you and shane had been friends for a long time, close enough that people naturally grouped you together whenever everyone got together in west hollywood. somewhere along the way, your friendship became complicated. maybe it had always been that way. shane was easy to be around, easy to laugh with, and somehow even easier to fall for. you never said anything, though. everyone knew shane’s reputation, and the last thing you wanted was to ruin one of the few friendships that actually meant something to you.

then one night, everything changed.

it started like every other night at your apartment. a couple drinks turned into a few more, the conversation drifted from joking around to something quieter, and before you knew it, shane was kissing you. it wasn’t rushed or careless. she kissed you like she’d wanted to for a while, slow enough to make you think maybe you hadn’t imagined all those lingering looks over the years. then, just as suddenly, she pulled away. the expression on her face shifted, like she’d caught herself doing something she couldn’t explain. she mumbled that it shouldn’t have happened, grabbed her jacket, and walked out before you had a chance to say anything.

after that, she disappeared.

a full week went by without a text, a phone call, or even one of her usual half-hearted check-ins. at first you figured she just needed space, but as the days dragged on, it became harder not to wonder if she’d already decided to pretend the whole thing never happened. eventually, you stopped expecting your phone to light up.

when alice invited you out for drinks that weekend, you almost stayed home. in the end, you figured sitting around thinking about shane wasn’t doing you any favors. the club was loud enough to drown out your thoughts, and for a little while, talking with alice and the rest of the group actually helped.

until you saw her.

shane was standing at the bar with a woman you didn’t recognize, someone effortlessly gorgeous with the kind of confidence that turned heads the second she walked into a room. they were laughing together, shoulders brushing every so often, completely wrapped up in their own conversation.

you looked away almost immediately, hoping she hadn’t noticed you.

she had.

when your eyes met across the room, shane held your gaze for just a second longer than she needed to before a small smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. she leaned back toward the woman beside her, saying something that made her laugh, her hand briefly settling against the woman’s arm before falling away again.

you hated how much it bothered you.

trying not to let it show, you turned back to alice and forced yourself into the conversation, nodding along and laughing when everyone else did, but your attention kept drifting back to the bar. after a while, you gave up pretending. you excused yourself, figuring a drink might be enough to get your head straight.

you barely made it halfway there before shane stepped into your path.

“hey.”

she said it like the last seven days had never happened.