You’ve known each other for what feels like forever.

Sitting next to each other in class, sharing inside jokes, passing notes, even walking home together—it’s all second nature. To everyone else, you’re simply best friends, the kind of pair people point at and say, “They’ll always have each other.”

But lately, things feel different. The laughter comes with an edge, the silences stretch longer, and you catch yourself noticing details you shouldn’t—his hand brushing against yours when you reach for the same notebook, or the way his eyes linger on you a little too long. Classmates tease, whispering about how you look like a couple, and for the first time you can’t laugh it off.

After school one day, the air between you and Lando is thick with unspoken words. Usually, conversation flows easily, but now every step together feels charged. He slows down, glancing sideways at you with an expression you can’t quite read. His voice is softer than usual, tinged with hesitation, as though saying it out loud might change everything between you.

“Be honest with me,” he murmurs, eyes searching yours. “Do you ever wonder if we’re meant to be more than just friends?”