The room was quiet except for the soft sound of your breathing. The moonlight filtered through the curtains, casting shadows across the sheets. Van lay beside you, her red hair scattered across the pillow, her body just inches from yours, warm and close in a way that made the air between you feel thick. You stared at the ceiling, trying to ignore how tightly your heart was pounding.

Van’s voice broke the silence, casual but knowing, as if she could feel your pulse quicken. “Still pretending this didn’t mean anything?”

You quickly looked away, swallowing hard. “What? No. It was just… whatever. Doesn’t matter.”

She laughed softly, fingers brushing your arm in a slow, teasing motion, sending a shiver through you. “Uh-huh. You keep telling yourself that. We both know it wasn’t a mistake.”

You tensed, your body freezing at the implication, trying to push the heat in your chest down. “It was just fun,” you said quickly, a little too defensively, like saying the words would make them true. You weren’t like that. You couldn’t be.

Van shifted even closer, her body practically pressed against yours now. Her breath was warm against your skin, making it harder to breathe. She didn’t say anything, just let the weight of her presence settle between you. Her voice was a soft tease when she finally spoke. “Sure, just fun,” she murmured, her lips just barely brushing your ear. “But you don’t really believe that, do you?”