probably have a lot of memories with this thing." She sat back down, still fiddling with it.

I hesitated. "It's not really about the memories."

She tilted her head. "Huh?"

"I guess... It's a symbol of our friendship. If I hadn't brought it that day, maybe we wouldn't have met."

I avoided her gaze, embarrassed by the vulnerability.

When I finally looked at her, she was smiling. Warm, understanding.

"That's... really sweet." She held the Game Boy in both hands, thoughtful.

Silence stretched. Then, suddenly, she hugged me.

Her hair smelled sweet, citrusy. I held her back. Seconds passed. Then a minute.

Against my shoulder, she murmured, "I'm really glad to be your friend, Alex. I'm so sorry about what happened to you. I can't help but feel a little responsible." Her voice wavered. A quiet sob.

Hearing it hurt. But right now, my feelings didn't matter. My friend needed me just as much as I needed her.

"Don't." I tightened my arms around her. "You've never hurt me."

Lena didn't let go right away. Neither did I.

Her arms around me were warm, steady, safe. For the first time since the night started, my thoughts weren't eating me alive. I just felt... here. Present.

Eventually, she pulled back, just enough to look at me. Her eyes flickered across my face, reading something in it I wasn't sure I even understood myself.

"Alex," she said softly, tucking her hair behind her ear. "You know you can talk to me about anything, right?"

I nodded. I did know that. And yet, there was a part of me that still hesitated, that wanted to pretend I was fine, that I could just push through this on my own. But I couldn't.

I exhaled. "I don't know what to do, Lena." My voice was small. "I keep replaying it. Thinking about what I should've done differently."

She shook her head. "You didn't do anything wrong."

"But she was scared." The words scraped out of me. "She looked at me like--like I was some kind of threat."

Lena's brows pulled together, and she reached for my hand, holding it between hers. "Alex. You're the least threatening person I know. You would never hurt anyone, and she probably knows that too. Maybe... maybe it wasn't about you."

I swallowed hard, staring at the space between us. "Then why does it feel like it was?"

Lena didn't answer right away. She just held my hand, grounding me.

After a moment, she spoke again, softer this time. "I don't have all the answers. But I do know that beating yourself up over this won't help. You're not alone, okay? I'll be here. No matter what."

Something in me cracked. I didn't realize I was crying again until Lena squeezed my hand.

Neither of us spoke after that. The room was quiet, except for the occasional rustling of the trees outside my window.

Lena sat with me for a long time. Long enough for the weight in my chest to feel a little less suffocating. Long enough for my breathing to slow.

At some point, I shifted, rubbing my face. "I probably look like a mess."

She smiled, just a little. "You always look like a mess."

A weak laugh slipped out of me, and I caught the way her eyes softened at the sound.

That was Lena. Always knowing exactly what I needed, even when I didn't.

"Hey... Do you want me to stay?" she asked softly.

The question caught me off guard. I blinked at her, my mind sluggish from exhaustion and everything that had happened. "Stay?"

"Yeah. I don't really want to leave you alone right now." Her voice was steady, but there was a tenderness in it, something beyond just concern.

I swallowed. "I mean... if you want to."

Lena gave me a look, one that said she wasn't buying my weak attempt at indifference. "Alex." Her fingers curled slightly against my sleeve. "Do you want me to stay?"

The words felt heavy in my chest. Want. Did I want her to stay? The answer was obvious, but saying it out loud felt like exposing something raw. I took a breath.

"... Yeah."

A small smile tugged at the corner of her lips. "Okay. Let me just call my dad real quick."

She shifted off the bed and pulled her phone from her pocket. I watched as she stepped near the window, her free hand playing with the hem of her hoodie while the call rang.

"Hey, Dad," she said, lowering her voice. "I'm at Alex's. Something happened, and he's having a rough night. Can I stay over?" A pause. "Yeah, his mom's home."

I sat up a little, suddenly realizing I hadn't even thought about asking my mom. I glanced at the door, but the house was quiet. She'd probably already gone to bed.

Lena hummed in response to something her dad said, then added, "I wouldn't ask if it wasn't important. He really needs me right now."

We had been friends for years. Even though we were never really part of the same friend groups and hardly shared any classes, we still found ways to see each other. Most of our time together was spent one-on-one--when we were younger, that meant playing in a park somewhere, but as we got older, it became long afternoons at our usual spot, talking for hours.

I think both Lena and I understood, even if only subconsciously, that our friendship was different. At our age, it wasn't common to have someone you could confide in so earnestly.

We talked about everything--our ambitions, our fears, what made us anxious, what made us happy. No one else in the world knew me as well as she did, and I tried my hardest to be that person for her, too.

But there was one thing we never talked about--intimacy. Or sex. No matter how close we were, it always felt like a line I shouldn't cross. And she never gave me a reason to believe she wanted to, either.

That's why it caught me off guard when I found out from a friend that Lena had been seeing some guy from her class. The jealousy hit me before I could even process it--something that, at the time, had surprised no one more than myself. I'd never thought of her as anything other than my best friend.

It wasn't that I didn't realize Lena was attractive. Objectively, I knew she was. But my brain knew better than to let myself look at her that way. Not when it could mean the end of the one relationship that mattered most to me.

In the end, I had to accept it--Lena was going to live her life, and I had no right to step between her and whoever she wanted to be with.

Still, things got weird after she and that guy--Joel--started getting serious. He didn't like that she spent time alone with me, which, if I was being fair, I could understand. But that didn't change how much it pissed me off. He was a stranger who had suddenly inserted himself into her life and was trying to push me out of it.

Then one day, she just... disappeared. Stopped texting me, stopped coming to our usual spot. At first, I told myself not to overthink it, but as the days passed, I started to worry. Had he convinced her to cut me off? Had she just... gone along with it?

It wasn't until we saw each other at school the next Monday that she finally spoke to me.

During the time she had been seeing Joel, she hadn't been herself--something in her was dimmed. But that morning, when she came jogging down the hall to meet me, her face lit up in a way I hadn't seen in months.

They had "broken up." Though, honestly, I wasn't even sure if they had ever officially been together in the first place.

I was relieved. Happy, even. But she never told me why it ended. She was so dodgy about it that I stopped asking, and eventually, we just never talked about it again.

As she leaned against the window frame, moonlight catching in her hair like something out of a painting, I caught myself looking at her. It wasn't the first time. And realistically, it wouldn't be the last.

Lena was my type. Tall, with long, elegant strides. Confident in a way that made her stand out in any crowd. She dressed in a way that was both fashionable and feminine, never shying away from tight clothing or showing skin when she felt like it.

Her waist curved smoothly down her long torso before widening at her hips. Her legs were thick and soft, yet still toned and shapely. And her chest... well, it had probably been fantasized about by every straight guy at our school. Not because of sheer size, but because of their shape--perfectly full and round, fitting her frame effortlessly. She knew it, too.

I still don't know how I managed to keep myself from ever pushing things further between us. Maybe I was too inexperienced to even know where to start.

I forced myself back to reality. Lena was still standing by the window, fidgeting with her hoodie as she spoke into the phone.

She looked kind of messy tonight--not that I had given her much time to get all dressed up. But messy looked good on her. Her dark hair, always so effortlessly wavy, bounced slightly when she moved. Her small, delicate hands barely peeked out from the oversized hoodie sleeves.

I was starting to lose myself in thought again when she let out a small breath of relief.

"Thanks, Dad. Love you."

She ended the call and turned back to me, smiling. "All good."

I exhaled, a tension I hadn't noticed easing from my shoulders. "Thanks, Lena."

She shrugged like it was nothing, but the way she looked at me said otherwise. "Anytime."

She moved back to the bed, tucking her legs under her as she sat beside me. "Alright," she said, nudging me lightly with her knee. "You got an extra blanket, or are we gonna have to fight over yours?"

A small chuckle slipped out before I could stop it. It wasn't much, but it felt... nice.

Lena grinned. "There we go. Knew I'd get a smile out of you."

And just like that, the weight on my chest didn't feel quite as suffocating.

She shifted slightly, adjusting her hoodie, and for the first time ever, I really looked at her. Not just as my best friend, but as... her.

She was still dressed like she had been earlier--an oversized hoodie, leggings, sneakers, the usual casual but effortlessly put-together Lena look. But something about it felt different now. Maybe it was the way the dim light softened her features, how her long hair, slightly messy from the night, cascaded over her shoulders. Or maybe it was just me.

I swallowed, suddenly too aware of how close she was.

Before tonight, I'd always had an invisible barrier in my mind when it came to Lena. It wasn't hard to maintain--I had no experience, no frame of reference for how attraction felt in action. She was Lena, my best friend, the one constant in my life.

But now? After everything with Valerie--kissing, touching, the unspoken weight of something more--I couldn't unsee the physicality of it all. My brain wouldn't let me.

I glanced down. Her bare knee, where her leggings had ridden up slightly, rested only inches from mine. The soft, smooth curve of it, the way her skin caught the light--it was nothing, really. But I noticed it. I noticed her.

I cleared my throat. "Uh, yeah. I think I have an extra blanket in the closet." I moved to get up, but she grabbed my wrist, stopping me.

"Wait." She hesitated, chewing her lip, before gesturing to herself. "I didn't bring anything to sleep in. I wasn't exactly planning on a sleepover."

Right. That was another problem.

I scratched the back of my neck, suddenly flustered. "Oh. Yeah. Uh..." My brain scrambled for solutions. "I mean, you could borrow something of mine?"

She gave me a dubious look. "Alex, no offense, but I don't think I'd be very comfortable sleeping in jeans and a hoodie two sizes too big."

Fair point.

I stood up, rifling through my drawers, trying to ignore the fact that I was actively selecting clothes for her to sleep in. Everything I owned was basically a hoodie and jeans, but there were a few things that could work. I pulled out an old T-shirt--soft, worn-in, loose enough that it wouldn't feel constricting. Then, after a second of hesitation, I grabbed a pair of my sweatpants.

I turned to hand them to her, but she was already standing, arms crossed. "Do you have a spare toothbrush?"

Crap. Right.

"Uh, yeah, I think we have some extra ones in the bathroom cabinet," I said, setting the clothes on the bed. "Come on, I'll get you one."

She followed me down the hall, the quiet of the house making every little movement seem louder. My mom had gone to bed, but her bedroom door was slightly open, the blue glow of her iPad flickering inside, she probably fell asleep watching one of her Korean shows. I stepped lightly past it, leading Lena to the bathroom.

I dug through the cabinet, eventually pulling out a still-packaged toothbrush and handing it to her. "Here."

"Thanks." She took it, then glanced up at me, her expression shifting into something unreadable. "You okay?"

I blinked. "Huh?"

She tilted her head. "You're acting... weird."

I forced a laugh. "I mean, considering the night I've had, I think I'm allowed to be a little weird."

 

Her expression softened. "Yeah. You are."

A beat of silence. I stepped back. "Alright, I'll, uh, give you some space."

I left before she could respond, heading back to my room. My heart was hammering.

What the hell was wrong with me?

This was Lena. Lena. And yet, my head wouldn't stop swimming with thoughts I'd never let myself have before. The way she stood there in the dim hallway light, the softness of her face, the shape of her lips as she spoke...

Lena was the only person in the world I would've been able to talk about girls with and since we never did, I kind of tried my hardest to not think about it too hard. Sure, I'd jerk off as soon as I got home if I saw a busty girl in school with enough cleavage. But I never really had anyone to confide in, it was just me and my thoughts.

When I was introduced to Valerie we hit it off really well, it didn't take long before our date and then my first kiss, my first time letting my hands roam free over a girl's body. It really was nice, feeling the tenderness of her lips on mine, the warmth of her skin under my fingers.

Desiring someone and feeling that they truly want you back.

I guess that's why I was so distraught over all this, the first time I truly felt like a girl saw me as more than just a random guy... Suddenly I felt like I had hurt her, betrayed her trust and made her suffer.

And now, if that wasn't enough for one night, suddenly here was Lena. The pretty girl that always stood by my side no matter what. The girl that I had to tell people time and time again I wasn't dating and I never would. The girl that to me, wasn't really a girl, but just my best friend.

Suddenly... after I got a taste of what's past just friendship, suddenly she changed. Well, the way I saw her changed.

I groaned, running a hand through my hair. I needed to get a grip.

Lena returned a few minutes later, rolling up the sleeves of my old T-shirt. My sweatpants hung loose on her hips, the waistband cinched to keep them from slipping. The sight of her in my clothes sent a strange, tight feeling through my chest.

She flopped onto the bed, stretching out with a sigh. "Okay, moment of truth--do you have an extra blanket or not?"

I exhaled, grateful for the shift back to normalcy. "Yeah, yeah, hold on." I grabbed the spare blanket from my closet and tossed it at her.

She caught it, smirking. "Good. Otherwise, you were about to have a long, cold night on the floor."

I scoffed. "You're the one crashing here. If anything, you should be the one on the floor."

She snorted. "Yeah, right. Like I'd ever let that happen."

I shook my head, sliding under my own blanket as she did the same with hers. The room settled into silence.

And yet, even in the dark, even under separate blankets, the awareness remained.

For the first time in my life, Lena wasn't just my best friend. She was a girl, lying in my bed, inches away. And I didn't know what to do with that.

I was laying on my side, facing away from the wall, away from Lena.

My heart was pounding hard, I could feel the blood in my ears and even some sweat beading up on my palms.

God, I was such a mess right now. Everything that happened today didn't really matter at this moment, my mind was flooded by the images of Lena tonight. I caught myself thinking about her wearing my clothes, how after she left tomorrow they'd probably smell like her.

Even now, even though we weren't touching, I could still smell her, it felt like I was going insane. I couldn't escape the thought of her behind me, inches away.

I tried my hardest to think about anything else, to just close my eyes and let it go.

I focused on my heartbeat, the rhythm fast at first, but as I distracted myself I slowly felt it relax...

The tension in my chest loosened, my breathing evened out, and for the first time all night, it felt like maybe--just maybe--I'd be able to get some sleep.

But then something shifted behind me.

A rustle of blankets. The softest exhale.

And then--

Warmth.

It wasn't much, just the faintest touch. A subtle pressure against my back.

Lena.

She had moved. Not fully against me, not exactly cuddling, but close enough that I could feel her presence, feel the heat radiating from her body. My brain, groggy with exhaustion but still wired from the night, struggled to process it.

Did she do it on purpose?

Was she asleep?

I held my breath, suddenly hyper aware of every tiny movement. My mind raced with questions I couldn't answer. If I turned over, would she pull away? If I said something, would it break whatever fragile moment this was?

I stayed still.

But then she moved again.

This time, her knee brushed the back of my leg, just barely, but enough to make my breath hitch. My pulse, which I had worked so hard to calm, started climbing again, thrumming in my ears.

It wasn't fair.

I squeezed my eyes shut, willing myself to ignore it, to push past the way my skin tingled where she had touched me. It was late. She was probably half-asleep. Maybe it didn't mean anything.

And yet...

Another shift. Another rustle.

Her arm--

Oh, shit.

Her arm had draped over me.

Not fully, not in some obvious, deliberate way. Just resting. Just barely there. But there.

I swallowed hard, my throat dry.

I had no idea what to do.

Every nerve in my body was on high alert, my brain short-circuiting with the impossible situation I had found myself in. She was touching me. Lena. My best friend. The person I had spent years convincing myself I wasn't allowed to want.

I could feel her breathing, slow and steady against my back.

Was she awake?

My lips parted, the instinct to say something bubbling up, but the words died in my throat when she shifted again--just a little, but enough that I could feel her press slightly closer.

My stomach flipped.

I should move.

I should say something.

I should--

A quiet, barely-there murmur broke the silence.

"Mmm... Alex..."

I froze.

I wasn't sure if she had actually said my name, or if my sleep-deprived brain had just imagined it. But the sound, the way it left her lips in a breathy whisper--

I was done for.

My body was stiff, my heart hammering against my ribs. If I had thought sleeping was impossible before, now it was a full-blown fever dream.

I forced myself to stay still, not wanting to wake her--or worse, acknowledge that any of this was happening.

But then, after a few more slow breaths, her grip on me loosened. Her body relaxed. And just like that, she drifted deeper into sleep.

intrusive thoughts, away from the heat pooling in my chest--and onto something simpler. Her warmth. The steady, rhythmic rise and fall of her breath. It took effort, but eventually, instead of driving me insane, her presence became something calming.

Movement stirred me awake.

For a moment, I just lay there, disoriented and heavy-limbed, my body protesting the lack of real sleep. Sunlight poured into the room, too harsh, too bright. I winced, rubbing at my face before forcing my eyes open.

Lena was already up.

She was crouched by my closet, folding the clothes I'd given her last night, already changed back into the outfit she arrived in. Her hair was still a little messy, and for some reason, that detail hit me harder than it should have. Like evidence that she'd really been here all night. That this hadn't just been some weird, delirious dream.

Still half-asleep, I pushed myself up, my voice coming out rough, lower than usual.

"Hey. Morning."

She flinched at the sudden sound, spinning around like she'd been caught sneaking out. A flicker of surprise crossed her face--maybe even guilt--but it vanished just as quickly, melting into an easy smile.

"Hey, sleepyhead."

She stood, grabbing her car keys off my desk before turning back to me. "It's, like, almost eleven. Do you mind if I head out? I'd rather have breakfast at home. My dad's probably wondering where I am."

I knew this was coming. Obviously, she wasn't going to just stay. But that didn't stop the quiet, sinking feeling in my stomach.

I wanted to ask her to stick around a little longer. Maybe hang out downstairs, eat something before she left. But I wasn't going to push.

"Oh. Yeah, of course," I said, forcing myself to sound normal. "Just, uh... text me when you get home, okay?"

She tilted her head slightly, studying me for a second.

Did she notice?

Then, before I could overthink it, she crossed the space between us in two quick steps and bent down--

Soft lips brushed against my scalp, lingering for only a second before pulling away.

"Sure," she murmured, her hand coming to rest lightly on my shoulder. "We'll be seeing each other at school tomorrow anyway."

I blinked up at her, my brain barely processing what just happened.

"Right," I said, scrambling to act normal once again. "See you then."

God, I was pathetic. She probably thought I was still too groggy to react properly, but my heart was racing. That small, casual kiss--it had no right making me feel the way it did.

She turned toward the door, grabbing the handle, but hesitated.

"Oh, and..." She glanced over her shoulder, lips curving into a teasing smile. "Thanks for letting me stay tonight. Maybe we could do it again?"

My breath caught.

My thoughts immediately went places they shouldn't--which was completely unfair because she probably didn't mean it like that. But still... We had never done anything like this before. It wasn't like hugging her, it wasn't like just hanging out at the park or our usual spot after school.

This was different.

"Yeah!" The word came out a little too eager, and I winced internally. "It was, uh... really nice. I wouldn't mind if you're cool with it."

Smooth. Really smooth.

She only grinned wider, clearly amused. "Right. See you tomorrow, loser."

And with that, she was gone, closing the door behind her.

Oh God. What was even happening anymore?

I collapsed back onto my bed, staring at the ceiling, my heart still hammering from that last exchange.

"Maybe we could do it again?"

I wasn't imagining things, right? She really said that?

And that kiss--okay, yeah, it was just on the head, just a casual little thing. But Lena wasn't really one for casual affection, not like that. A hug? Sure. A playful shove? All the time. But a kiss? Even something that small felt... different.

I groaned, rubbing my face with both hands before dragging myself out of bed. My body felt sluggish, heavy from the lack of sleep, but there was no way I was lying around any longer. I needed to move, to do something normal before I spiraled too hard.

A shower. Yeah. A shower sounded good.

The hot water helped. A little.

I stood under the spray, letting it pound against my shoulders as I tried to process everything. The warmth that lingered from her touch. The way she had looked at me before leaving. The shift--God, that shift--in how I saw her now.

I'd spent so many years thinking I was immune to Lena's... Lena-ness. I told myself I was different from all the other guys at school who stared when she walked by, who found excuses to talk to her just to see if they had a shot. I had convinced myself that I didn't want to see her that way. That I was somehow above it.

What a joke.

I shut off the water and sighed, running a towel over my face. Last night proved one thing--there was no going back.

I trudged downstairs in sweatpants and a fresh T-shirt, still toweling my damp hair when I heard the familiar clink of a coffee mug against the kitchen counter.

My mom was sitting at the table, scrolling through her phone with a knowing little smile playing on her lips.

Oh no.

She barely glanced up before taking a slow sip of her coffee. "So," she said, dragging out the word with just enough amusement to make my stomach drop. "Lena left a few minutes ago."

I swallowed. "Uh, yeah. She had to get home."

She hummed, setting her mug down with deliberate slowness. "Mmhmm."

I turned toward the fridge, suddenly very interested in getting a drink. Maybe if I didn't look at her, she wouldn't--

"You two looked awfully cozy last night."

I nearly choked on air. "Wha-- Mom!"

She laughed, clearly enjoying this way too much. "What? I'm just saying! It's been a while since she's stayed over, and when I got up for some water in the middle of the night, I saw her shoes by the door." She raised an eyebrow. "One pair of shoes. As in, she didn't have an overnight bag."

Oh my God.

I busied myself pouring a glass of juice, avoiding her gaze like my life depended on it. "She, uh... she wasn't planning on staying over. It just kind of happened."

Mom let out a little hmm noise. "Interesting."

I risked a glance at her. "What's interesting?"

"Oh, nothing." She took another slow sip of coffee, her eyes practically twinkling with mischief. "Just that I always thought you two were cute together, that's all."

I groaned, leaning against the counter. "We're friends, Mom."

She raised a brow. "Uh-huh. Friends who share a bed now?"

I sputtered. "It wasn't like that!"

She shrugged, but there was no hiding her smirk. "I'm just saying, honey. Maybe it's time to start asking yourself some questions." She stood up, grabbing her mug and patting my cheek in that annoyingly fond way moms do. "I've got a shift soon, but try not to overthink yourself into an early grave, okay?"

With that, she walked off, leaving me standing there, staring at the counter like it held all the answers to my rapidly derailing life.

I exhaled sharply.

Too late, Mom. Way too late.

I was sitting in the living room, mindlessly scrolling through my phone, the remains of breakfast still on the table.

It took me a while to realize I was just... waiting.

Like a dumbass.

Lena said she'd text when she got home. It wasn't a long drive--ten minutes, fifteen max. But it had been almost twenty now, and my brain was starting to spiral yet again.

Did something happen?

Or worse... was she regretting last night?

Maybe she got home, laid in her bed, and thought, Why the hell did I sleep next to Alex? Maybe she was texting her friends right now, spilling everything.

And that thought sent a fresh wave of dread crawling up my spine.

Lena's friend group wasn't exactly what you'd call approachable. They had a reputation--a presence. The kind of girls who could walk into any room and own it, like it was their personal stage. The hottest, most untouchable girls in school, all wrapped up into one impenetrable clique.

It wasn't just me who felt that way. Every guy at school was at least a little intimidated by them.

Lena had been part of the group for a while now, since our first year of high school. And while she always made time for me, there was no denying that she was one of them. I'd never really talked to the others, aside from a quick "hey" when Lena left them to come find me. But I knew them. At least, I knew them the way you know the sun is hot--distant, untouchable, and liable to burn the hell out of you if you got too close.

And if they found out about last night...?

I winced.

Would they start spreading rumors? Would they tell Lena this was a bad idea? That I was a bad idea?

The one I was probably most worried about was Laura.

She had this intense, don't-fuck-with-me energy. The kind of quiet that wasn't shy or awkward--it was calculated. Like she was always sizing people up, deciding whether they were worth her time. Most of the time, they weren't.

She had straight, jet-black hair that hit just past her shoulders, perfectly cut bangs framing her face. And her eyes... sharp, cold, this insane shade of green that made direct eye contact feel like a challenge.

Everything about her screamed 'bad girl.' She was always in sleek black clothes, always had sunglasses perched on her head, and she moved through school like she was too cool to be there. She probably was. I wouldn't be surprised if she was out partying with college guys on the weekends instead of wasting her time at high school house parties.

And yeah, I won't lie--she was hot. Scary as hell, but hot.

She was the tallest of the group, around 5'9, with this lean, toned frame that made her look like she could outlift most guys in the gym. Not crazy muscular, but just defined enough that it was obvious she worked out. And her proportions... Jesus.

She had these narrow shoulders, a trim waist, and then her hips flared out wider than you'd expect for her build. Not in a way that looked awkward--more like one of those fitness models you see online. Long legs, tight stomach, and an ass that was basically legendary at school. There were guys who swore she had the best one out of all the girls, and honestly? They weren't wrong.

Not that I'd ever say that out loud. I liked my spine intact.

If any girl in that group could drive Lena away from me, it was Laura.

She wasn't just intimidating--she was ruthless. I'd seen her tear guys apart before, and it was never pretty. She didn't even need to raise her voice. One sharp look, a few cold, well-placed words, and it was over. Instant social execution.

Some people even whispered that she hated men. That she was a lesbian, that she despised guys and saw all of us as pathetic. I wasn't one to spread rumors, but I could see why people thought that. Laura never flirted, never entertained guys fawning over her the way the others did. It was like she existed in her own untouchable space, and the second a guy tried stepping into it, she'd cut him down without a second thought.

And now my mind wouldn't shut up.

What if Lena told her about last night? What if Laura convinced her it was weird? A mistake? That I was just some desperate loser who'd taken advantage of the situation?

What if she made Lena hate me?

A sudden buzz put an end to my overthinking.

My stomach clenched as I grabbed my phone off the couch next to me. Lena. It had to be her. I was already bracing myself for the worst, for some sort of excuse, some soft letdown that would confirm my worst fears.

I finally glanced at the screen.

"Bro, you home? I need your physics notes. Totally forgot about the quiz next week lol"

It was Noah.

I exhaled sharply and leaned my head back against the couch.

I need to chill the fuck down.

Still, I wasn't sure if I was relieved or annoyed. The anticipation was eating me alive, and now I had to just put it aside and think about schoolwork.

I typed back.

"Yeah, sure dude. Are you coming over?"

"Nah, just send pics of your notes man, too lazy to move rn" He replied.

Noah was the kind of guy who could coast through life on charm alone and somehow make it work. Lazy, cocky, but never in a way that made people dislike him. If anything, people liked him more for it.

I wasn't sure how we became friends, but we'd been tight since middle school. I think it was because we both liked the same TV shows, and at the time, that was all it took.

After taking a few screenshots I sent them over.

"Here. If you fail, it's not my fault"

"Lmao I owe you big time."

I smirked, shaking my head.

"You always say that and never do shit dude"

"True... I'll buy you a Red Bull or something"

"So generous."

"I try!!"

The conversation fizzled out, and I was about to put my phone down when another buzz lit up the screen.

This time, my heart actually skipped a beat.

Lena.

"Heyy, are you up or did you fall back asleep lol"

Of course, I was up. Like I could actually fall asleep after what happened this morning.

"Yeah I've been up, what's up?"

Am I trying too hard? Ugh, I'm overthinking every tiny little thing now.

A pause. Then another buzz.

"I'm actually going out for lunch with some of the girls and I thought that maybe you'd want to come? It would probably do you good."

 

I blinked.

This... was not what I expected. I thought maybe she'd want space. Maybe even to avoid me for a day or two. But instead, she decided she wanted to see me again, right away.

Would Laura be there? I wasn't even sure if that made this better or worse.

But one thing was for sure--I couldn't say no.

"Who's coming?"

I needed to know. I had to mentally prepare myself.

"Olivia, Laura and me... well, and hopefully you lol"

Well shit.

Olivia, I wasn't too worried about. She always seemed nice enough. Laura, though...

But dealing with one intimidating girl was a small price to pay to spend more time with Lena.

"Yeah, why not. Just tell me when and where. I'll be there."

She sent back the details--one of our usual café spots in about an hour and a half. We'd been there a couple of times, just the two of us. I wondered if she picked it because she knew I'd be comfortable there.

"Btw, I hope you're feeling better Alex. I'll try my hardest to cheer you up, ok?"

She added a heart emoji at the end of the message.

Oh, come on.

This girl was going to be the death of me.

I shot up from the couch and headed upstairs. Quick change--hoodie and jeans, classic. Wallet, keys, and I was out the door.

I wasn't even that nervous about seeing Lena again. But actually sitting down with her friends for the first time? That was a different story.

A sudden thought crept in--one I'd never really considered before.

Lena talked about them all the time.

So... just how much did they know about me?

I pulled up to the café with time to spare, parking a few streets down. I was almost thirty minutes early, so I figured I'd go in, maybe grab a table before they showed up.

As soon as I stepped inside, I was hit with the smell of fresh roasted coffee, baked goods, and something sweet lingering in the air.

This place had only opened recently, but it had already become one of the most popular spots in town. Good food, cheap prices--it wasn't a surprise students flocked here all the time.

Quickly scanning the room for a good spot, my eyes landed on someone familiar.

Wait... was that Laura?

The walking menace of our school--the girl who terrified half the guys in our grade--was just sitting there, casually scrolling through her phone in one of the bench booths.

But what really threw me off? She didn't look scary. At all.

Gone were the leather jackets, the all-black outfits, the towering boots that made her look like she was always ready to curb-stomp someone. Instead, she was wearing a pastel pink sweater, baggy pants, and a pair of sneakers that looked like they'd been through war.

It wasn't a weird outfit or anything. Just a totally normal Sunday-afternoon look. But seeing her in it felt... unnatural. Like spotting a wolf curled up on a dog bed.

I hesitated. Should I just wait for Lena? Keep my distance?

No. Be normal. I manned up and walked over.

"Hey, I thought I'd be the first one here." I aimed for casual, but my chuckle came out nervous instead. Ugh.

Laura looked up, her green eyes cool and unreadable. Her expression didn't change--not amused, not annoyed, just blank.

"Oh. Hi," she said flatly. "Yeah, I live close by, so I came early to save a seat. It gets busy around this time."

I hovered awkwardly for a second. Where do I sit? Next to her? Across? What was the etiquette for this?

Before I could make a decision, she arched an eyebrow.

"Why are you just standing there like a creep? Sit down, damn."

There she was. The Laura I was used to.

In a split-second gamble, I slid onto the bench across from her. Maybe Lena would sit next to me when she got here.

Laura didn't go back to her phone. She just stared at me, like she was trying to figure something out.

I shifted under her gaze. God, this is awkward.

"You drink coffee?" she asked abruptly.

It took me a second to process the question.

"Uh... yeah?"

"Good." She shoved a menu across the table toward me. "They've got decent stuff here. Don't order anything embarrassing."

I blinked. "Like what?"

"Like a pumpkin spice latte."

"... That's where you draw the line?"

She just shrugged, looking down at her own cup. I hadn't noticed it before, but she already had a drink--black coffee, of course. No sugar, no cream.

I glanced at the menu and was about to make some kind of joke back when the café door swung open.

Lena had arrived.

And she wasn't alone.

Walking in beside her was Olivia.

Where Laura was all silent intimidation, Olivia was pure presence. She was the face of their group--the one everyone at school knew by name.

She had this way of making people pay attention without even trying. The kind of confidence that wasn't loud, just undeniable.

Even dressed casually--jeans, a cropped sweater, and her perfectly styled platinum blonde hair--she looked effortlessly put together. Her high cheekbones, full lips, and sharp blue eyes made her look like she belonged on a magazine cover.

Her body probably helped a lot with that confidence of hers. Perfectly curvy in all the right ways while remaining elegant. She had that model appeal along every inch.

I'd heard dudes in my class talking about her ass or her tits pretty much every other day. Seeing her up close and personal like this kinda felt like a dream.

She scanned the café as she walked in, gaze flicking over the room like she was taking stock of everything. When her eyes landed on me, something in them shifted--curious, but also calculating.

Lena, on the other hand...

She was wearing something casual--an oversized crewneck that looked like it was probably stolen from her dad, tucked just enough into the waistband of her jeans to still look cute, paired with her usual sneakers. Her hair was up in a loose bun, a few strands framing her face. Simple. Comfortable.

But somehow, she still looked... really, really good.

Her eyes lit up when she spotted me.

Fuck. She was smiling. Like, full-on beaming.

It hit me harder than I expected.

"Hey, you actually came!" she said as she walked up, sliding into the booth next to me without hesitation.

"Yeah, well... you invited me." I tried to play it cool, but the way she was looking at me made it very hard. I caught a whiff of her perfume--something light and sweet, just barely there--but it was enough to make my pulse trip over itself.

Olivia slid in next to Laura, her sharp blue eyes flicking between the two of us like she was putting together a puzzle.

"Huh," she mused, resting her chin on her hand. "Really nice to finally meet you, Alex."

I barely had time to process the way she said that before Laura spoke again.

"You're late."

Lena rolled her eyes. "It's called making an entrance."

Laura snorted. Olivia just smirked.

"So," Olivia started, resting her elbow on the table as she twirled a strand of her blonde hair between her fingers. "Lena talks about you a lot."

She let the words hang there, her cool blue eyes locked onto mine.

I swallowed. "Uh... good things, I hope?"

Olivia tilted her head like she was considering it.

Lena, thankfully, jumped in. "Of course good things. Don't be weird, Liv."

Olivia smirked, but I didn't miss the way she and Laura exchanged a quick glance.

Oh yeah. I was being tested.

The air felt weirdly charged, like I was sitting across from a panel of judges about to decide if I was worthy of even existing in their space.

I shifted slightly. "So, uh... how do you guys all know each other, anyway?"

Lena gave me a look like I should already know this, but Olivia took the bait first.

"Mostly through school. Different classes, mutual friends, shared trauma." She said the last part with a smirk, but something about it felt real.

Laura snorted. "Cheer practice was the real bonding experience."

Right. I always forgot Laura was on the cheer squad. Mostly because she never seemed to actually enjoy it.

Lena leaned in a little. "Laura used to be way worse, you know."

Laura shot her a flat look. "Excuse me?"

Lena grinned. "She had a full goth phase. Like, spiky collars and chains kind of goth."

That made me raise an eyebrow. "Seriously?"

Laura gave an exasperated sigh, sipping her coffee like it physically pained her to be having this conversation. "I was fourteen. It was a phase."

Lena, clearly enjoying herself, pulled out her phone. "Oh no, I think I might still have--"

Laura reached across the table so fast I barely saw her move.

"No."

Lena yelped, laughing as she held her phone just out of reach. Olivia just shook her head, smirking.

"She was actually kind of cute," Olivia mused. "In a 'don't talk to me or I'll hex your family' way."

Laura muttered something under her breath that sounded suspiciously like "I hate you all."

Okay. This was interesting. I was expecting cold indifference, maybe mild hostility--but this? This was banter.

Maybe Lena was onto something. Maybe they weren't totally against me being here.

I leaned forward slightly, smirking a little. "I think we all need to see these pictures now."

Laura shot me a glare so sharp I half-expected to feel it physically.

"You're awfully bold for a guy who's one bad day away from getting his ass kicked."

My smirk twitched. "That's fair."

Lena beamed. "See? He's fun."

Laura just sighed, shaking her head as she sat back. Olivia, meanwhile, was watching me again with that same calculating expression.

"Alright, Alex," she said. "Tell me something."

I tensed slightly. "Yeah?"

She tapped her fingers against the table. "What's your deal?"

I blinked. "Uh... my deal?"

"You know. Your thing. Everyone's got one. Laura's the scary one for example. What's yours?"

I opened my mouth. Paused.

Did I have a deal?

Lena, ever my lifeline, chimed in. "He's the smart one."

I immediately cringed. "Please don't say it like that."

"But you are!" Lena nudged me with her shoulder. "He helps me with everything."

Olivia smirked. "Oh? So you're the homework guy?"

I frowned. "That makes me sound lame."

Laura, deadpan: "Because it is."

Lena groaned. "He's not lame! He's--he's good at things!"

"Uh-huh. Name one."

Lena paused. Her eyes flicked to me. Then back to them.

"Well, he's really smart, he can talk about any topi--"

Laura interrupted, looking completely unamused.

"That's it?"

Lena stared daggers at her before rolling her eyes hard.

"... Shut up."

I snorted. Olivia chuckled. Even Laura cracked a tiny smirk.

This was weirdly fun.

I wasn't sure if they fully accepted me yet, but at least they weren't actively plotting my demise.

For now, that was a win.

"Oh, I'm gonna head to the bathroom for a sec, you should figure out what you wanna order." Lena quickly stood up and started walking away from the group, glancing over her shoulder and shooting me one of her disarming smiles.

I probably looked like a dumbass smiling to myself right about now.

As I returned my gaze to the two girls in front of me, suddenly hit by the full realization that I was alone with them.

I shifted in my seat, trying not to let my nerves show. The café was steadily filling up, the hum of conversation blending with the hiss of the espresso machine and the occasional clatter of dishes. Across from me, Laura had gone back to scrolling through her phone, looking completely unbothered by my existence. Olivia, on the other hand, was watching me. Studying.

She was leaning back slightly, one arm draped over the back of the booth, her posture effortless in that way only someone with absolute confidence could pull off. There was the barest hint of amusement tugging at the corner of her lips, like she knew something I didn't.

"So," she started, tapping her manicured nails against the table. "For some reason Lena really cares about you."

My stomach did a weird flip. I kept my face neutral. "Yeah?"

"Oh yeah." Olivia's lips curved into a knowing little smile. "We know all about you Alex."

Great. That could mean anything.

Laura let out a quiet huff, still focused on her phone. "You're making it sound weird."

Olivia just shrugged, tilting her head at me. "I'm just saying, she talks about you like you're her favorite little pet project."

I frowned. "Pet project?"

Laura finally looked up at that, meeting my eyes with her usual unreadable stare. "She means Lena's been trying to make you socialize for years."

I wasn't sure if that was an insult or just an observation. Probably both.

"She really really cares about you," Olivia continued, resting her chin on her hand. "Which is cute. But it also makes us curious."

The way she said it sent a weird shiver down my spine. Not in a bad way, but in the way where I suddenly felt like I was under a spotlight I hadn't realized was turned on.

Curious about what? Me? My whole dynamic with Lena? Whether I was worth the hype?

I took a sip of water to buy myself a second. "Well, I care about her too."

Olivia's expression didn't change, but there was a glint in her eyes like she was filing that information away for later.

Silence settled over the table, stretching just long enough to feel uncomfortable. Olivia kept watching me, that same knowing smirk playing on her lips, like she was waiting for me to crack under some invisible pressure. I wasn't even sure what game we were playing, but somehow, I already felt like I was losing.

Thankfully, Lena returned a moment later, her bright smile cutting through the tension like sunlight through a window. For a second, it felt like she was looking only at me, her gaze never wavering as she crossed the room. I knew I was probably overthinking it, but the way my pulse jumped made it hard to care.

With Lena back, the conversation picked up again. We ordered, we ate, and the atmosphere grew more relaxed. The occasional lull in conversation wasn't awkward anymore--just comfortable pauses between bites.

Of course, Olivia wasn't one to let things stay quiet for too long.

"Lena, how come you never introduced us to Alex?" Her tone was light, but the curiosity in her eyes felt sharp, almost calculated.

Lena finished chewing, dabbing her lips with a napkin before answering. "Honestly? I guess I was scared he'd be overwhelmed." She turned to me, her expression apologetic, like she was just now realizing it might've come off the wrong way.

"Is that so?" Olivia's gaze flicked to me, her smirk deepening. "Are we overwhelming you?"

It felt like another test, but I wasn't sure of the stakes. Was she just messing with me? Trying to gauge something? Either way, I couldn't afford to look rattled.

"Actually... not really, no." I made a conscious effort to relax my shoulders, leaning back against the seat. "You're friendlier than I expected. I always knew you were nice to Lena, but she's one of you, so that's a given. With everything I've heard at school, I was half expecting more hostility toward me."

Laura, who had been quiet up until now, finally looked up from her food, her expression as unreadable as ever.

"Did you think I was gonna stab you if you looked at me the wrong way or what?" Her tone was flat, but there was something almost amused in the way she studied me.

To be fair... I hadn't entirely ruled out the possibility.

Before I could dig myself into a hole, Lena jumped in, clearly determined to keep me from getting shredded.

"Alex is sweet. I doubt he'd believe any nasty rumors." She took a sip of her coffee before adding, "But you can't blame him for assuming he wouldn't fit in with us. Our reputation isn't exactly unearned."

Olivia leaned forward, propping her elbows on the table. The movement pressed her arms together, subtly emphasizing the curves of her sweater. Whether it was intentional or not, I had no idea--but knowing Olivia, it probably was.

"I'm so curious," she mused, tilting her head slightly. "What exactly have you heard about us?"

There was something almost playful in her voice, but the way she held my gaze told me she was paying close attention.

"You probably hear a lot worse than what gets back to us," she continued. "Especially from the guys, right?"

She wasn't wrong. Dudes at school were obsessed with their group in the worst way--either trying to get with them or badmouthing them when that inevitably didn't work out. By now, most of the stories floating around were downright ridiculous.

"I guess," I admitted. "But I never really put much stock in them. Especially when they came from guys like Rick in my class--you could tell it was just bitterness, trying to make you look bad out of pettiness."

I glanced at Lena, maybe looking for some reassurance. She gave me a warm smile, and just like that, my tension eased.

Laura, who had finished her food first, had gone back to scrolling, but at my response, she looked up again.

"Maybe you were right, Lena," she murmured. "He does sound smart." There was the faintest trace of a smirk on her lips--not quite a full smile, but the closest thing to approval I figured I was going to get.

Olivia, on the other hand, didn't look as convinced.

"Either that," she said, crossing her arms, "or he's just trying to save face. Guys always act nice in front of girls, then turn around and talk like misogynistic assholes to their friends."

Her voice had lost its teasing edge, and for the first time since I sat down, she actually looked... pissed. Like she wasn't just poking for the fun of it anymore.

I felt Lena tense beside me, and before I could even think of how to respond, she did it for me.

"Alex isn't like that, Liv," she said, firm but not unkind. "Be nice." She took a breath, steadying herself before adding, "I know you've dealt with a lot of assholes, but you've never spent time with guys like Alex. So maybe you just don't know what you're talking about."

Damn.

I wasn't used to seeing Lena like this--sharp, unwavering. It was... kind of hot, honestly. Especially since she was defending me. It kind of reminded me of that day all those years ago. She never stopped standing up for people.

I expected Olivia to snap back, maybe double down. But when I turned to look at her, she wasn't angry.

She looked disarmed.

For a brief moment, the effortless confidence she always carried seemed to flicker, like Lena's words had hit something deeper than just this conversation.

It was a strange sight--Olivia, the queen bee herself, momentarily thrown off balance.

Maybe Lena really was the one who kept them all together. The one who kept them in check.

For the first time since we sat down, the air between us felt truly uncomfortable. Lena was still focused on her food, clearly annoyed. Olivia stared off into the café, her usual playfulness gone. Even Laura had stopped scrolling, her sharp eyes flicking between us like she was assessing the situation.

She was the one to break the silence.

"Olivia has good reasons not to trust guys," she said bluntly. "So you shouldn't hold it against her too much." Then, after a beat, she added in her usual monotone, "Especially the ones who act harmless... like you."

I wasn't sure whether that was meant to be a warning or just Laura being Laura.

Olivia's eyes snapped to her, her posture tensing. "I'd appreciate it if you didn't go around airing out my shit like that."

Laura didn't even look up from her phone. "I just think all this cat-and-mouse bullshit is pointless. Just tell him he's on thin ice and to watch out. Isn't that what you want?"

"Sure, whatever." Olivia exhaled, sounding completely over it.

Lena finally spoke, her voice softer but firm. "I get how you feel, Liv. Trust me." She paused for a second, holding Olivia's gaze. "But I just wish you'd take my word for this. Alex is a great guy. You know I'm not stupid--I wouldn't have been friends with him this long if he wasn't."

 

She hesitated for a fraction of a second before continuing.

"He had a rough day yesterday, and I thought this would be a nice change of pace for him. He's been kind of... lonely for a while, and I hoped maybe he could find some friends in you guys the way I did."

Olivia sighed dramatically, rubbing her temple like she was exasperated, but the tension in her shoulders had eased. "Yeah, you're right. I'm sorry, Alex. You're probably a nice enough dude." This time, when she looked at me, the usual mischievous glint in her eyes was gone. She actually seemed genuine.

I thought carefully about my response before speaking.

"It's fine. I get where you're coming from, really. I just hope I can prove that I only have good intentions." I gave her a simple, easygoing smile.

And I meant it.

I was starting to understand Lena's goal now. She'd probably wanted me to be part of her friend group for years but never pushed because I wasn't exactly the social type. Maybe she figured I'd be happier if I just put myself out there.

And, honestly? Right now, I wouldn't mind having some friends.

Laura, completely unbothered by the tension that had just barely faded, casually threw out, "Since we're all buddy-buddy now, why don't you invite him to the thing this weekend?" She turned to Olivia with a knowing look.

Olivia... looked flustered?

That was new.

I wasn't about to let that go unnoticed. "Thing? What thing?" I asked, glancing at Laura. My tone was curious, but I wasn't exactly subtle--I wanted to see Olivia squirm.

"Oh, since it's warming up, we were thinking of hanging out at Liv's pool," Laura answered easily. "We spend most of the summer at her place. Water might still be too cold for swimming, but there's always the jacuzzi."

She sounded unusually friendly, almost like she was going out of her way to make me feel included. Either she was being sincere... or she was just enjoying making Olivia uncomfortable.

Lena finally jumped in, sounding more hesitant than before. "Yeah... I was actually thinking of asking you about it, Liv. I'd love for Alex to come, but it's your place, so it's up to you and the rest of the girls. As long as everyone's comfortable with it." She gave Olivia a warmer look, bridging whatever gap their earlier argument had left.

Olivia hesitated just for a second before nodding. "Yeah. Why not? Maybe having a guy around will be fun for once." She shot me a more relaxed smile, and just like that, it felt like we were good again.

The conversation slowly returned to lighthearted banter, the tension finally melting away.

We finished our food, split the bill, and started heading out.

As we walked toward the exit, Lena stuck close to me. Then, just as we stepped outside, she leaned in, her voice low--not quite a whisper, but just quiet enough that no one else would hear.

"Hey, Olivia drove me here. Mind if I tag along with you?" She glanced up at me, her tone casual, but then--her fingers brushed against mine before she squeezed my hand. "If not, that's fine. I know my place is a little out of the way."

My brain short-circuited.

I wasn't crazy, right? There was definitely something going on here.

I was already hyper-aware of how close she was, but the second her hand touched mine, I felt it in my whole body--like my heart had suddenly relocated to my throat.

"Oh... uh..."

Goddammit.

This was exactly what I'd been afraid of ever since yesterday. My pulse spiked, my face burned, and I could feel myself tripping over my words.

I forced myself to take a breath, clear my throat, and act like a functioning human being.

"Sure. You know I don't mind driving you."

She tilted her head up at me, her smile slow and teasing.

"You okay there, big guy? If you're this jumpy, maybe you shouldn't be driving at all." She giggled--soft and sweet, like she was having way too much fun watching me squirm.

She had to know. There was no way she didn't.

We said our goodbyes, and Lena and I made our way to my car.

I tried not to think about how fast my heart was beating as I started the engine and pulled out of the parking spot.

For a couple of minutes, we drove in silence. Lena was scrolling through her phone, and I was doing my absolute best to focus on the road--on anything except the fact that she was sitting right next to me.

I was just about to force myself to say something when, as usual, she beat me to it.

"So? What did you think?" she asked, turning to me with an expectant look. "I know they can be a little standoffish at first, but once you break the icy exterior, they're real winners inside." There was pride in her voice, like she knew how great they were and wanted me to see it too.

I thought about it for a second. I could already tell what she meant. Their attitudes probably weren't personal--it was just a byproduct of being them. Girls like Olivia and Laura probably had to deal with all kinds of people trying to get close for the wrong reasons. I could see why they'd be wary of someone new.

"I think I get it, to be honest." I took a turn before continuing. "I was kind of prepared for the worst, so compared to that, it was actually... nice. I could get used to it." I exhaled sharply through my nose, almost surprised by my own words.

Lena didn't say anything right away. When I glanced at her, she had a soft, happy smile on her face, like this was something she'd been waiting to hear for a long time.

"I'm really glad to hear you say that, Alex," she said, her voice warm. "I've been wanting to get you to socialize more--to be part of the group forever. I just... didn't know how to do it without forcing you into something you'd hate."

Her expression shifted, just slightly, like she regretted not trying sooner.

I felt an instinctual urge to reassure her. "Don't even worry about it, Lee. I get it. You've been looking out for me since the day we met, and I really appreciate it. I couldn't ask for a better friend." I shot her a quick smile before returning my focus to the road.

She didn't say anything.

A few seconds passed, the low hum of the car filling the silence.

We made some small talk as we drove, the conversation light and easy again. Before long, I pulled up in front of her house, slowing to a stop. She unbuckled her seatbelt but didn't get out right away. Instead, she turned toward me, suddenly serious.

"By the way... I should warn you," she said, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "The girls can get a little wild when we hang out like this, but don't let it intimidate you, okay? They just like teasing--a lot."

She looked off to the side, hesitating before adding, "If you ever feel uncomfortable or want to take a break--or even go home--no one's gonna judge you for it. Okay?"

There was something about the way she said it that caught me off guard. She wasn't just giving me a heads-up--she genuinely seemed concerned.

Wild? What exactly does she mean by that?

A few ideas popped into my head, but none of them seemed serious enough to warrant this kind of warning. For a split second, I felt a flicker of nerves, but then I brushed it off. She's probably just being overprotective.

"I'm sure I'll be fine," I said, trying to sound casual. "I'll see you tomorrow morning, okay?"

She hesitated again, like she wanted to say something else. Then, without warning, she leaned over and hugged me--tight.

The scent of her perfume flooded my senses.

"If you ever need to talk about what happened yesterday--or if you just feel down in general--call me, okay?" she murmured. "I'll always be here. No matter what happens."

There was something in her voice that made my chest ache.

Appreciation. Warmth. Something else I couldn't quite place.

Love?

... No. I didn't know what this feeling was.

I barely had time to process it before she pulled away, smiling softly before stepping out of the car. She gave me one last wave as I backed out of the driveway.

The rest of the week was a blur.

Classes were the same as always. Noah and I hung out, played video games, half-assed some homework.

But when I was alone with my thoughts, I found myself thinking about Val.

I hadn't seen her since that night. She had my number, but she never reached out.

Should I?

I wasn't sure if I was ready for that conversation. Maybe some time and space was best.

So instead, I focused on... whatever was going on with Lena.

Had she always been this affectionate? This close? Or was I just noticing it now--now that I had something to compare it to?

And then there was everything else.

Laura and Olivia. The fact that I was suddenly in their orbit now. I hadn't even told Noah--I wasn't sure I could form any concrete thoughts about them yet. They weren't what I expected, but maybe that shouldn't have surprised me. People are rarely as simple as they seem on the surface.

The days dragged on.

Lena and I still hung out after class. I ran into Laura and Olivia every so often, and they'd give me these knowing looks that I definitely wasn't overanalyzing.

And yet, the only thing that really felt different was me.

For the first time in my life, I was nervous around my childhood best friend.

By the time Friday rolled around, I felt like I'd been holding my breath all week.

When I finally got home after class, I collapsed onto my bed, exhaling like I could physically let go of all the tension.

Except I couldn't.

Because today wasn't just any Friday.

Today was the day.

The pool party. The one Lena had warned me about.

And I was going to meet the three remaining members of the group.

I hadn't felt this many emotions at once in a long time. But mostly?

Mostly, I felt stressed.

The day passed slowly. I killed some time on my computer, played a few rounds of whatever game Noah and I were into that week.

Before I knew it, it was five.

I hopped in the shower, got dressed, and gathered my things. Lena was picking me up, so after saying a quick goodbye to Mom, I stepped outside, waiting for her car to pull up.

And as I stood there, hands shoved in my pockets, I realized something.

I have no idea what I'm walking into tonight.

--

Did you enjoy the introduction? The next part should be out very soon. I'm looking forward to hearing from everyone in the comments hopefully!

Rate the story «6th Symphony Ch. 01»

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