Tessa's P.O.V:
When Daræy and his friends finally left, I was left alone with mine—a tangled web of emotions in the air, and a series of questions I knew would soon be asked. They all settled down around me. Biancus grabbed her favorite pillow and laid beside me, her presence a comforting weight. Light and Ruth sat cross-legged in front of me, their eyes fixed with quiet intensity. And then there was the matronly figure of our group, our "big lady," sprawled on the blankets next to me, a quiet storm of patience and expectation.
Their gazes buzzed with curiosity and unanswered questions. I sighed, looking away from their piercing stares. "You all saw everything. There's nothing more for me to tell," I muttered, trying to deflect.
Biancus, of course, was the first to protest. "Our eyes saw what was in front of us," she said, her tone firm but laced with concern. "But we don't know what you were thinking. Or feeling. And we definitely don't know how you're feeling now."
If there's one thing I can't escape, it's Biancus. I have no idea what spell she has over me, but resisting her is impossible. Whatever she asks, I answer. Whatever she seeks, I give.
I turned to them with a sly smile. I had been holding it in too, the bubbling feelings threatening to spill over. I wanted to shout, to let it all out, but I held back, waiting for the perfect moment.
"Guys, it was amazing. Seriously, I never knew he'd be that good at kissing," I blurted out, unable to contain myself.
"Hmmm, it's always the handsome, innocent-looking ones," Irene, our big lady, mused. "They're the baddest in the game."
"But damn, he was fine as effffffffff," Ruth chimed in, her hands and eyes doing most of the talking.
"Tess don catch new bobo," Light teased, praising me in her signature way. Translation? I'd just snagged myself a potential boyfriend.
I scoffed inwardly. As if. Deep down, I knew the truth: that kiss might very well be the last time I saw him, let alone have anything more with him. He didn't seem like the type who had the patience—or the strength—for a relationship. It would probably feel like too much effort for him. And me? I wasn't ready to be someone's burden.
"That guy would run the minute he hears the word 'relationship,'" Biancus said, as if she'd read my mind. Of course, she did. She was my soulmate, after all.
"Yeah, and even if he was in a relationship, he'd probably be effing two or three girls at the same time," Irene added, rolling her eyes.
"So this handsome, godly beauty has too many red flags," Ruth chimed in dramatically.
"Well, not really," I corrected. "I see him as the red flag."
Biancus nodded knowingly. "Oh, speak my heart," I thought. She always got me.
"But who said we can't try him out?" I teased.
"Well, we don't actually know the guy. These are just guesses," Ruth replied with a shrug. "But hey, he passed all the physical tests—he's got the money, the height, the body, the face, and the aura. Who are we to reject something so tempting? After all, we're all Eves anyway," she concluded with a dramatic gesture, making us all burst into laughter.
"Oh, please," I said, rolling my eyes. "Look at the way we're judging the boy, as if he even asked me out or showed any interest in the first place."
"As we're hyping you and celebrating your 'achievements,' you don't like it? Okay, suit yourself!" Light teased, waving me off. "Anyway, Irene, the one with the actual potential babe, what's popping?" She turned to Irene, smirking.
"Well, he asked me to go out with him tomorrow," Irene replied, her body swaying with excitement as she spoke.
"Really? So, you won't be coming back tomorrow night, abi?" Biancus asked, raising an eyebrow.
"What kind of conclusion is that?" Irene protested, laughing. "I said he's taking me out, not taking me in."
"But who said he can't?" I interjected, raising a brow in a suggestive manner.
"Or who said he won't?" Ruth added, mirroring my expression.
"Wait, are you guys praying for him to kidnap me or what? I don't get it," Irene asked, half-laughing and half-confused.
"It's not like that," Light said, nudging her playfully. "But... it wouldn't be a bad idea either," I added with a mischievous grin.
"Tess! You've spoiled!" they all called out my name in unison, making me laugh.
"Please, most importantly," Biancus said, her tone mock-threatening, "don't forget to bring back the goodies from your date. If you come back empty-handed, you'll surely sleep outside."
"Even if I come back without the clothes I wore there, I would still sleep in this house," Irene declared confidently.
"Which house?" Ruth asked, smirking.
"This house," Irene replied firmly.
"So, you're saying if you come back without your clothes, it means..." I gestured suggestively, leaving the implication hanging.
"TESSSSSSS!!!" they all screamed my name at once, and we burst into laughter again.
Daræy's P.O.V:
It's been less than three minutes since we left, and my head's already spiraling. The guys won't stop with their questions, and honestly, I can't blame them. I'm as confused as they are. What the hell was that back there?
I didn't plan for it, that's for sure. I'm not the type to let my emotions take the wheel. I've always been in control—of myself, my actions, my decisions. But this time, it felt like something snapped, and I acted without thinking. Why? I keep replaying it over and over in my head, trying to make sense of it, but the more I think about it, the less clarity I find.
I've always prided myself on not being the guy who gets caught up in unnecessary drama. Relationships, feelings... they're all just complications I don't need. So why did I put myself in the middle of one? Was it impulse? Curiosity? Or something deeper that I'm not ready to admit?
"Look, guys, you saw everything. There's nothing more for me to say," I said, trying to sound detached, but even I could hear the edge in my voice. I don't like this—the not knowing, the second-guessing. It's not me.
But then Justin had to speak up, pulling me out of my head and dragging me into yet another mess. "And you know very well not to break Anita's heart, right?"
Anita. That name feels heavier every time I hear it.
I know what people think of me, and maybe they're not entirely wrong. I'm not exactly boyfriend material, and Anita's not exactly the love of my life. If anything, I got into this relationship out of obligation, not affection. I wanted to keep her away from Justin, knowing full well what he's capable of. But now? Now it feels like I've trapped myself.
Anita is... exhausting. Her energy, her demands, the constant need to put on a show. Nothing about her feels real. The giggles, the compliments, the way she bats her lashes—it's all so calculated. And I know I should've ended things a long time ago, but I didn't. Why? Maybe I was too lazy to deal with the fallout. Maybe I didn't want to deal with Justin's smug face when he'd inevitably say, "I told you so."
But I'm at my limit. I can't keep pretending. I can't keep playing along in this game where everyone wears masks. Every moment I stay, I lose a piece of myself—who I am, what I want. I hate this version of me, the one that gets caught up in pointless drama, the one who stays in a situation long after the expiration date.
Justin keeps pushing, acting like Anita's some prize he lost and wants back, when we both know he doesn't care about her. She was just a game to him. And me? I'm the idiot who stepped in to play hero, only to realize I don't even want to be in the story.
But I'm done. I've made up my mind. This can't go on—not for her, not for Justin, and definitely not for me.
The silence in the car was deafening after Justin got out. It wasn't the kind of silence that settled things—it was the kind that stirred them up. The kind that made everything louder in my head. I watched him disappear into his house, and before I could even think, Noah and Joshua erupted into laughter like they'd been holding it in the whole time.
"What's so funny?" I asked, my voice sharp enough to cut through their laughter, though I already had a sinking feeling I knew.
Noah grinned at me in the rearview mirror. "Dude, it's written all over your face—you want to break up with Anita ASAP."
I scoffed. "No, it's not."
But Joshua leaned forward from the backseat, smirking. "Yeah, it is. You're done, man. You're tired of Justin, tired of Anita, and you've had enough of their drama. It's screaming at us, dude. You just don't want to admit it."
He wasn't wrong. And hearing it said out loud like that stung, like someone had ripped the bandage off a wound I wasn't ready to deal with. I opened my mouth to deny it again, but before I could, Joshua jabbed me with more truth I wasn't ready for.
"Remember when I told you not to date Anita for some stupid noble reason? That it would be a bad idea?" he said, leaning back now, arms crossed like he'd been waiting for this moment. "I warned you, bro. Justin's never going to let you breathe. He'll keep butting in like he's her guardian angel or something. Like, come on, man, you should've known this."
And yeah. He was right. He was completely, painfully right. I hate admitting when I'm wrong, but this? This was beyond me now. "I regret it," I said, finally letting the words out, though they felt like they stuck to my throat on the way up. "I regret everything. I should've listened to you back then."
Noah laughed like this was the best entertainment he'd had all week. "So what are you gonna do about it? Keep pretending everything's fine?"
"No," I said, shaking my head. "I'm done. I'm breaking up with Anita. I'm sick of Justin always butting in, acting like he cares so damn much. He doesn't. It's all just a game to him—he gets what he wants, then moves on. And I'm stuck here, cleaning up the mess."
We all laughed at Justin's expense after that. He wasn't there to defend himself, but he wouldn't have needed to—we all knew it was true. Justin was our friend, yeah, but that didn't mean we couldn't call him out when he wasn't around. That's just how we worked. And honestly? Laughing about it felt... freeing. Like for a moment, I wasn't carrying all of this on my own.
Still, it felt weird to say I loved the guy. I do, in a way, but it's not the kind of thing you admit easily. Especially not when you're this frustrated. Damn, why'd I even think that?
I dropped Noah and Joshua off at their place and headed home, but the silence in the car this time wasn't as heavy. It was quieter, lighter even. Like the storm had passed for now, even if I knew it wasn't gone for good.
When I got home, I collapsed onto the couch, grabbed the controller, and started playing some random game. I wasn't even paying attention to it, though. My mind was too loud, replaying everything from today. Justin's words. Noah and Joshua's laughter. My own frustration.
I hated feeling this way—so out of control, so conflicted. All I wanted was peace, and it felt like it was slipping further and further away. Ending things with Anita was the first step, but it wouldn't solve everything. It wouldn't undo the mess I'd gotten myself into.
And then there was... no. I can't even think about that. Whatever happened today wasn't supposed to happen. It was a mistake. A moment of weakness, and that's all. It's not going anywhere. It can't. At least Anita knows the game we're playing. But this? No. That's something I won't allow myself to ruin.
I turned off the game and dragged myself to bed, hoping that sleep would quiet my thoughts. For now, that was the best I could hope for. Tomorrow, I'd figure out the rest. Or at least, I'd try.
It would be better if we go our separate ways. Our paths are way too different.