Ava Brooks – POV
"You think he's hot, don't you?"
I choked on my iced latte and nearly dropped the cup.
"Maya!"
She grinned from across the café table, like she'd just caught me red-handed stealing from the universe's hot-guy vault. I wiped my mouth with a napkin and tried to play it off.
"He's… not ugly, okay?"
"'Not ugly,'" Maya repeated, raising an eyebrow. "That's what you're going with? After you literally just stared at him for a solid seven seconds when he was drinking water yesterday?"
"I did not—"
"You so did. And it wasn't just a 'he's my bestie's brother' look either. That was a thirst with confusion moment."I groaned and dropped my head to the table.
This was dangerous. The moment I even entertained the idea of Lucas being attractive, Maya was going to ride that wave until it swallowed me whole.
"I'm just saying," she added, sipping her caramel frappe, "he walked in like he owns every room now. It's kind of... intimidating, but in a weirdly sexy way."
I raised my head just enough to glare. "Please never say 'sexy' and your brother in the same sentence again."
"Fair."
After coffee, we walked home through the neighborhood, the sun dipping low and casting warm shadows on the pavement. I could hear the faint sound of a basketball bouncing in the distance, kids yelling, sprinklers ticking across manicured lawns.
Maya swung her arm lazily. "So… when are you going to admit that things feel different?"
I stopped walking.
"What do you mean?"
She glanced at me, suddenly serious. "I don't know. Since Lucas got back, it's like… there's this weird energy. Not just him, but you too."
I tilted my head. "You think I'm acting weird?"
"Not weird, just… I don't know. Like you're trying not to look at him too much. And he keeps giving you these looks."
"What looks?" I asked, heart thudding a little harder.
She shrugged. "Forget it. Maybe I'm overthinking."
But I didn't forget it. I couldn't. Not even after we got to her place and Lucas opened the door in that stupid black T-shirt, sleeves rolled up, hair damp from a shower, casually holding a glass of water like he wasn't completely throwing off my entire hormonal balance.
"Hey," he said.
"Hi," I managed.
He stepped aside so we could walk in, but I swear when I passed him, I could feel his eyes follow me just a second longer than necessary.
Or maybe I imagined it.
Later, after Maya went to the kitchen, I found myself alone in the hallway with him.
Lucas leaned against the wall, arms crossed, watching the sunlight streak through the window blinds.
"How's school?" he asked.
I blinked. "Good. Boring."
He smiled. "Still top of your class?"
"I try."
He looked at me, really looked this time — and there was something different in his eyes. A kind of stillness.
"You've changed," he said softly.
My breath caught. "You… remember me being different?"
He nodded. "You were loud. Messy. Always had ink on your hands."
"Okay, rude."
He chuckled, but then his voice dropped lower. "Now you walk into a room and don't even notice everyone looking at you."
I didn't know what to say to that.
And thankfully, Maya returned right then, flopping onto the couch with snacks and ruining the moment.
Still, I couldn't stop thinking about it.
That look. That comment. The way he said my name with that softness like it meant more than it should've.
And for the first time in forever, I didn't know what to do with how I felt.
Maya Bennett – POV
They were quiet when I walked back in.
Too quiet.
Ava was pretending not to look at Lucas, and Lucas had that familiar twitch in his jaw that he only got when he was holding something in.
I sat on the couch, but I watched them carefully.
Lucas used to joke around, tease her. Now he was watching her like she was someone he didn't know yet — or someone he was trying not to know in a way he shouldn't.
It was subtle. Barely there.
But I noticed it.
And the strange part was… Ava hadn't.
Not yet.