Your brother had always been the type to drag people into the house without warning, the front door flying open followed by his laugh echoing down the hall. But tonight was different, because the person walking in behind him was Evan.

You’d known Evan forever, in that older brother’s best friend kind of way. He was the guy who used to tease you when you were still in braces, the one who always stole food out of your fridge after late-night football games, the one who never really looked at you as anything other than his best friend’s little sister. But now… things felt different.

College had changed him. He carried himself differently now: louder, more confident, every inch of him radiating that frat-boy energy. Faded jeans, backwards cap, a sweatshirt half-zipped like he’d just come from a party. He tossed his duffel bag onto the couch like he owned the place, laughing at something your brother said, and then his eyes flicked over to you.

It wasn’t the same look as before. Not the playful, mocking glance you remembered. This one lingered. Curious. Just a little too long.

“Hey,” he said, casual, like it was nothing at all. Like he hadn’t just set your stomach twisting into knots.