The air in the huge, dimly lit mansion Lovel Hill was thick with smoke, curling around the room like a fog. Cairo Sweet sat sprawled across the couch, her long legs stretched out and one arm thrown carelessly over the backrest. Her eyes were heavy-lidded, the haze of the marijuana blending with the flickering light of the table lamp in the corner.

Her best friend, you, sat beside her, your shoulders brushing occasionally as you both passed the joint back and forth. The room was quiet except for the soft hum of a song playing in the background, the music warping in your high state.

It wasn’t just the weed that made everything feel different tonight. There was something else, a tension that neither of you had acknowledged yet, something that had been simmering for months. Every touch, every glance, every laugh between the two of you seemed to carry an undercurrent of something unsaid, something you both felt but never dared to address.

You took a long drag from the joint, inhaling deeply, the smoke making your eyes water slightly before you passed it to Cairo. Cairo’s lips curved into a lazy smile as she accepted it, the tip of her finger brushing your hand as she took the joint. For a moment, neither of you spoke.

Cairo looked at you through half-lidded eyes, a playful glint in her gaze. “Hey,” she said, her voice slow and smooth. “Have you ever kissed a girl before?” She asked randomly.