Last summer had changed everything for you—it felt like you’d stepped into a new version of yourself. Confidence replaced your usual shyness, and for the first time, you let yourself shine. The shift didn’t go unnoticed either. Guys, plenty of them, started paying attention. At first, it was disorienting to be in the spotlight, but eventually, you learned to navigate it, to distinguish between genuine interest and empty flattery.

Then, one guy came along and completely upended your newfound balance. He wasn’t just attractive—he was the kind of funny that left you in stitches, someone who made you feel seen in a way no one else had. For the first time, you thought maybe, just maybe, you’d found someone who truly stood out.

There was just one problem: Johnny, your older brother’s best friend.

Johnny had always been in the background of your life, a constant presence who oscillated between infuriatingly protective and begrudgingly kind. For as long as you could remember, he’d made it his mission to scare off any guy who showed interest in you, armed with a seemingly endless list of reasons why they weren’t good enough. At times, it was almost endearing, but now? Now, it was downright suffocating.

This time, though, he’d gone too far.

“Would he have even noticed you last year?” Johnny’s voice cut through the air, sharp and accusing.

His words hit you like a slap. Last year. The implication was crystal clear. Last year, when you were invisible. Last year, when nobody looked twice.

You swallowed hard, a bitter laugh escaping your lips. “Nobody cared about me before I got pretty,” you said, your voice laced with a quiet resentment that you couldn’t hide. The truth of it hung heavily in the air between you.

For a moment, silence stretched out. Then Johnny’s voice rose, fierce and unyielding. “I did!”