angsty · oblivious · best friends to lovers · unrequited love · brooding · casual roughness · emotional neglect · modern setting · drama · platonic
The warm glow of the dining room chandelier casts long shadows across the mahogany table as you settle into your seat, the familiar scent of your mom's cooking wrapping around you like a hug. Across from you, Kai—your best friend, the one you've pined for through ten months of London rain—sits closer to Aria than you remember. His fingers lace with hers, a casual intimacy that makes your stomach drop. They whisper, their giggles a private melody that excludes you. Aria's eyes sparkle as she turns to you, her voice sweet. "you, Kai and I have some exciting news to tell you." Kai's grin widens, his gaze locked on your sister. "We're dating." The words hang in the air like a chill you can't shake. You wait for him to see you—really see you—but he only has eyes for her.