Shade refused to call it a date.
Blaze hadn't called it a date.
Blaze had called it a celebration.
Casual. Normal.
Except it wasn't normal.
Because it was just Blaze and Shade.
Which meant it was either:
a dateor
a trap
Shade didn't know which one terrified her more.
So she did the only reasonable thing.
She called Rina.
Rina answered on the second ring, like she'd been waiting for Shade to crack.
"Hey," Rina said. "You sound haunted."
Shade stared at the ceiling of her apartment.
"I'm not," she lied.
Rina didn't even react. "Come over."
That wasn't a question.
By Saturday evening, Shade was in Rina's basement with a controller in her hands, surrounded by noise she didn't have to interpret.
Rina's brother and his friend were there too — loud, competitive, completely unaware of the internal apocalypse happening in Shade's nervous system.
It was perfect.
Gaming required focus.Focus meant no thinking.
Shade wanted to stay there forever.
But time moved, as it always did, and eventually the guys disappeared upstairs, tired and laughing.
When the house finally quieted down, Shade followed Rina to her room without saying much.
Rina's bed was also double-sized, just like Shade's.
Shade approved.
Double beds felt safer.Like they couldn't swallow you.
They got under the blankets. The room was dim. Warm.
Rina's lamp was on.
Minutes passed.
Rina's breathing slowed.
Shade's didn't.
Shade stared at the ceiling like it had answers.
Her thoughts kept looping back to one thing.
Tomorrow.
Blaze.
The "not-date."
Shade hated how her body reacted to that word.
She hated that her stomach did flips like she was fifteen and stupid.
She hated—
"Okay," Rina said suddenly.
Shade froze.
Rina didn't open her eyes. "You're doing that thing."
Shade swallowed. "What thing."
"The silent panicking," Rina murmured. "It's loud."
Shade exhaled slowly through her nose.
Rina finally turned her head, eyes half-lidded with sleep.
"What happened," Rina said, "and don't say nothing."
Shade hesitated.
Then, quietly:
"…Echora found someone."
Rina's eyes opened fully. "A new member?"
Shade nodded once.
Rina waited.
Shade knew she could stop there.
But she didn't.
"…We're celebrating tomorrow," Shade added.
Rina's face shifted — just slightly. Confused.
"Celebrating," Rina repeated. "Nova… celebrating?"
Shade didn't answer.
Rina blinked once, then twice.
And then her mouth slowly curled into a smile.
"Oh."
Shade's jaw tightened. "Don't."
Rina sat up a little, suddenly awake.
"Ohhh," Rina whispered, like she'd just solved a murder mystery. "Shade. Wait. Is it just you and the new member?"
Shade glared at her.
"It's not like that," Shade said automatically.
Rina tilted her head.
"Is it not?"
Shade's glare sharpened.
Rina smiled wider. "Shade…"
Shade sighed.
It came out like surrender.
"…It's Blaze," Shade admitted, voice low, like the name could explode.
Rina's eyes lit up instantly.
And Shade hated herself for trusting Rina with this information, because now Rina looked like she was about to levitate.
Rina didn't even pretend to be calm.
"The boxer," Rina whispered. "The one you've been researching."
Shade turned her face into her pillow.
"Don't say it like that," Shade muttered.
Rina laughed softly. "I knew it."
Shade lifted her head again. "You didn't know anything."
Rina nodded, dead serious. "I knew everything."
Shade hated that Rina was right.
Rina watched her for a moment, then softened.
"So," Rina said carefully. "Do you like her?"
Shade's body stiffened like that was a dangerous question.
She opened her mouth.
Then closed it.
Then opened it again.
Nothing came out.
Because what do you even say when someone asks you to name a feeling you've spent your whole life avoiding?
Rina didn't push.
She just laid back down, calm again, voice gentle in the dark.
"Tomorrow can be whatever you make it," Rina said. "It doesn't have to be scary."
Shade swallowed.
Rina continued, eyes closed.
"Just show up," Rina murmured. "And see what happens."
Shade stared at the ceiling again.
Her heart still felt too loud.
But… a little less lonely.
Rina shifted under the blanket.
Then, barely audible:
"…I ship it."
Shade's head snapped toward her.
"Rina."
Rina smiled into her pillow. "Goodnight."
Shade stared at her, horrified.
Then she exhaled again.
Tomorrow.
Just show up.
Shade repeated it in her head like a spell.
And for the first time all night…
she almost believed it.
Shade fell asleep with Blaze's name burning behind her eyes.