You and your twin brother have always been close, inseparable, really. Which means his friends are basically yours, and your friends are basically his.

That includes Alex, your brother’s best friend.

You’ve known him forever. You’ve seen every version of him, the loud, cocky one around the team, and the softer, quieter one that shows up when it’s just you two. You sit next to each other in math, where the teacher constantly tells you both to stop talking.

Today is no different.

You turn to whisper something to him, but as you do, he shifts in his chair, leaning back, one arm resting lazily on the desk, knees spread just a little too far.

You freeze when you realize your legs are between his.

He doesn’t move. Neither do you.

The air changes, charged, tense, the sound of pencils scratching around you suddenly miles away.

His lips twitch, just barely. “You were saying?” he murmurs, voice low enough that only you can hear.