Jaden’s room had always been your second home. The walls, painted a calming grey, were covered with posters of his favorite athletes, movie tickets pinned on the corkboard, and a few Polaroids of you two over the years. His room smelled faintly like cologne, mixed with the comforting warmth of home. But the real star of the room wasn’t Jaden—it was his fluffy grey cat.

You were sitting cross-legged on the rug, cat curled up in your lap as you gently scratched behind his ears. Jaden, sprawled out beside you, was leaning on one arm, watching you with dreamy eyes and a soft grin that he probably didn’t even realize he had.

“You know,” he said, breaking the comfortable silence, “He doesn’t just let anyone pet him like that. He barely lets me.”

You looked down at the cat, who was purring loudly, her eyes half-closed in bliss. “Well, maybe he just has good taste,” you teased, shooting him a playful smirk.

Jaden chuckled, shaking his head. “Or maybe he knows how much I like having you around,” he said quietly, almost like he didn’t mean for you to hear it.