LOGINGray's PovI was smiling on the way down to the kitchen and I knew it and I did not try to stop it.I set the plates in the sink and stood there for a moment looking at nothing in particular. Summer had not said yes. Not officially. She had not given either of us a real answer yet and we both knew the answer was waiting on the other side of the exam. But she had not pulled away from the kiss either. She had pulled me closer. And that phone call had interrupted something that had been building for longer than either of us had properly acknowledged.I was choosing to focus on that.I went to the sitting room and found a spot on the couch and put something on to watch. Just to pass the time. Just to give my hands and eyes somewhere to be while my mind did whatever it wanted.I heard them before I saw them.Summer and Ruby coming down the stairs, already in a full conversation that neither of them was pausing for breath during. I turned slightly and caught a glimpse of Summer as they cros
Summer's PovJames pulled up exactly when he said he would. I got in, dropped my bag on the seat beside me, and watched the school disappear behind us.Ruby had texted me three times before I even buckled my seatbelt.*we are going prom dress shopping today**Jason invited me so I'm technically going now**don't make plans, we're leaving the moment you get home*I smiled at my phone and put it away.***The house was quiet when I got in. No Gray in the kitchen, no sounds from anywhere. I went upstairs, dropped my bag, and got in the shower.The warm water helped. I stood under it longer than necessary, letting the day fall off me, not thinking about anything in particular.A knock at the room door.I wrapped my towel quickly and opened it without thinking.Gray was standing there holding a tray. Proper food, properly plated, something that smelled like it had been cooking for a while. He looked at me standing in my towel and his expression shifted slightly."Should I come back?"I loo
Summer's PovIt had been days since the conversation in the kitchen and life had quietly rearranged itself around one central fact: the exam was coming, and after the exam, I had to give them an answer.I was not thinking about that. I was thinking about the exam.I finished getting ready, grabbed my bag, and went downstairs.Crew and Gray were already at the dining table. Books open, notes spread out, two people who had apparently been up longer than me. Gray had made breakfast. He always made breakfast now, had quietly taken it over without anyone formally deciding that was how things would be. The maid came twice a week to restock the fridge and clean, but Gray cooked because Gray liked fresh food and did not trust anyone else to get it right."Morning," I said."Morning." Gray looked up briefly."Morning." Crew did not look up from whatever he was reading.I sat down. "How was your night?""Fine," Crew said. "Would have been better if someone had stayed awake past midnight."Gray
Summer’s PovRuby had been in my wardrobe for twenty minutes and showed no signs of stopping.“This one,” she said, pulling out a dress and holding it against herself. “And this one.” Another one over her arm. “Oh, and definitely this one.”“Ruby.”“Mm?”“You need to stop taking my clothes.”She turned around with three of my dresses draped over her arm and looked at me with complete innocence. “I don’t know what you mean.”“That is the fifth item you have picked up.”“It’s the third.”“Ruby, I counted.”“Well, stop counting.” She turned back to the wardrobe. “Your stepdad has money, Summer. You can replace anything I take. You can replace everything in this wardrobe twice over and nobody would even notice.”“Well, that doesn’t mean you can just – ““What is yours is mine and what is mine is yours.” She said it like she was reciting something ancient and sacred. “That is the best friend agreement. You signed it when we became friends. It is legally binding.”“I signed nothing.”“Spiri
Summer’s PovI told her everything.All of it. The party, the shots I lost count of, kissing Crew against the wall, Gray walking in, what I said after, what happened after that. I sat on the bed and talked and Ruby sat across from me and did something I had never seen her do in the entire time I had known her.She stayed completely quiet.No reactions. No interruptions. No sound at all. She just watched my face while I talked and when I finally stopped she stared at me for a long moment.Then she said, “What the actual fuck, Summer.”“I know.”She stood up. “No. No, no, no.” She started pacing. “I thought I was reckless. I genuinely believed that I was the chaotic one in this friendship. I have held that title for years and I was proud of it.” She turned to look at me. “And then you go and do this.”“Ruby – ““You absolute legend.” She pressed both hands to her face. “Oh my God. I’m screaming. I am internally screaming right now.”“This is not a compliment situation.”“How was it?” Sh
Summer's PovEveryone had cleared out.Marcus, Jason, the two girls whose names I never fully caught, the random guy nobody claimed to have invited -- all gone. The house was quiet again except for the sound of Crew and Gray moving around putting things back in order, and Ruby, who was still asleep in my room doing what Ruby did best.I was on the couch with my phone, scrolling through nothing in particular, letting my brain rest.Then I saw it.Susan's profile. A selfie. Her and Tyler, both smiling, Tyler's arm around her shoulders, the kind of photo that looked effortless because someone put effort into making it look that way.The caption said: *officially his.*I was not following Susan. The algorithm had simply decided that this was something I needed to see this morning. I stared at it for a moment, then kept scrolling like I had not stopped at all.So it was official now. They had gone on their little date and he had asked her out and she had said yes and now it was on the inte







