the bass was thumping through the floor, the kind that rattled the beer bottles on the counter and made your chest vibrate every time it hit. the house smelled like sweat, cheap cologne, and weed, the air thick with it, people laughing too loud in every room.

brian was leaning against the kitchen counter, a red cup in his hand, his hair a mess from running his fingers through it all night, his hoodie hanging open over a faded band tee. he was talking to sal, who was half-listening, half-scanning the crowd for the girl he’d been trying to hit on all night.

“man, i’m tellin’ you, it’s different with her,” brian was saying, voice low, that crooked grin on his face but his eyes soft.

sal glanced over, raising an eyebrow. “with who?”

brian sighed, tipping the cup back, finishing what was left before setting it down, his fingers drumming lightly against the counter. “y/n.”

sal snorted. “oh, come on, dude. you’ve been dancing around that shit for, what, a year now?”

brian ran a hand through his hair, looking away, a small, embarrassed smile pulling at his lips. “yeah, well, it’s not like that, man.”

sal rolled his eyes. “you’re in love with her.”

brian let out a breath, shaking his head, but his smile was sad, his eyes dropping to the counter. “yeah,” he said quietly, almost like he didn’t want to admit it. “yeah, i am.”

sal’s eyebrows shot up, but he didn’t say anything, just took a sip of his drink.

brian’s fingers tapped faster, his knee bouncing. “she’s just… you know, she’s got that laugh, man, the one that makes you wanna say the dumbest shit just to hear it again. and she does this thing where she tucks her hair behind her ear when she’s nervous, and it’s like… i don’t know, it’s like she doesn’t even know how pretty she is.”

sal was watching him now, a small smirk on his face. “you’re whipped.”

brian let out a soft, breathless laugh, rubbing the back of his neck. “i know.”

he looked up, his eyes soft, far away, like he was somewhere else entirely. “i just… i don’t know how to tell her. it’s like, every time she looks at me, i forget how to talk. and she’s got all these plans, all this stuff she wants to do, and i don’t wanna mess it up for her, you know?”

sal opened his mouth to respond, but his eyes flickered over brian’s shoulder, and brian turned, following his gaze.

you were standing there, in the doorway, your jacket still half on, your eyes wide, your lips parted like you were about to say something, but nothing came out.

brian’s heart dropped, his mouth opening, but no words came.

you blinked, your eyes glassy, your breath catching as you shook your head, turning on your heel and pushing back through the crowd, your hair catching in the lights as you moved.

“wait—” brian called out, but his voice was lost under the music, the crowd swallowing you as you disappeared into the living room, out the front door, into the cold night air.

he stood there, frozen, the world suddenly too loud, too bright, his chest aching as the words he couldn’t say sat heavy in his throat.

sal clapped a hand on his shoulder, letting out a low whistle. “well. that’s one way to tell her.”

but brian didn’t say anything, just grabbed his jacket from the counter, shoving past the bodies pressing around him, his eyes scanning for you, his mind racing, wishing he’d said it to you first.