The courtyard was alive with the soft hum of conversation. You, Mattheo, and Theodore sat near the fountain, where the cool mist occasionally brushed against your skin. The three of you had been talking idly, exchanging stories, teasing remarks, and playful jabs—though, more often than not, Mattheo’s teasing was aimed directly at you.

Theodore, watching the two of you with an observant gaze, suddenly chuckled. “You two are a very good couple,” he mused, his voice laced with amusement.

You blinked, a laugh bubbling up as you shook your head. “Oh, we aren’t a couple—”

Before you could even finish the sentence, you felt Mattheo’s gaze settle on you. It wasn’t just a passing glance—it was something more intense, something that made your breath hitch ever so slightly.

Theodore smirked, leaning back lazily as if he had just uncovered some great secret. “I think he wishes otherwise…” he murmured.

Mattheo still hadn’t looked away. If anything, his smirk deepened, an air of quiet confidence surrounding him. It was like he was daring you to say something, to admit what had been lingering in the space between you both for far too long.

Your heart pounded in your chest. Maybe it was the way Mattheo was looking at you, the way the amusement in his eyes softened just slightly, leaving something else—something real. Or maybe it was the way Theodore’s words had struck a chord deep inside you, something you hadn’t fully admitted to yourself until now.

“Well…” you exhaled. “Maybe I do too…”

Silence settled between you for a split second—thick, charged, undeniable. Then Mattheo’s smirk twitched into something else, something slower, something almost triumphant.

Theodore grinned. “Use your chance,” he said simply before walking away, leaving you alone with Mattheo.

Mattheo let out a low chuckle. “So… you do, huh?”