On the ride home, Avery had caught herself humming, then full-on singing into the night wind, her voice carried away with the hum of the road. It didn't matter if anyone heard, she was too buoyant, too full of something bigger than herself. She belted out a chorus she half-remembered from the radio, tapping her fingers on the handlebars, smiling so wide her cheeks hurt.
Even the streetlights looked brighter. Even the silence between cars felt alive.
The rumble of the Vespa softened as Avery rolled it into the driveway. She tugged off her helmet, shaking her hair loose, a grin already tugging at her lips that she couldn't quite hide. Tonight felt like lightning in her veins, every moment with Kara replayed in flashes: the way her laugh carried in the night air, the kiss under the stars, the way she'd looked at her like she mattered.
She slipped off her shoes by the door, stepping inside to find her parents in the living room. Her mother glanced up from the TV, eyebrows lifting at her daughter's glowing face.
"Someone looks happy," her mom teased, voice sing song, pointing at her with the remote.
Avery laughed, shaking her head quickly. "Just a long day, Ma," she said, though her grin betrayed her.
Her father chuckled without looking up from his newspaper. "Long day, huh? Doesn't look like it. She's smiling like she just won the lottery."
Avery stuck her tongue out playfully, ducking past them before they could press further. "Goodnight!" she called over her shoulder, her voice light, almost musical.
"Goodnight, Ave," her mom replied, a knowing lilt in her tone.
The moment the door clicked shut behind her, she dropped her bag and sank onto the carpet, lying flat on her back with a laugh she couldn't hold in. Her chest felt weightless, her head still spinning with Kara's face, Kara's voice, Kara's kiss.
"I can't believe it," she whispered to herself, covering her mouth with her hand, though the grin refused to fade.
Her phone buzzed at her side, but she didn't rush to pick it up. For a few moments she just let herself replay the hill.. the way Kara had looked at her when the stars lined up on that app, the warmth of Kara's lips against hers, soft but certain, like they'd both been waiting for that exact second.
Her phone buzzed beside her. She rolled onto her side, unlocking it and there it was. Kara's message.
Hey… did you get home safe?
Avery's heart flipped, the giddy warmth flooding back in waves. She typed fast, smiling so wide it almost hurt.
Just got in. Helmet off, shoes off. Thinking about you. You okay?
She hit send, then hugged the phone to her chest, staring up at the ceiling, imagining Kara reading it, imagining her smile.
The screen lit up again, but this time with another name Luke.
Avery hesitated before answering.
"Hey," she greeted softly, still breathless with leftover joy.
"Yo!" Luke's voice boomed, background noise of clinking glasses and chatter spilling through. "I'm out with the guys. Just checking in, where you at?"
Avery laughed lightly, her grin softening. "Home. Just got back, actually."
Luke chuckled, distracted. "Good. Don't party too hard without me."
"Yeah, yeah," Avery teased, her eyes drifting back to Kara's text thread glowing on her screen.
But Luke's tone shifted, quieter now, sharper. "You sound… different."
Avery blinked, caught off guard. "Different how?"
"I don't know," Luke said, thoughtful even through the buzz of voices around him. "Like you're glowing or something. Happier. Lately you've been coming home late, smiling at your phone like it's Christmas morning. You gonna tell me what's up?"
Avery's heart skipped. She bit her lip, rolling onto her stomach, phone pressed against her cheek. "Maybe I'm just… tired. Long day."
Luke laughed knowingly. "Nah. That's not it. You don't sound tired. You sound like someone's got you wrapped around their finger."
Heat rushed to Avery's cheeks. "You're imagining things."
"Am I?" he pressed, teasing but curious. "I'm your brother, Ave. I can tell when something or someone is making you this happy."
Avery closed her eyes, smile tugging despite herself. "Maybe I'll tell you someday. Just… not tonight."
Luke exhaled, amused. "Alright, keep your secrets. Just whoever it is, they better be good to you."
"They are," Avery said softly, the certainty in her voice surprising even herself.
"Good," Luke replied simply. Then, over the noise, someone called his name. "Gotta go, sis. Talk soon."
"Yeah. Have fun," Avery murmured before ending the call.
The room fell back into quiet. Avery turned onto her back again, phone pressed to her chest, Kara's name glowing at the top of the screen. She grinned into the silence, her heart racing.
She couldn't deny it anymore. She was falling.
***
She rolled onto her stomach, reaching for her phone again. Her chat with Kara was still open, her eyes scanning over the last message
Glad to hear that. Don't forget to shower before you pass out. I know how stubborn you are. Sleep well, Ave.
A laugh escaped her lips, quiet and helpless. "Bossy," she whispered into the empty room, though her chest warmed at the care tucked between every word. Kara didn't just check if she was safe she always thought two steps further, like she already knew Avery's habits, the ways she'd neglect herself after a long night.
Avery typed back quickly, grinning at the screen:
Yes, ma'am. Goodnight, Karr.
She hit send, then lingered, watching the "delivered" tick appear. A thrill shivered through her at the thought of Kara lying in her guest house, reading that message, smiling at her phone just like Avery was doing now.
She rolled onto her back, staring up at the ceiling with her phone still pressed against her chest. Everything about Kara felt different, gentle, grounding, safe. Like every wall Avery had built around her heart had been seen, understood, and met with patience. She had never thought she'd be grinning like a fool on her carpet, replaying a kiss under the stars again and again.
Her mind was still painting Kara's smile when another notification popped up, cutting sharp through the glow.
Instagram: Phoebe wants to follow you.
Avery froze.
Her stomach sank, the sweetness in her chest knocked sideways. She stared at the notification, her thumb trembling but unmoving.
"Why…" she whispered into the dark, voice tight. "Why do you keep coming back whenever I can finally breathe?"
She locked the screen immediately, as if that would erase it. But the ache was already there, buzzing under her skin. Avery sat up, pressing her palms hard against her face, trying to steady herself.
The request burned in her mind like a taunt. Phoebe had always done this, appearing like a shadow at the edges of Avery's light. No warning. No care. Just a reminder of every memory Avery had tried to fold away: the tears, the sharp words, the hollow nights when love had turned into something unrecognizable.
And now, tonight of all nights. When Avery was still buzzing with Kara's laughter, Kara's kiss, Kara's voice calling her back into herself.
She grabbed the phone again, thumb hovering over "accept," then "delete," then back again. Her chest tightened. What if ignoring Phoebe made her spiral? What if accepting her was a step back into the pit Avery had just crawled out of?
Her head dropped back against the carpet with a groan. "I can't do this alone."
Without thinking, she scrolled through her contacts until she found Archie's name. She hit call.
"Hello?" his voice was groggy, heavy with sleep.
"Arch," Avery whispered, keeping her voice low even though her parents were already asleep down the hall. "Phoebe just… she just sent me a follow request again."
There was silence on the line, then a sigh. "Aves, it's like three in the morning. But listen... don't touch it. Don't feed it. You've been doing good, right? You sounded… lighter lately."
Avery swallowed, her throat tight. "Yeah. I... I've been okay. More than okay. Tonight was… amazing, actually. But then she shows up, and suddenly it feels like I'm being dragged back to square one."
Archie's tone sharpened. "You're not back at square one. Don't give her that power. You've already climbed too far for that."
Avery bit her lip, nodding even though he couldn't see. "You're right. I know you're right."
After they hung up, Avery didn't feel done. She scrolled again, landing on Andrew's name this time. He picked up quicker, his voice curious.
"What's up, Ave? You never call this late unless it's something big."
Avery laughed weakly. "Busted. It's Phoebe. She's… trying to follow me again. And I don't know why it still rattles me like this."
Andrew hummed, thoughtful. "Because it mattered once. Because you're human. But hey... I know you, something else is going on too. Cause if you're still thinking about Phoebe you are not gonna ask me this question, and based on what I see on Isaac's birthday, you are into that girl, I saw your insta stories with her, What happened tonight?"
A smile tugged at Avery's lips despite the heaviness in her chest. She lay back on the carpet, staring at the ceiling again. "I can't give details, not all of them. But… I spent the night with Kara. We went stargazing, we laughed, we talked. And for the first time in a long time, I felt… safe. Like maybe I could let someone in again."
Andrew's voice softened. "That sounds huge, Ave. Hold onto that. Don't let the past hijack it."
Her throat tightened again, but this time with something gentler. "Thanks, Drew. I needed that."
When the call ended, Avery lay in silence, her phone warm against her cheek. She didn't dare check Instagram again. Instead, she slid her thumb back to Kara's chat thread, the glow steady in the dark.
She reread the last message, her own boldness calling Kara, smiling to herself at the tenderness of it.
"No," she whispered again, firmer this time. "Not tonight."
She crawled onto her bed, pulling the blanket around her shoulders, curling into its softness. Exhaustion finally settled in, her body heavy but her heart tethered not to the ghosts behind her, but to the brightness waiting ahead.
The last thought that drifted with her into sleep was simple, steady, and certain… Kara.