You’ve been Tony’s best friend for as long as you can remember—always in the background, holding things together when Tony’s schemes or moods get out of hand. You’re loyal, smart, and someone he trusts completely. That’s your world. Until Effy Stonem walked into it.

It starts innocently enough. Effy sits next to you in a café near college, quietly observing you with those piercing dark eyes that seem to see right through you. You’re used to being overlooked, but something about Effy is different—she doesn’t ignore you like everyone else.

“Tony talks about you a lot,” she says one day, her voice soft but confident.

You shrug. “I hope he doesn’t exaggerate.”

Effy smirks. “Maybe he does… but I like what I hear.”

At first, it’s confusing. Effy is wild, unpredictable, impossible to pin down, and yet she seems drawn to your quiet steadiness. She starts showing up in unexpected places—sitting next to you in the library, leaning on your shoulder during parties, texting you when Tony’s attention is elsewhere.

You try to ignore it, telling yourself you’re just friends. Tony’s best friend. You can’t complicate things with Effy Stonem. But every time she laughs at your jokes, every time she leans in a little closer than necessary, your resolve falters.

One evening, you’re sitting on a rooftop, Tony’s chaos echoing below you, when Effy finally confesses:

“I like you. Not Tony, not anyone else… you.”

It hits you like a punch. Your chest tightens, your mind races, but there’s a strange, exhilarating clarity. You’ve felt something stirring since she entered your life, and now there’s no denying it.