---
11:37
Lukas squinted as sunlight peeked through his blinds, stirring him awake. He groaned softly, only to jolt slightly when he noticed Claire standing over him, her arms crossed and a mischievous grin plastered on her face.
"What… are you doing?" he mumbled, voice groggy and heavy with sleep.
Claire leaned down closer, her face far too smug for his liking. "Luke, you like aquariums?"
He blinked slowly, trying to register her words. "Aquariums? Never been to one, so I don't really have an opinion…"
"Well, today's your lucky day," Claire declared with dramatic flair, standing upright and gesturing wildly. "I'm feeling incredibly generous—and also bored. So, I'm willing to take you to this aquarium I found online. It looks amazing, and it's cheap too! Like, only $40 each. A steal!"
Lukas groaned, rolling onto his side to escape her enthusiasm. "I don't know… I'm not really a fan of underwater creatures. They're kinda… creepy."
Claire's eyes widened in exaggerated disbelief. "Creepy?! Luke, it's marine life! Dolphins! Sea turtles! Cute fish! Who doesn't like dolphins?"
"Sharks are better," he muttered under his breath, burying his face into his pillow.
Claire wasn't having it. She yanked the pillow away, throwing it onto the floor. "You said you're not a fan, so your opinion doesn't count! Besides, I don't have anyone else to drag along, so congratulations—you're coming with me. End of discussion."
Before Lukas could protest, she grabbed his arm and tried to pull him out of bed. He groaned louder, refusing to budge, but her persistence was relentless. With one last tug, she managed to pull him down ass first onto the floor.
"Ugh, fine!" he relented, sitting up and rubbing his back. "Just… let me get ready."
Claire grinned triumphantly. "Don't take too long!"
---
13:22
Almost two hours later, Lukas finally emerged from his room, freshly showered and dressed in a clean, casual outfit. His hair was styled just enough to look effortlessly cool.
"2 FUCKING HOURS??" Claire snapped, glaring at him. "What were you doing, solving world hunger?"
"Jealous of my outfit?" Lukas teased, striking a playful pose.
Claire rolled her eyes, her expression unimpressed. "Anyway, let's go."
As they reached the front door, they were greeted by three familiar faces—Soren, Ivy, and Stephan.
"ey, girl!" Soren greeted Claire with a wide grin.
Claire sighed. "Sorry, we can't hang out today. We already made plans."
Soren smirked, pushing past her to Lukas. "Yeah, we know. Luke said we're all going to the aquarium!"
Claire turned to glare at Lukas, who was still standing in the living room, pretending not to notice her death stare.
"...Well, alright, I guess," Claire mumbled through clenched teeth.
Soren wasted no time, wrapping an arm around Lukas's shoulder. "You sure you'll be fine? I know your history with sea creatures."
Lukas rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, don't worry about me."
Claire raised a brow. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Stephan chimed in, grinning. "He's terrified of them. Childhood trauma or something."
"Wait—scared of dolphins? How can You be scared of them theyre adorable!!?"
"Alright lets stop standing in the doorway and get going! Ive Parked my baby right over there" soren says pointing towards a rusty van
"Dude i thought U got rid of that?"
"never!!"
---
14:05
Halfway through their drive, Lukas suddenly spoke up. "Hey, Soren, stop at the gas station ahead. I'm thirsty."
"Sure, if you grab me a drink too," Soren replied.
---
14:08
The group pulled into a small gas station at Lukas's request.
"Finally im dying" Lukas said as he unbuckled his seatbelt. "Soren, what u need?"
"pepsi of course," Soren replied.
"Got it."
Lukas stepped out of the van and headed inside. Claire sat quietly in her seat between Ivy and Stephan, staring out the window.
Inside, Lukas browsed the drink options before grabbing a few sodas and a bottle of water. Approaching the counter, he glanced at the cashier's nametag.
"Morning, Kenan," Lukas greeted casually.
"Morning, sir. Did you find everything you needed?"
"Yeah, just these," Lukas said, setting the drinks on the counter.
Kenan rang up the items and handed Lukas the bag after payment.
As Lukas walked back to the van, he handed Soren a soda and passed Claire a can of Coke. "Didn't know what you'd want, so I got this."
Claire accepted it with a small nod, mumbling, "Thanks."
---
14:25
"Finally!" Soren exclaimed as they pulled into the aquarium parking lot.
As the group exited the van, Lukas took a quick headcount. "Alright, how much money does everyone have on them?"
"60," Claire replied.
"45," Stephan said.
"43," Ivy added.
"Nothing," Soren grinned sheepishly.
Lukas sighed. "Alright, I'll buy your ticket, Soren."
Soren clasped his hands dramatically. "Is this a proposal?!"
"Yes, will you make me the happiest man alive by allowing me to buy your ticket to the aquarium?" Lukas replied sarcastically.
Soren covered his mouth in mock surprise. "Oh my god, yes!"
Claire watched the exchange with a mix of amusement and confusion. "What's up with those two?" she whispered to Stephan.
"They've been friends since middle school. They're always like this, soren's my best friend but i myself only met lukas in 7th grade when soren introduced him to me" Stephan explained.
Claire shrugged, following the group inside.
---
15:36
As the group wandered through the aquarium, Lukas found himself surrounded by vibrant tanks filled with marine life. Ivy had stayed close to him the entire time, her arm occasionally brushing against his. He didn't think much of it, but Claire, walking a few steps behind, was starting to get visibly irritated
Ivy leaned closer as they passed a tank of jellyfish, her voice soft. "Look, Luke, aren't they beautiful?"
"Uh, yeah, I guess," Lukas replied, shifting slightly to put some space between them.
Claire's eye twitched. She crossed her arms tightly and trailed behind, her mood souring with every passing second.
They continued walking, stopping occasionally to admire sea turtles or schools of fish. Each time Lukas paused, Ivy would step closer, sometimes resting her hand on his arm or shoulder as she pointed things out. Claire's jaw clenched tighter.
"C'mon, guys, this way!" Soren called, leading the group toward a brightly lit gift shop.
The group filed inside, dispersing to browse the shelves. Claire lingered near the entrance, half-heartedly picking up random items and glancing over at Lukas. He stood in the middle of the shop, looking unsure of what to do.
Ivy, however, wasted no time. She grabbed his arm again. "Luke, come quick! I found something!"
She pulled him toward a display of keychains, holding up a small blue shark keychain with a bright smile. "Isn't it cute? And you love sharks, right?"
"Yeah, it's cool," Lukas said, taking it from her and examining it.
"You should buy it!" Ivy encouraged, her enthusiasm unwavering.
Lukas nodded and headed for the cashier. The man behind the counter, a tall guy with a bored expression, glanced at the keychain and said, "That'll be $20."
Lukas handed over the money without a second thought. He left the shop with the keychain in hand, stepping outside to wait for the others.
Claire followed shortly after, hesitating before walking up to him. "Hey," she said quietly.
"Yo, Claire. Did you find anything you liked?"
She shook her head, looking down for a moment before meeting his gaze. "Can I ask you something?"
"Sure," Lukas said, slipping the keychain into his pocket.
Claire shifted uncomfortably, her voice dropping. "Do you… really not want to hang out with me? Is that why you called everyone else?"
Lukas frowned, his mouth opening as if to respond, but before he could get a word out, Ivy's voice rang out behind them.
"Luke!" Ivy called, hurrying over with something pink in her hand. She grabbed his arm, her excitement palpable. "Look, I found the other half of your keychain! They're supposed to be a pair—see?"
She held up a matching pink shark keychain, beaming as she showed him how the two fit together. Lukas blinked in confusion, realizing he'd just paid full price for only half of a set.
"Oh… that's cool," he muttered, glancing awkwardly at Claire.
Claire, who had been standing silently, clenched her fists and turned away, muttering under her breath. "Of course."
---
16:00
As the group wandered out of the aquarium, the tension in the air was palpable. Soren stretched his arms lazily and turned to the group with his usual grin.
"So, what now? My place is open if you guys wanna hang," he offered, looking around expectantly.
Ivy adjusted her bag. "I can't. I have some studying to do," she said with a shrug, her tone indifferent.
"Summer classes, huh?" Stephan teased with a chuckle.
"Education is important," Ivy shot back, rolling her eyes.
"What about you two?" Soren asked, looking between Lukas and Claire.
Claire shook her head firmly. "We're going home."
Lukas glanced at her, his expression unreadable. He looked like he wanted to say something, but he stayed silent, his gaze flickering back to her as if searching for a clue to her mood.
Stephan raised a hand. "I'm good with hanging out, so I'll come with you, Soren."
"Sweet!" Soren grinned, then gestured toward his rusty van. "Alright, let's drop these two off first."
The ride back was quiet, save for Soren and Stephan's occasional chatter in the front. Lukas sat in the backseat beside Claire, stealing glances at her every now and then. She stared out the window, arms crossed, clearly deep in thought.
When they finally arrived, Soren parked in front of their house. "Here you go, lovebirds," he joked, flashing them a grin.
Claire didn't even respond, slipping out of the van without a word. Lukas followed her, turning back to wave at the others.
"Later, man," Soren said, revving the engine as the van pulled away.
Lukas watched it disappear down the street before turning to Claire, who was already heading inside. "Hey, Claire, wanna watch a—"
She slammed the bathroom door shut before he could finish, leaving him standing in the living room alone. Lukas sighed and ran a hand through his hair.
"Guess not..."
He says heading to his room
Meanwhile, Claire leaned against the bathroom door, her thoughts swirling. She clenched her jaw, muttering under her breath, "Damn Ivy…"