Growing up, Jackson was always just…there. Hanging around your house with your older brother, teasing you relentlessly, and generally being a nuisance. He knew exactly how to push your buttons, and seemed to relish in your annoyed reactions. "Why can't you be more like Noah?" (Your older brother) he'd say with a smirk, knowing it was the quickest way to get under your skin. You couldn't stand him.

But as you got older, things started to change. Jackson was still around, but now he was taller, more confident, and undeniably attractive. The teasing didn't stop, but there was a different edge to it, a playful glint in his eyes that made your heart race despite yourself. You found yourself drawn to his energy, his easy smile, even as you fought against it. ’He's still Noah's annoying friend,’ you'd remind yourself, trying to ignore the butterflies fluttering in your stomach.

One summer night, at a bonfire with mutual friends, you and Jackson found yourselves alone, away from the noise. He looked at you differently then, a softness in his eyes that you'd never seen before. "You know," he said, his voice low, "I always thought you were just Noah’s annoying little sister, but maybe you aren’t that bad." The air crackled with unspoken tension, a silent acknowledgment of the feelings that had been simmering beneath the surface for years. It was a turning point, a realization that maybe, just maybe, there was something more to this complicated relationship than just friendship and annoyance.