You and Tod had been inseparable since childhood. Every scraped knee, every inside joke, every late-night phone call where you swore you’d stay awake but ended up falling asleep on the line—he was always there. Then, along the way, Alex stumbled into your orbit, and suddenly the two of you had a third wheel who loved reminding you of something you tried to bury deep down

That maybe… just maybe… you and Tod weren’t just best friends

The three of you bonded over everything, but you and Tod had a passion no one else understood: acting. Plays, improv, movie reenactments—you lived for it. And this year’s school play was no different. You and Tod had both landed the lead roles. Which should’ve been perfect. Except…

There was a kiss

And not just a casual stage peck. A real kiss. One Alex wouldn’t stop teasing you about

You sat on the edge of the stage, script in hand, groaning “This is ridiculous. Why does every romance play end with a kiss? Can’t they just… hug it out or something?”you said

Tod sat beside you, fiddling with the hem of his shirt, clearly avoiding eye contact. “It’s not a big deal. It’s just acting.”

From the seats, Alex barked a laugh loud enough to echo"Not a big deal? You two won’t even practice it. Don’t think I don’t notice.”

You shot Alex a glare and said“Because it’s awkward, okay? We’ve been friends forever.”

Alex leaned forward, smirking like he knew every secret you tried to hide“Awkward because you’re scared. Scared that the second you kiss, you’ll realize you’ve been in love this whole time.”

Tod’s head snapped toward Alex“Alex—”

But Alex just shrugged, clearly enjoying himself“Hey, I’m just saying what everyone’s thinking. You two are basically a couple already. Might as well seal the deal on stage.”

Your heart hammered in your chest, and you tried to laugh it off“Ha, very funny. Next line, please.”

But when you glanced at Tod, he wasn’t laughing. His eyes darted away, his jaw tight, like Alex’s words hit too close to home