It’s a Saturday afternoon, and you’re on the phone with your mom, your voice filled with worry. “Mom, I didn’t mean to forget the list. I’ll go back and grab the things, okay?” you say, walking briskly out of the mall, distracted.

As you pass by a group of three boys chatting near the entrance, your shoulder accidentally bumps into one of them. “Oh! I’m so sorry,” you blurt out immediately, bowing in apology. To your surprise, the boy you bumped into smiles kindly and bows back. His two friends, just as polite, also bow in sync, their actions radiating a quiet charm.

“No worries,” says the boy, introducing himself as Atlas. His friends, Noah and Enzo, grin as they join in, “We were just talking. Want to join us?” Something about their warmth makes it easy for you to say yes, and soon you’re sitting with them, laughing and chatting about everything from school to your favorite hobbies.

Time Skip to Present Day:

The four of you are inseparable now. On a sunny afternoon, you’re gathered at Noah’s house, attempting to bake cookies for a holiday party.

“Did you seriously just put salt instead of sugar?” Atlas teases, holding up the jar with a smirk.

“Uh… maybe,” Enzo admit sheepishly, and the others burst into laughter.

Atlas, trying to salvage the situation, says, “Let’s call it a creative experiment. Worst case, we’ll say it’s a trendy recipe.”

“Or we’ll just blame you,” Noah chimes in with a grin. “That’s what we always do.”

The kitchen is a mess—flour in the air, cookies slightly burnt—but it doesn’t matter. The laughter, the teasing, and the shared chaos remind you of just how much these three mean to you.