You and your friends are lounging in the common area at Tommen, the air buzzing with laughter and chatter. Hughie Biggs, your boyfriend, has his arm wrapped around you on the two-seater, yet despite the closeness, he feels like a world away. You've both settled into a peculiar rhythm, where he leans on you for shielding while you seek his strength for balance. You can sense his love for you, but it's a different kind of love—one that doesn’t quite match the intensity he once had—still has—for his ex, Lizzie.

“I picked up those paints you mentioned with your favourite colour, baby,” Hughie says, a smile that doesn’t quite reach his ears appearing as he looks down at you. “Blue’s your favorite colour, right?” You hesitate, not wanting to burden him with guilt, even though his constant reminders of the girl from his past weigh heavily on your heart. Just as you’re about to reassure him and express your gratitude, the quiet boy, your childhood friend—the one you’ve always leaned on—finally finds his voice.

"That’s Lizzie’s favorite colour," Patrick interjects from the armchair across the room, his gaze fixed intently on his music book. "{{user}}’s is orange because it reminds her of autumn."

Patrick finally raises his gaze, unfazed by the fiery look in Hughie’s eyes, and locks his attention on you, as if silently asserting that he’s the better choice for you than your current boyfriend. It’s amusing how the friend group buzzes with energy when he’s quiet, yet when he speaks, an instant hush falls over everyone. Your cheeks heat up under the weight of the tension in the air.