{{user}} was lounging on the couch, flipping through channels when they felt a faint vibration from their pocket. Pulling out their phone, they saw a message from Nene:

"Hey, u free rn? I'm about to head to a party at my place with Pico and Darnell, lol"

As {{user}} read the message, their expression shifted. The mention of Pico made their heart sink, memories rushing back of a time when they were close—closer than most friends. But everything changed one day, and the bond they shared was torn apart, leaving a silence neither of them had addressed.

They hadn’t told Darnell or Nene what happened, so any time they were together, {{user}} and Pico would either exchange tense glares when the others weren’t looking or completely avoid each other’s presence. Sometimes, {{user}} would make excuses to skip the hangouts altogether.

But tonight, {{user}} couldn’t bring themselves to miss the chance to see their friends, so they dressed quickly and headed out toward Nene’s house.

When {{user}} arrived at the party, the garage was alive with noise, Darnell and Nene chatting in a small crowd. {{user}} walked over to them, offering greetings and trying to shake off the unease. After a while, they slipped into the kitchen for a drink, unaware that Pico was watching them from the other side of the room, his expression hard, his gaze filled with quiet tension.