Chapter 1: The Beginning of Something Forbidden

I was fifteen when I first noticed Lucas as more than just my cousin. Before then, he was just another familiar face at family gatherings, someone I'd see during holidays, playing soccer with the boys or laughing with the uncles. But that year, something changed. 

Lucas had always been around. Since he was three years older than me, he was already in college while I was stuck in high school, counting down the years until I'd have that same freedom. He didn't visit all the time, but whenever he did, he had a way of making his presence known. Maybe it was the way he carried himself confident, relaxed, like he didn't have to try too hard. 

That summer, he came to stay with us for a few weeks. His parents had traveled, and since our families were close, my dad insisted he spend the break at our house. I didn't think much of it at first. It was normal, Lucas staying over wasn't new. 

Hi, I'm Ava. I'm fifteen, and like most teenagers, I'm trying to figure out who I am and where I belong. I come from a well-to-do family, full of traditions and expectations, where every gathering feels like a carefully choreographed dance. Yet, beneath all that polish, I carry secret feelings I've been taught to hide. Even now, as I navigate the ups and downs of adolescence, I find myself caught between what I'm expected to feel and what my heart truly whispers especially when it comes to someone I shouldn't be drawn to. I've always believed that being sensible meant keeping my emotions in check, but lately, I'm learning that some feelings refuse to be silenced. 

As I stand at the brink of new beginnings, I can't help but wonder if this is just another challenge I'm meant to overcome, or if it might be the start of something entirely unexpected. 

But one evening changed everything. I had gone to the backyard to get some fresh air. The house was too noisy, my little cousins were running around, my aunts were chatting loudly, and I just needed a moment to breathe. I stood there, watching the sunset, when I heard footsteps behind me.

"Escaping the chaos?" Lucas's voice was warm, amused.

I turned to find him leaning against the doorframe, watching me with that easy smirk of his. His dark hair was a little messier than usual, and the way the golden light hit his face made something in my stomach tighten. I had never felt like this before. Not for him. Not for anyone.

"You too?" I replied, trying to act normal, even though my heart had started racing.

He walked toward me, hands in his pockets, casual but effortlessly cool. "I needed air. Your house is wild."

I laughed. "Tell me about it. Aunt Rita hasn't stopped talking about her new business since she got here."

Lucas chuckled, standing beside me now. We were quiet for a while, watching the sky shift from orange to deep blue. The silence wasn't awkward. If anything, it felt... comfortable.

"You've changed," he said suddenly, his voice thoughtful.

I looked up at him. "What do you mean?"

He tilted his head, as if studying me. "I don't know... You're not the little girl I used to tease anymore."

His words sent a strange shiver through me. I should've rolled my eyes, laughed it off like I always did. But instead, I felt my cheeks warm.

"Well, I'm fifteen," I said, crossing my arms. "I'm not a kid anymore."

Lucas smirked. "I can see that."

The way he said it made my breath hitch. It wasn't flirtatious, not exactly, but there was something in his tone, something different. For the first time, I saw Lucas in a way I wasn't supposed to. He wasn't just my cousin who visited sometimes. He was... Lucas. I didn't know what to do with that realization.

"Anyway," I said quickly, looking away. "Are you excited to go back to school?"

He shrugged. "Kind of. College is exhausting, though. You'll see when you get there."

"I doubt it. I think I'll love the freedom."

Lucas laughed, shaking his head. "You always did like doing things your way."

"Obviously." I smiled, glad for the shift in conversation. But even as we talked about other things, his classes, my school life, random family gossip, I couldn't shake the strange new feeling inside me.

That night, as I lay in bed, I found myself thinking about the way Lucas had looked at me. About the way my heart had raced when he stood close. I knew it was wrong. I knew it didn't make sense. But that was the moment it started, the moment I realized that maybe, just maybe, I was falling for Lucas. And there was nothing I could do to stop it.