Show & Tell
One Nice Bug Per Day
Peter Solarz
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@zuhaism
NAVIGATION !!
[ nexy , she/her , wlw only ]
rules. i write for lsrfm, aespa and katseye only reqs are open ! i do not write for males idols. please send cute prompts so i can write more !
masterlist.
CORSO — lesserafim (6thmember!au)
SAVIOUR — kim minjeong
FAN FAVS (2)- yoo jimin
STORMS - kim minjeong
BITTERSWEET FEELINGS - yoo jimin
PUPPY LOVE (2)- sophia laforteza
⊹ ｡˚ 𓂃 ♡ NO WAY ?!
[ navigation ]
pairing : sophialaforteza x brothersbff!reader
synopsis : ever since she said yes to alex. you’ve changed. you laugh with lara. you smile at every other girl but her. until one moment behind the curtains.
a/n : hehehehehe. THIS IS CRAZY IDK WHAT I WAS DOING PLS IGNORE THE MISTAKES AND HOW EVERYTJING IS ALL OVER THE PLACE. anyways im back to unemployment heh. been playing minecraft and kinda ignoring this fic ugh 😒. but it’s here!! if you havent read the first part its here !!
the night still buzzes in your veins, the lingering high of the concert making you feel weightless. beside you, basil is still laughing about something, your footsteps unhurried as the two of you walk through the thinning crowd.
“man, that was crazy,” basil says, running a hand through his damp hair. “thanks for convincing me to join the band.”
you smirk, wiping off your sweat with a towel and leaving it hanging around your shoulders. “we needed someone useless enough to play bass.”
basil scoffs, shoving your shoulder. “you’re full of shit.”
you just laugh, the adrenaline still fading from your system, your limbs starting to feel heavier, more grounded. basil grins, triumphant, but your laughter softens, your expression shifting as something heavier settles in your chest. you hesitate, licking your lips.
“hey, uh,” you start, glancing at him. “i have to tell you something.”
basil slows his steps, sensing the change in tone. “what’s up?”
you inhale, exhale. flex your fingers. the words have been sitting at the back of your throat for too long, and if you don’t say them now, you don’t think you ever will.
“it’s about sophia.”
basil raises an eyebrow, waiting.
your throat tightens. “i like her.” then, quieter, more certain.more raw, “i’ve liked her for a long time.”
basil doesn’t react at first. just blinks at you, processing. then, after a long beat, a slow smirk spreads across his lips.
“so you finally grew a pair.”
you groan, tilting your head back. “bro, shut up.”
basil lets out a laugh, clapping you on the back. “nah, this is good. you should tell her. i mean, she’s been weird about you since you came.”
your brows furrow. “weird how?”
basil shrugs, but the glint in his eyes is unmistakable. “she’s been—”
“she’s been acting all… i don’t know, restless? like she’s here but not really here, y’know?”
you frown, gripping your water bottle tighter. “what do you mean?”
basil tilts his head, thinking. “like, okay. earlier, before the set, she was all quiet. which, first of all, unheard of.”
you huff a small laugh. yeah, that does sound weird. basil takes a sip of his drink before adding, “oh, and she keeps staring at you.”
your grip falters. “staring?”
basil smirks. “yeah, dude. like, eyes glued to you, totally zoned out, caught in the moment—i swear, it was embarrassing. Like damn, get a grip, soph.”
you feel warmth creep up your neck. “you’re messing with me.”
basil rolls his eyes. “yeah, because i have nothing better to do than gaslight you about my little sister having heart eyes for you.”
you click your tongue, shaking your head, but before you can respond, something catches your eye.
a few paces ahead, past the clusters of people drifting between food stalls and game booths, sophia stands beside alex at one of the carnival stands. the glow of the overhead bulbs bathes her in soft gold, illuminating the sharp lines of her profile. the delicate furrow of her brows, the subtle downturn of her lips.
she’s watching alex play one of those rigged bottle toss games, her arms crossed tightly over her chest, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. if she’s trying to feign interest, she’s not doing a very good job. alex is losing. badly.
basil lets out a sharp laugh. “he sucks.”
your jaw locks. the response catches in your throat, thick and bitter, before you manage a curt, “yeah.”
basil glances at you then, catching something in your tone, something restrained. he doesn’t push, but there’s a knowing glint in his eyes when he tilts his head toward the booth. “c’mon, let’s go say hi.”
you exhale through your nose, set your shoulders, and follow him.
you weave through the thinning crowd, the smell of fried dough and butter lingering in the cool night air. as you approach, sophia spots you first. her gaze flickers toward you in a sharp, fleeting moment, like a reflex. but instead of holding it, she drops her eyes just as quickly, snapping back to alex.
that’s new.
you can’t remember the last time sophia actively avoided looking at you.
not that you have time to dwell on it, because alex lets out a groan as another ball bounces uselessly off the rim. “dude, this game is rigged,” he mutters, dragging a hand down his face.
sophia doesn’t even pretend to disagree. “or you just have no hand-eye coordination,” she says, dry and unimpressed.
“nah, it’s definitely rigged.”
basil snorts. “what, still blaming the game for your lack of talent?”
alex turns at that, grinning when he sees you. “hey, man, this shit’s impossible.”
you barely hear him. you’re still watching sophia. still waiting for her to acknowledge you. but she only nudges alex’s arm, shifting slightly away. “just let it go, dude.”
alex scoffs. “nah, watch, i got this.” he tosses another ball. it ricochets off the rim and lands unceremoniously on the ground.
your lips curl, sharp and mocking. “wow. impressive.”
alex shoots you a glare. “you think you can do better?”
you step forward, tugging a couple of bills from your pocket and handing them to the vendor. “yeah, actually.”
it’s instant. sophia’s head snaps toward you, like the words have struck something in her.
you don’t acknowledge it. don’t acknowledge her. instead, you roll your shoulders back, picking up a ball, your fingers curling around the smooth surface. your movements are casual, practiced, but beneath the surface, something burns.
your jaw is still clenched from earlier. your mind still reeling from basil’s words, from the way sophia hasn’t met your eyes, from the way she stands beside alex, arms crossed like she’s closing herself off. you’ve spent too long standing still, too long waiting, too long biting your tongue. so you aim, exhale slow, and throw.
the ball hits the rim, bounces once, then sinks straight through the bottles.
the vendor whistles. “damn, nice shot.”
alex groans, dragging a hand through his hair. “what the hell.”
basil bursts into laughter, clapping alex on the back. “ just admit you suck.”
you ignore them, your focus fixed on the row of prizes dangling from the booth. you glance at sophia then, for the first time really looking at her since you walked up.
“which one?” you ask, your voice measured, careful. sophia hesitates.
for a fleeting second, something wavers in her expression. a flicker of uncertainty, of something almost vulnerable, before she forces it away.
she licks her lips, eyes darting to the stuffed animals. “that one, i guess.” she points at a small blue penguin.
the vendor grabs it and hands it to you. you turn, holding it out. sophia stares at the toy, her grip on her own arms tightening slightly. then, slowly, she reaches out.
your fingers brush. you feel it. warm and brief, a barely-there spark. but sophia pulls away.
you don’t.
sophia doesn’t know why she hesitated. it’s just a stuffed animal. it shouldn’t mean anything. but when you look at her like that. patient, expectant, like you care. her chest tightens.
her fingers curl around the penguin, but her hands feel unsteady. she pulls away too quickly, needing distance, but it doesn’t help. her heart is still racing.
she doesn’t know why she feels this way. or maybe she does, and she’s just trying too hard to ignore it.
she clutches the penguin close to her chest, her fingers pressing into the soft fabric like it’s something solid to hold onto.
then alex laughs. “damn, i should’ve let you play first.”
your lips twitch. “you should’ve.”
basil coughs, barely covering his amusement.
“well, it’s fine,” alex says, tossing an arm around sophia’s shoulders. “i still got the girl, so i win in the end, right?”
you freeze.
it’s immediate. the way your whole body tenses, your breath catching in your throat. the way the warmth in your veins turns to ice, the words landing in your chest like a punch you hadn’t braced for.
your fingers curl into your palms, nails digging into skin. sophia stiffens under alex’s arm. you see it. feel it.
then, finally, sophia meets your gaze.
your jaw clenches. you don’t say anything. sophia’s throat bobs. she exhales sharply, then mutters, “we’re just dating. it’s not official.” she says as she pushes alex’s hand off of her.
the words hang in the air like a frayed thread, fragile and stretching too thin. alex frowns, blinking. “uh, isn’t that the same thing?”
“not really.”
“wow, congrats,” you try to say, forcing the words past the knot in your throat. your voice tried to stay steady, to sound like you mean it. but it comes out flat, hollow. basil looks at you sharply, his gaze bouncing between you and the couple. he wants to punch alex. you can see it in the way his jaw clenches. but more than that, he wants to comfort you.
before he can do either, you force out a quick excuse. “um—i gotta go tinkle. you know… that set was crazy.”
sophia shifts at your comment. her eyes flick to you, searching, and you know she can tell something’s wrong.
before basil can stop you, you’re already turning away, moving fast.
the moment you’re out of sight, the pressure behind your eyes becomes unbearable. the world blurs at the edges, lights smearing into streaks, voices muffled against the pounding in your chest.
you were too slow to say anything. too slow to brave it. too slow to tell her how you felt before someone else took the chance.
you swallow hard, blinking against the tears, but they keep coming, hot and relentless.
before you started blaming yourself. a body collided with you. “oh sorry- yn?” it was lara. she was already looking at you with concern written all over her face. “lets sit down.”
she grabbed your wrists before you can even tell her to go away. lara doesn’t give you a choice. her grip is firm but not forceful, her pace steady as she leads you away from the crowds, away from the suffocating buzz of the carnival. you don’t fight it. you don’t have the energy to.
your chest feels too tight, your throat raw from holding back everything you don’t have the strength to say.
lara doesn’t speak right away. she waits until you’re both settled on a bench near the edge of the boardwalk overlooking the sea, where the noise is distant enough to feel bearable. only then does she turn to you, eyes scanning your face, piecing things together without needing to ask.
for a moment it was quiet. the sound of waves could only be heard between the two of you. “stay here” said lara breaking the calming silence. you didn’t react. your mind was out of it.
after 5 minutes, lara came back with two ice cream cones. lara hands you one of the cones without a word, pressing the cold treat into your palm. no hesitation, no questioning. just an unspoken understanding.
you glance down at it, then back at her. “really?”
she shrugs, already taking a bite of her own. “figured you needed something to shut your brain up.”
you let out a quiet, breathy laugh, the first genuine one in what feels like hours. the weight in your chest doesn’t disappear, but it shifts, just enough. “thanks.”
lara doesn’t acknowledge it, just nudges your knee with hers and leans back against the bench, eyes locked on the dark horizon.
you both sit there, letting the silence stretch. it isn’t awkward, isn’t heavy. it just is. the waves crash against the shore, the distant sounds of the carnival hum in the background, and for the first time tonight, you feel like you can breathe.
you don’t say it out loud, but you’re grateful. not just for the ice cream, but for lara’s presence, for the way she doesn’t press for answers you aren’t ready to give.
after a few minutes, she exhales sharply, tilting her head. “i’m just saying, if you had to lose out to someone, alex is a really pathetic choice.”
you snort, shaking your head. “dude.”
“what? he’s a douche.”
you roll your eyes, but the corner of your mouth twitches. “apparently, that’s not a dealbreaker.”
lara hums, feigning deep thought. “tragic.”
“mhm.”
the night air is cool against your skin, the scent of salt and sugar lingering in the breeze. your ice cream is starting to drip down your fingers, but wiping it away feels like too much effort.
you were enjoying your ice cream until the silence was broken once again when someone called your name.
“sophia?” lara mutters, barely tilting her head.
you freeze for a split second before turning around.
sophia is standing a few feet away, her expression shifting the moment your eyes meet. for a brief moment, she looks relieved. almost pleased. to have found you sitting alone. her shoulders loosen slightly, the tension in her stance easing. but then she sees lara.
her expression falters. the subtle warmth in her eyes cools, replaced by something sharper, something guarded. she presses her lips together, crossing her arms over her chest, posture stiffening like she’s bracing for something.
you don’t say anything. just wait.
“we’re leaving,” she finally says, voice even but not as casual as she probably wants it to be. “come on.”
normally, you would’ve stood up immediately, tossed the rest of your ice cream and followed without hesitation. but you don’t.
sophia notices.
her grip tightens around her sleeves as she watches you stay seated, licking the last bit of your ice cream off your fingers like you’re in no rush at all. she shifts on her feet, waiting for the inevitable moment when you’ll sigh, stand, and trail after her like you always do.
but you don’t move.
she exhales through her nose, impatient. “yn.”
still, nothing.
something twists uncomfortably in her stomach. this is different. this isn’t how things go. you’re supposed to come with her. you’re supposed to listen, even when she doesn’t ask nicely.
she turns on her heel, expecting your footsteps to follow.
but they don’t.
sophia stops after a few steps, a cold prickle running down her spine. her fingers curl against her arms as she turns back around, trying not to look as thrown off as she feels.
she watches as you exhale, finally shifting forward. you stretch a little, wiping your hands against your jeans before patting lara’s shoulder, murmuring something too low to hear.
and then you walk right past her.
sophia barely steps aside in time, the air between you charged with something heavy, something unfamiliar.
no glance. no acknowledgment.
you just keep moving, heading toward the set to gather your things.
sophia stares after you, the unease in her chest settling like a weight she can’t shake off. she doesn’t understand this feeling clawing at her ribs, the frustration bubbling beneath her skin. it’s ridiculous. you were just sitting with lara. just eating ice cream. there’s nothing wrong with that.
and yet, she hates the way it makes her feel.
on the ride home, the car is quieter than usual. not tense, not awkward. just quiet. the kind that feels intentional. like no one wants to be the first to break it.
you sit by the window, gaze locked on the passing streetlights, the glow casting shifting patterns across your face. your hands rest in your lap, fingers curled loosely around the fabric of your jeans. you haven’t spoken since getting in the car, and you don’t plan to.
sophia sits beside you, her arms crossed, legs tucked up slightly like she’s trying to make herself smaller. she keeps sneaking glances at you, waiting for something. maybe for you to turn and meet her eyes. maybe for you to say something, anything, like you always do.
but you don’t.
your silence feels different tonight. it’s not the comfortable kind, not the easy kind. it’s heavy, distant. like you’re not physically here and it’s bothering her more than it should.
when the car reaches sophia’s house, you step out without a word, moving straight to the trunk to grab some of the equipment. basil does the same, shooting you a glance, but he doesn’t say anything.
sophia follows, watching as you walk ahead of her, shoulders tense in a way that’s so unlike you. usually, you’d be the one cracking a joke about how you always end up carrying the heaviest stuff or making some offhand comment about how you basically live here at this point. but tonight, you’re just quiet.
it’s throwing her off.
inside, you set the last bag down in the usual spot near the couch. basil disappears into the kitchen, giving you two some space—not that you seem to notice. you just straighten up, dust your hands off, and let out a quiet exhale.
“alright, i’m heading out.”
sophia blinks. “oh. you’re not staying?” usually you’d stay for awhile. chatting with basil , play with their dogs or even annoying sophia. but today.
“nah, i’m tired.”
she waits for it. the usual—maybe a teasing remark, a lazy grin, even a light shove to her shoulder. but it doesn’t come.
instead, you just nod at basil, say a quick “see you” to him, and then. nothing. no glance in her direction, no hug, no playful ruffling of her hair that you know she pretends to hate. your eyes really do look tired.
just silence.
her stomach twists.
she stands there, watching as you walk out the door without looking back. something about it makes her chest feel tight, an odd pressure settling in like she’s missing something. like she’s done something wrong.
before she even realizes it, she’s following you.
by the time she steps onto the driveway, you’re already in the driver’s seat, hands gripping the wheel like you can’t wait to leave. her stomach twists. she hesitates for a second, fingers tightening around the sleeves of her hoodie, before raising a hand and tapping lightly on your window.
you roll it down, and suddenly, you’re looking at her. really looking at her.
it makes her nervous.
up close, she can see it clearly—the exhaustion in your face, the dull weight in your eyes. you look drained, like you’ve been running on empty all night, and she wonders why she didn’t notice it sooner.
“uh—your set,” she starts, shifting her weight, suddenly unsure of what to say. “it was really good today. i didn’t get to tell you earlier.”
your lips twitch, barely forming a smile, but it doesn’t reach your eyes. “thanks.”
sophia doesn’t like this. the quiet. the distance. the way you feel just out of reach. she knows you would’ve been teasing her. for complimenting you. but nothing. not even a grin from you.
she lingers, arms crossed over her chest like it’ll help ease the discomfort pressing into her ribs. typically, you’d stay. even if you were tired, you’d still crash on their couch for a while, maybe steal something from the fridge before heading home. but tonight, you’re already leaving.
“see you next week, soph.”
she blinks. “next week? you’re not coming tomorrow?”
you shake your head. “can’t. got stuff to do.”
the answer is too easy.
she shifts again, fingers gripping her sleeve. “you sure? it’s still early. you could—” she stops herself, biting the inside of her cheek. she doesn’t know what she’s asking for. doesn’t know why she suddenly doesn’t want you to go.
but you just sigh, rubbing a hand over your face before nodding. “sorry soph. im busy— i just— i dont think im feeling well.” you stopped, eyes meeting sophias.
and for a second, she forgets what she was going to say. sophia swallows. her voice catches in her throat.
sophia doesn’t say anything. she just watches as you roll the window back up, put the car in reverse, and pull away.
and she stands there long after your tail lights disappear, arms wrapped around herself, wondering why it suddenly feels like she just let something important slip right through her fingers.
the following week has been dull for sophia. not because she doesn’t have anything to do—she does, as her schedule is packed with rehearsals, school, and the usual chaos of balancing everything at once. but because she rarely sees you anymore.
and when she does, it’s different.
whenever she walks into a room and you’re there—laughing at something her brother said, leaning back on the couch like you belong—her chest tightens in something close to relief. but before she can even think about joining, you’re making some excuse, getting up, slipping away before she can say anything.
it’s deliberate. she knows it is.
but it’s the worst when she sees you with lara.
the two of you have been close lately, too close for her liking. lara leans into your space, nudges your arm, laughs at something only the two of you understand. it makes sophia’s skin itch, her fingers twitch like she wants to tear something apart.
(she doesn’t know why it gets to her so much.)
at least here, during tutoring, you can’t run.
you’re sitting across from her, flipping through the calculus textbook with that familiar, unreadable look on your face. you’ve been quieter than usual, more distant, but your explanations are as sharp as ever, walking her through every problem with the same level of patience that makes her want to watch you forever.
she wonders if you know how amazing you are at this. not just at math, but at explaining things, at making the hardest problems feel manageable. she watches the way your fingers tap absently against the paper, the way your brows furrow when you’re thinking. she wants to tell you.
she doesn’t.
instead, she taps her pencil against the desk, glancing at you. “hey, the silver screen is this friday. you wanna come?”
you pause, glancing up from the textbook. “alex won’t go with you?” the words come out before you can stop them, and you hate how they sound. detached. like it doesn’t sting to picture her with him.
you know exactly what the silver screen is. an annual event the school organizes, setting up a massive projector on the football field, fairy lights strung up around the bleachers, blankets spread across the grass. students bring snacks, some come in groups, others… as couples.
you remember your sister talking about it when you were younger, how she met her husband there, how it was one of those nights that stuck with her forever. she told you it had this kind of magic to it. something meant for the kind of people who find love in stolen glances and shared laughter under the open sky.
but the idea of sophia in that setting—with alex—makes your chest tighten.
she shifts in her seat, her pencil tapping against her notebook. “he’s going camping or something.” she shrugs, but you notice the way she’s watching you closely, like she’s waiting for something. “anyway, it’s not that serious. just a movie night.”
just a movie night.
you swallow, forcing your gaze back down to the calculus problem in front of you, but the numbers blur together. you should say no. you should tell her you’re busy, give her some excuse, avoid the way this entire conversation makes you feel.
sophia feels like she’s standing on the edge of something dangerous, something she doesn’t quite understand. she should drop it. should let yn change the subject, move on like this was just some offhand suggestion.
but then she speaks again, quieter this time. “you don’t have to, obviously. just thought it’d be nice.”
and that, more than anything. makes it impossible to refuse.
the silence stretches, and sophia suddenly regrets every decision she’s made in the last two minutes.
“yeah,” you murmur, gripping your pen a little tighter. “i’ll think about it.”
relief rushes through sophia so fast it almost makes her lightheaded. she nods, trying not to seem too eager, forcing herself to focus on her notes. but her heart is still racing.
she doesn’t know if this is a good idea.
you have been avoiding her lately, and sophia doesn’t know why. she sees it in the way you always leave the moment she shows up, how you makes excuses to be anywhere else. even during tutoring, she feels the shift.
and maybe that’s why sophia is scared. because for the first time in weeks, she’s found an excuse to keep you close.
sophia doesn’t push. she just nods, a small, almost satisfied expression crossing her face before she drops her attention back to her notes.
she’ll deal with that later. right now, all that matters is that you haven’t said no.
sophia doesn’t even like flowers that much.
but alex had shown up out of nowhere, smiling as she handed over a single baby’s breath, saying something about how she was sorry that sophia missed the silver screen.
sophia barely registered the words. she just held the flower between her fingers, nodding along, trying not to overthink how wrong it felt to be standing here, listening to alex talk when all she could think about was you.
and then alex was gone.
sophia barely had time to process it before you appeared, stepping up beside her with that unreadable look in your eyes.
“nice flower,” you said, gaze flickering down to the small bloom in her hand.
sophia didn’t even get the chance to respond before you plucked it from her fingers, twirling it once between your own as you started walking. instinctively, she followed. there was no hesitation, no second thought—just the pull of you leading the way, and sophia falling into step beside you.
as soon as you start walking, you begin talking.
something about your day, something about how your morning was a disaster because you spilled coffee on your notes, and then how lara had the audacity to laugh instead of help. something about that makes her twitch. you’re still talking, completely unaware of the way sophia’s stomach twists when you bring up lara.
“—and then lara said i need to get a life because i spent my saturday fixing my guitar instead of going out, but she was literally—”
sophia isn’t sure why she feels weird about this. you and lara have always been friends. but hearing just how much time you’ve been spending together lately makes something uncomfortable settle in her chest.
before she can stop herself, the words leave her mouth. “lara likes someone from the girls' football team.”
you pause mid-step, blinking at her. “okay?” okay?? what was she even expecting you to say?
she has no idea why she said that. no idea why she felt the need to say anything. you stare at her for a second longer, like you’re trying to figure out if there’s a point to what she just blurted out. and maybe there is. maybe she just wants you to stop bringing her up so casually when it’s already so obvious that lara gets more of your time than she does. but you don’t push. you just shrug, muttering something about how you hope lara finally gets her love life sorted out, before continuing whatever you were saying earlier. sophia barely hears it.
her face feels hot. her hands are clammy. she keeps her gaze forward, hoping you won’t notice. she needs to get a grip.
you keep talking like nothing happened, like sophia didn’t just embarrass herself for no reason.
her face is burning. she can still hear her own voice echoing in her head, the absolute stupidity of it making her want to crawl into her locker and never come out. why did she say that? why did she care?
sophia nods along, half-listening.
she wants to focus on your words, she really does, but all she can think about is the fact that you’re talking to her again.
after a week of cold shoulders and passing glances that never quite landed, you’re walking beside her like nothing happened. you’re initiating the conversation, keeping the space between you light and easy. and god, she missed this. she missed you.
she barely even notices when you toss the flower into the trash without a second thought. she’s too busy watching the way you move, the way your hands gesture when you talk, the way your voice dips when you complain about lara. it’s familiar and new all at once, and she hates how much she’s hanging onto every word, desperate to make up for the days you kept your distance.
before she knows it, you’re outside her classroom. she stops, blinking up at you as you roll your shoulders back like you’re bracing yourself.
“i’ll go to the silver screen with you.”
sophia’s breath catches.
“i’ll pick you up at six.”
she barely processes the words before you’re already stepping away, disappearing down the hall.
her hands are ice cold, but her face feels like it’s on fire.the bell rings, but she doesn’t move. she barely hears it over the way her pulse roars in her ears. students push past her, some rushing into the classroom, others lingering in the hallway, but sophia doesn’t register any of it. she’s stuck—feet planted, hands gripping the hem of her sweater, head tilted slightly down as her hair falls over her burning face.
her lips twitch, and then, before she can stop it, a smile breaks through. and suddenly, her whole chest feels like it’s about to burst.
fireworks. that’s what it feels like. like someone just lit a match inside her, and now she’s sparking. she barely remembers how to breathe.
someone bumps into her shoulder on their way into class, snapping her out of it. she blinks rapidly, heart still hammering against her ribs, and forces her feet to move. she slips inside, head ducked low, smile still tugging at her lips, fingers twitching at her sides.
she doesn’t think she’s going to hear a single thing the teachers say today.
sophia had to stay back until four for cheer practice. it was now 3:57.
she stepped out of the locker room, still adjusting the strap of her gym bag, cheeks flushed from the last half hour of cheer practice. she was let off early for once. her coach had other meetings to get to, and sophia didn’t mind. in fact, she was almost relieved. because it meant she got to see you. not for tutoring. just… to be with you. and even if it was just a few minutes walking to your car and getting driven home by you, it was something she’d been looking forward to since the morning.
she hummed quietly as she walked down the quiet hallway, shoes squeaking softly against the floor. it was nice to finally have a moment where she didn’t feel like she had to run into alex or sit through another lunch of watching you laugh at something lara said.
when she passed the music room, she slowed down. you said you’d be there, working on something for the club. just a quick touch-up for an upcoming assembly or whatever. she thought she’d check on you, see if you were ready to leave.
but then she saw you.
you were there, standing by the far piano, eyes crinkling in that way that always made sophia’s chest ache. and beside you was lara. laughing at something, close enough that it made sophia’s stomach twist. your shoulder brushed lara’s when you leaned down to show her something on the sheet music.
sophia couldn’t move.
she should’ve just gone outside. waited like a normal person. but instead, she was frozen there, just outside the open doorway, like some kind of idiot. watching two of her friends laugh over a song she didn’t care about, in a space that suddenly felt like it didn’t belong to her.
and she hated that it made her mad.
lara had only known you for what, a few months? but somehow she had you laughing, smiling, letting her in. meanwhile, you could barely look sophia in the eye last week. she was your date to the silver screen, and yet she didn’t feel like she meant anything to you.
so she turned around. quietly, without saying a word.
sophia walked to the front of the school and sat on the stairs, bag at her feet. the late afternoon sun warmed the concrete, but she barely noticed it. her thoughts were louder than everything else.
why did it feel like this? why did her chest feel tight every time she saw you with lara? why did she hate that lara could make you laugh so easily? and more than anything—why did she care so much?
she already had alex, didn’t she?
except alex didn’t make her feel like this. he never did.
she buried her face in her hands for a second, trying to breathe past the knot in her chest. this was stupid. she had no reason to be jealous. you weren’t even hers.
but then she heard the door open behind her.
your voice came next. soft, almost surprised. “soph? what are you doing out here?”
sophia looked up, blinking fast. the sun caught on your hair, and you squinted slightly against the light as you stepped down toward her. and just like that, the irritation and the jealousy faded into something warmer. something she hated to name.
“you ready to go?” you asked, adjusting your bag.
sophia nodded, getting up quickly and brushing off the back of her skirt. “yeah.”
you didn’t mention lara. didn’t say anything about what she might’ve seen through that window. and maybe sophia was grateful for that.
but as you started walking beside her toward the parking lot, close enough for your arm to brush hers, sophia realized something quietly. no matter how much time passed, or who else was around, being next to you always felt like something she didn’t want to lose.
she had to do something. but as for now, she could not wait until silver screen to spend time with you.
it was finally friday. the day of the silver screen.
yesterday’s tutoring session was strange. sophia wasn’t herself—distant, distracted. her eyes kept drifting away from the textbook, and her responses were slower than usual. she was zoning out, completely out of it. and no matter how many times you asked if something was wrong, she just shook her head and gave you a half-smile.
you hated how fast your mind jumped to alex. hated how easy it was to assume he had something to do with it. maybe they argued. maybe he did something stupid again. maybe sophia was finally tired of pretending to be okay. or maybe—maybe it had nothing to do with alex at all, and you were just projecting.
still, the silence between you two yesterday stuck to you more than it should’ve. especially with how much you were looking forward to seeing her again today.
you were leaning against the wall outside your second period class when lara walked up to you, balancing her iced coffee in one hand and her phone in the other.
“you good?” she asked, eyes scanning your face. “you look like someone broke your guitar.”
you scoffed. “just tired.”
lara raised an eyebrow. “tired of watching sophia and alex exist, or just tired in general?”
you didn’t answer. instead, you looked down, kicking lightly at the floor. the way she said it so casually, like she already knew exactly what was bothering you, made your stomach twist.
“look,” lara said, taking a sip of her drink, “i’m not gonna give you the whole ‘move on’ speech. but maybe… take a chance?” you glanced at her, confused. “on what?”
“on anyone,” she said simply. “any girl who even breathes in your direction. flirt back. talk first. give someone else a shot.”
you laughed, dry and a little hollow. “that’d be you, then.” lara snorted. “please. you’re attractive, but you’re not my type.” you clutched your chest dramatically. “ouch.”
“you’ll live,” she teased. “just… stop shutting people out. you never know who might surprise you. maybe tonight, some cute girl’s gonna walk up to you under the lights and change everything.” you rolled your eyes but smiled, soft and small. “we’ll see.”
“we will see,” lara said, and just as she was about to continue, someone appeared beside you both.
“hi, guys!”
you turned. sophia.
she was smiling too brightly. her voice slightly too chipper to be casual. her eyes flickered between you and lara, and for a second, she looked like she was regretting even approaching. but lara, oblivious or simply unbothered, grinned.
“just the person i needed to see,” lara said. “music club needs extra help for the orchestra set-up on sunday.”
sophia blinked. “orchestra?”
“yeah,” lara nodded. “stage layout, equipment prep, stuff like that. we’re a little short on hands on saturday. you in?”
sophia hesitated. “i don’t know… i might be out with alex that day.”
your stomach dropped, but your face didn’t change. you just offered a tight-lipped smile, eyes unfocused. lara nudged sophia’s arm. “yn and another girl is gonna be there.” sophia turned to look at you, and you met her eyes briefly. you didn’t say anything. you didn’t need to. she hesitated again, visibly torn. “…maybe. i have to see how saturday goes.
“well, if you change your mind,” lara said, giving sophia a knowing look, “it’s always open. besides, yn could use a friend there.”
sophia opened her mouth to respond, but nothing came out right away. you didn’t press. you just watched her quietly, your expression unreadable. she didn’t know what she expected to see in your face, but whatever it was—it wasn’t there.
sophia could hear the doorbell ring, followed by basil’s unmistakably loud voice yelling, “your favourite person is here!”
she paused at the top of the stairs, heart ticking a little faster. she didn’t know why that made her blush. maybe because it was true. or maybe it was the panic that you might’ve actually heard him from outside.
she smoothed her sundress, quickly brushing down the fabric as she gave herself one last glance in the mirror. cheeks warm. hair in place. smile soft but not too eager. okay.
when she finally walked down the stairs, she spotted you through the open front door. leaning against the railings in your leather jacket, talking to basil with that casual charm of yours.
you looked—cool. your hair, your posture, your smile. it wasn’t fair. you looked like you belonged in a movie. basil nudged you, laughing about something, and for a second sophia almost turned back around just to take another breath.
then you looked up and saw her. your whole expression shifted. “soph,” you said, voice low but warm, and something in it made her freeze for a moment.
you weren’t smiling like you normally did. your gaze moved from her eyes to her lips to her sundress and then back up again. like you were taking her in all at once. she stepped out of the house, barely remembering how to walk. you tilted your head slightly. “you look…”
you didn’t finish the sentence, but your face said enough. “thank you,” sophia smiled, cheeks heating as she fiddled with the strap of her bag. “you clean up okay too.”
basil scoffed. “okay? look at her. leather jacket? hair actually tamed? she’s trying to impress.” you rolled your eyes. “shut up.”
“don’t knock her up!” basil called out dramatically as you both started walking down the path. “bye, basil,” you said dryly, grabbing sophia’s hand for just a second to guide her past the uneven step. she nearly tripped anyway, too caught up in the feeling of your fingers against her skin. when you let go, her palm missed it immediately.
“you ready?” you asked once you reached the car, your voice soft again. different from how you spoke to basil. only for her. “yeah,” she replied, eyes shining just a little too brightly. “ready.”
the drive to school was quiet, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. the windows were slightly rolled down. music played softly from the stereo. sophia peeked at you once or twice, each time hoping you wouldn’t catch her. but you did.
and you smiled.
once you arrived, the field was already starting to fill with groups of people. string lights hung across the trees, dim but glowing. the screen wasn’t lit yet, but the projector was being set up. blankets, snacks, pillows. people were settling in.
you popped the trunk and pulled out a folded blanket and a small cooler bag. “you came prepared,” sophia said as you led her to a quieter near the back. “had to,” you shrugged, setting everything down carefully. “wasn’t sure if you’d eaten.
you laid out the picnic blanket, smoothing the corners before sitting down. sophia joined you, eyes drifting to the cooler bag. “wait,” she said, “you made sandwiches?” you avoided her eyes. “yeah. i mean. just in case you got hungry.” “you made these?” she asked again, genuinely surprised. “for me?”
you shrugged again, clearly flustered. “it’s not a big deal.” sophia reached for one of them, unwrapping the foil carefully. it smelled good. “no, it is,” she said softly, grinning. “it’s really cute.” you ducked your head, ears turning pink. “don’t say that.”
“what? it is,” she said, taking a bite. “and it’s good.”
you tried to act unfazed, but your fingers kept fidgeting with the edge of the blanket. sophia felt warm. not just from the food or the air, but from you. from the effort you put in. from the fact that you remembered she liked her bread toasted just a little. from the fact that she was here, with you, without a textbook or a group or anyone else getting in the way.
it hit her all at once. how rare this was. how special. just you and her, under the lights, and nothing else demanding your attention. you leaned back on your palms, watching the people around you start to settle down. the movie hadn’t started yet, but the energy in the air felt almost anticipatory.
sophia glanced at you again. you weren’t looking at her. but she wished you were. she didn’t know what any of this meant yet. but she knew how she felt right now. and it was… happy. unreasonably happy.
sophia couldn’t stop glancing at you.
the movie had started. drive me crazy, a film she’d only ever half-watched once on cable, but now it played on the huge projector screen. the kind with soft music and bubble fonts and girls with shiny hair and boys who suddenly realize the best thing in their life has been there all along. it felt like a cliche, and yet… here she was. on a blanket with you, under strings of dim fairy lights and the vast sky, heart threatening to beat right out of her chest.
you were leaning back on your wrists, one leg stretched out, the other bent casually. your leather jacket was still on, despite the warmth of the evening. it made you look even cooler. like the main character in a teen movie who didn’t even try to be charming. you just were. and when the screen lit up your face. those golden streaks of light dancing over your cheekbones. sophia had to physically remind herself to look away.
she was flustered. every time your arm brushed hers, she stiffened slightly. not because she didn’t like it. because she did. too much. it was impossible to ignore how close you were. how your knees would occasionally touch when you shifted. how you’d offer her little comments about the movie in a whisper only she could hear. each time you leaned closer, it felt like the air thinned around them.
sophia didn't realize how cold her hands were until yours touched them.
the movie had been playing for a while now, and most of the lawn had quieted into the soft hum of popcorn munching and screen-lit faces. she wasn’t even watching anymore. not really. her eyes were forward, but her mind was sideways—on you. the way your foot tapped gently against hers, how your knuckles occasionally bumped. your presence beside her felt too big, like it was crowding all the space in her chest, and yet she wanted to be closer. she needed it like oxygen.
your fingers brushed hers again, this time more intentionally. and then, before she could prepare, you reached for her hand and held it. gently. warmly. like it was the most natural thing in the world.
her breath caught. she didn’t look at you.
your thumb ran lightly across the back of her hand, just once. slow. curious.
“your hand’s freezing,” you whispered, voice low, careful not to disturb the fragile quiet between you.
sophia blinked. her brain stuttered. “oh. yeah. i guess i—i didn’t notice.”
you were still holding her. still rubbing soft circles, like your trying to warm her hand. then came the breeze. not strong, but sudden, slipping under her sundress and making her shoulders tense. you didn’t say anything.
you let go of her hand just for a moment, and the cold bit at your skin immediately, sharper now that you weren’t distracted by her touch. she looked up, confused, just as you slipped your arms out of your jacket. the motion was smooth. you didn’t say anything. you didn’t need to.
the air was cool tonight.that in-between kind of cold that settled low in your chest and made your breath curl in front of your face. the sky had turned dark, still holding onto the last traces of daylight. she shivered once, barely noticeable, but you caught it.
you shuffled closer.
your jacket, still warm from your body. draped over her shoulders. not quickly, not casually. you made sure it settled right. that the collar tucked against her neck. that the sleeves didn’t slip off.
sophia went very still. the warmth hit her first, curling around her like a second skin. then the scent. faint leather, something piney from your cologne, and something else, something she couldn’t name but had always associated with you. it wrapped around her like a memory she hadn’t let herself remember.
her fingers twitched at her sides, like she wanted to hold onto it. like she wanted to hold onto you. when she turned her head to look at you, you were already watching her.
your face was different in the low light. softer. your features drawn in shadow and the gold cast of the nearest lamp. your eyes, usually so easy to read—were darker now, unreadable. they flickered with something quieter. something closer to hope. closer to fear. you weren’t smiling. you weren’t teasing. you just looked at her.
long and soft and still.
“thanks,” sophia said quietly. her voice came out tight, breathy. she meant to sound casual, but the words caught in her throat before they even made it out. her fingers brushed the edge of your jacket, holding it closed like armor.
you didn’t reply right away. your eyes dipped, briefly, instinctively—to her mouth. then back up.
you didn’t let it linger, but she saw it. “of course,” you murmured, your voice a little rough. a little softer than she’d ever heard it. and for one long second, neither of you moved.
it was until a body dropped onto the blanket beside you guys. “hey,” came the casual voice, disrupting everything in an instant.
you turned your head, blinking. sophia flinched. and just like that, the spell broke. but she didn’t let go of your hand.
your eyes was met with soft, delicate smile with smooth, glowing skin. her eyes lingering for just a moment too long. “you’re yn, right? i’ve heard a lot about you.” said the girl with a wolfcut who just interrupted them. yn’s face softened with a smile, that casual, approachable one she always wore. “yeah, that’s me,” she replied, her voice as warm and pleasant.
the girls gaze flicked over to sophia, and for a brief second, there was something mischievous there, something almost knowing. she didn’t acknowledge her presence, though; she just looked right back at yn with a tilt of her head. “i’ve been hearing about you from some of the other members in the music club. cant wait to get to know you better this weekend”
sophia’s jaw clenched, but she forced herself to breathe. her gaze flickered to yn, waiting for her reaction. yn was shocked then she started smiling back, polite. “oh! you’re karina?” karina nods with a charming smile on her face.
karina's voice was light, almost flirtatious, and sophia could hear every word like a slap to the face. “im sure we’re gonna have a good time. you’re pretty involved in the music club.”
sophia's fingers curled into fists again, and she forced herself to take a deep breath. she could feel the heat rise in her chest, that simmering jealousy she couldn’t quite control, couldn’t hide. it was like the walls around her chest were closing in. she was fuming, but she had to hold it together. karina was still talking, still leaning in just a little too close to yn, but sophia couldn’t look away. it made her feel restless, uncomfortable in her own skin. she hated how karina looked at yn. hated how she seemed so effortlessly at ease with her.
“maybe we’ll get to do some more events together. you and me.” karina continued, her voice sweet like sugar, but with an edge that made sophia’s skin crawl. yn laughed lightly, more because she didn’t want to seem rude than anything else. “yeah, i guess so.”
sophia’s fists tightened again. she wasn’t sure why it bothered her so much. it wasn’t like karina was doing anything wrong. but it felt like a punch to the gut every time she’d glance at her.
without thinking, sophia nudged yn’s side, the action coming out sharper than she intended. her voice was almost a whisper, but it was tight with the edge of frustration. “im cold,” she muttered, hoping it would make yn pay attention to her, if only for a moment as they were still talking about the next day.
yn blinked, caught off guard. she looked at sophia, her eyebrows knitting together slightly in confusion. for a split second, sophia thought maybe she’d gone too far. maybe it was too obvious. but then, yn smiled, her face softening, and before sophia could process what was happening, yn’s arm was around her shoulders.
it was a simple, just an arm, draped over her, the warmth of it soaking into her skin. but sophia’s breath hitched, her heart skipping a beat. it felt like the world was narrowing down to just the two of them, karina’s annoying chatter blurring out of focus. the warmth from yn’s body pressed against hers, and sophia’s mind went completely blank for a moment. the tension that had been building up inside her. the jealousy, the frustration. melted away for just a second, leaving her with nothing but a rush of warmth.
karina finally glanced down. it was brief, just a flicker of her eyes toward the arm yn had draped over sophia, but it was enough. her mouth pulled into something between a smirk and an apology. “oh,” she said, the word cutting through the air just a little too knowingly, “have i caught you two at a bad time?”
sophia stiffened, but yn didn’t flinch. “nah,” she replied, casual, as if her arm wasn’t currently setting sophia’s entire bloodstream on fire. “we were just watching.”
karina’s smirk deepened for a second before she lifted her hands in mock surrender, tone playful. “my bad. i’ll leave you guys to it.” she looked at sophia this time, and for once, actually acknowledged her. “nice jacket, by the way.” then she got up, brushing off her skirt like she’d just lost interest, and disappeared into the crowd of blankets and folding chairs.
sophia didn’t say anything for a long time. she just sat there, eyes fixed ahead like she was watching the screen, but she wasn’t. the movie might as well have been static. she couldn’t hear anything over the pounding in her ears, couldn’t feel anything except yn’s arm still resting gently on her shoulders, the weight of it, the warmth of it, the casual closeness.
she was flushed all the way to her ears. she knew it. she could feel the heat crawling up her neck, her jaw tight as she tried not to let it show, tried not to make it obvious how dizzy she felt. her skin buzzed under yn’s touch.
you shifted beside her, not moving away. just closer. like you sensed it. you could feel the way her breathing stuttered. “you good?” you asked quietly, leaning down a bit so your voice barely rose above the rustle of the crowd and the hum of the movie playing in the background.
sophia glanced at you, your face so close it made her stomach twist. your arm still around her. your eyes soft and unreadable. she blinked, then nodded a little too quickly. “yeah,” she said, her voice small and clipped. “just… wasn’t expecting her.”
you raised an eyebrow, eyes flicking back in the direction karina had gone. “karina?”
sophia didn’t answer right away. her lips were pressed tight, her fingers knotted together in her lap. “she’s annoying,” she muttered eventually, the words coming out sharp.
you blinked, surprised by her tone. “she’s not that bad.”
but that only made sophia’s jaw clench harder. not that bad.her heart stung, irrationally and stupidly, like she’d just been scratched raw. the thought of you spending hours with her tomorrow, alone, laughing like that again, her leaning in too close while you smiled and didn’t stop her—it made sophia feel sick. her thoughts spiraled.
“she clearly likes you,” sophia said flatly, eyes fixed on her lap, voice barely above a whisper. “not that you noticed.”
you tilted your head slightly, caught off guard. “what?”
“nevermind.” her tone was too bitter to continue. she hated how obvious she sounded now. she wanted to take it back, but the words were already there, suspended between you.
you didn’t say anything for a second. just looked at her. studied her, the way her shoulders were tense under your arm, the way her jaw twitched slightly when she wasn’t speaking. “are you okay?” you asked again, softer this time.
she turned to look at you finally. and the look in your eyes. concern and, maybe even something warmer. it made something in her snap. she didn’t know what possessed her.
“i’ll come tomorrow.”
you blinked. “what?”
“to the orchestra setup. with you and karina.” her voice was firmer now, more controlled, but the edge was still there, bubbling just under the surface. “i’ll help.”
you hesitated. your brows lifted a little. “i thought you said you hate doing stuff like that.”
“i changed my mind.” she swallowed, staring right into your eyes. “it’ll be fun. right?”
and then she smiled, too wide, a little fake, but her eyes were burning. because if there was one thing she knew in that moment, it was that she could not let you and karina be alone together tomorrow. not when it felt like everything was tilting, slipping out of her hands.
you looked at her for a long second. then your lips parted, like you were going to say something, maybe call her out on it, maybe ask what this really was. but you didn’t. you just let out a soft laugh, shaking your head.
“sure,” you said finally, smile curling at the corners of your lips. “the more the merrier.” oh you were oblivious.
the next morning sophia woke up late. she woke up with her alarm ringing and drencehd in sweat. she hurriedly got up and checked her text. "im already here where are you?" she cursed herself for not telling basil about her plans for today. if not he could've woken her up. 'useless ass brother' sophia got dropped off by basil, she was extremely late. 2 hours late to be exact.
she wanted to leave the second she entered the auditorium because of what she saw. she saw you squatting near the apron fixing some wiring. she could see some of you back muscles peeking through the white tanktop you had on. she almost passed out.
but what made it worst was karina who was sitting on the edge of the stage. she was admiring you. your back to be specific while typing on her phone. something inside sophia lit up. she could feel herself getting angry and frustrated.
she stomped over to where you both were. karina noticed sophia’s angry walk over. “oh you’re here?” karina said with disinterest in her voice. sophia rolled her eyes at that. you on the other hand turned around upon hearing the footsteps. a bright smile immediately took over your face.
“you’re finally here!” you said in a teasing manner. getting up from your squatting position, while wiping off your hands on your jeans. sophia got a whole view of your body and she almost shuddered. your loose jeans were making your boxers peak out. sophia was caught off guard when you immediately went to hug her.
sophia hugged back of course while glaring at karina who was rolling her eyes at you two. sophia prayed you miss the way her face went red when you suddenly greeted her with a hug. “sorry im late” said sophia looking down, drowned with guilt.
you patted her shoulder. she looked up at you and that stupidly adorable grin was on your face. “it’s okay! you can help finish arranging the chairs.” you pointed at the stage behind karina.
sophia pointed at karina who was sitting on the stage idly tapping on her phone. “why isn’t she doing anything.” her tone had a hint of annoyance.
you turned back to smile at karina. who returned it. “oh she already got started arranging the chairs.” sophia only hummed at that and got to work. walking past karina who didnt even spare a glance at the girl who was glaring at her.
you got back to work. sophia was still embarrassed about being late in front of you (and karina). sophia kept sneaking glances at you while you’re working. watching the way your shirt rides up when you reach for something. the way your arms flex when your pushing onto the wires hard.
sometimes between that you joined her in arranging the chairs since karina didn’t help. but she enjoyed the view of you carrying the heavy chairs for her. it made something inside her stomach swirl.
sophia feels stupid. she’s thinking of stuff she should never imagine. she shook the thoughts away from her head as quickly as it came.
after awhile karina leaves the auditorium to grab something from the music room. suddenly the silence wasn’t awkward anymore. it was comfortable. the scrapes of chairs and sounds of tape and clattering was calming.
it was until you broke it. calling for sophia backstage near the curtains. “soph could you help me with this.”
sophia glances up and sees you by the curtains, your hand tugging gently at one of the thick panels that’s gotten caught up in some tangled wiring. you’re halfway bent over, one hand braced on your thigh and the other tugging carefully at the wires. the fabric’s bunched, looped over itself, refusing to budge.
“this one’s stuck?” she asks, walking over.
“yeah,” you nod, straightening up a bit. “i need you to hold the curtain still while i pull this out. it keeps getting worse every time i try alone.”
sophia nods, stepping beside you and gripping the curtain from the side. her hands sink into the thick material, and she shifts closer to reach the tangled part. just one small step. but it’s enough to close the space between you.
“okay, now pull that bit there,” you say, gesturing toward the bundle of wire stuck behind the fold.
you both move at the same time. she lifts the curtain, you pull the wire, and something shifts under her feet.
“fuck-” the fabric jolts loose suddenly and swings inward, wrapping around both of you in a slow, heavy sweep.
sophia stumbles forward, instinctively trying to untangle herself, but her arms catch around your shoulders when you tried to stand up straight to catch her.
“fuck,” she breathes out, eyes wide. “sorry—i didn’t mean to—” but she doesn’t pull away. She couldn’t. the curtain has fallen mostly closed around the two of you, trapping you both in this soft, dark cocoon.
she realizes how close your faces are. you’re pressed so closely together that your foreheads could touch if one of you leaned in an inch. and in the dim light, she can see every detail of your face. the way your lips part as you catch your breath. the way your eyes flicker to hers. your hand is still gripping her waist, firm and steady. she can barely hear her own thoughts over how loud her heart is beating.
a beat goes by. all you can think about is how her lips are right there. how they’re soft and pink and shiny with the same vanilla lip balm she always replies when she’s distracted. you’ve stared at her mouth more times than you’d admit.
wondered what that lip balm tastes like. wondered what she tastes like.before you said something. you whisper, almost like a confession. “i can’t do this anymore”
before she could ask you what. you pulled her in. you kiss her.
it’s not rushed, not hesitant either. it’s warm and slow and steady, like you’ve thought about this for a long time. like you’ve needed it. your hand around her hips was clutching onto her, and she freezes at first. because you’re kissing her.
her body goes stiff, and her heart stops. but then, almost like she’s waking up from a dream, her eyes flutter closed and she kisses you back.
the tension snaps like a rubber band. her hands tightens around your shoulders, dragging you impossibly closer to her, the curtain rustling around your hips. it’s messy, a little desperate. lips parting and clashing. her fingers dig into your shirt trying to feel you even more. she feels the way you sigh against her mouth, and it makes her dizzy.
her mind is spinning. this is happening. this is real. you’re kissing her, you want her, and she’s never wanted anything so badly in her entire life. her nose is filled with your scent. all she could think about is you. how good of a kisser you are. how she needed you–
“y/n!”
you and sophia tear away from each other like lightning just struck between you. both of you are wide-eyed, breathless, lips red and swollen.
sophia’s still holding your arm. you’re still gripping her hip. you let go at the same time.
you blink fast, heart still thudding. you clear your throat, trying to act normal. “yeah?” your voice
cracks slightly. you clear it again. karina’s footsteps get closer. you rush out from behind the curtain, hair mussed, shirt wrinkled, face burning.
sophia doesn’t follow immediately. she stays hidden, hand pressed over her mouth, heart racing. she can still feel your hands on her. the way your thumb had dug into her hip, the way your lips had moved against hers like you knew what she needed before she even did.
her mouth feels bruised. her skin is flushed all the way down her neck.
you kissed her.
you kissed her.
spoiler !! im not even halfway done 😢
is there gonna be a pt. 2 for bittersweet feelings 💔💔💔💔
atm rn no bae 😭🙏 im so busy with work 😔
nexy i’m this 🤏 close to losing my mind over waiting for puppy love’s ending HSHAHFNDJDJDND
writers block bae idk what the story line shld be 😣😣
YES WE STAND FOR FLUFF!!! ✊✊✊
#notoangst
YESSS slight angst mayb more fluff
how about for pt2 of "puppy love" y/n gets jealous when she finds out sophia said yes to alex and then y/n acts all jealous and grumpy, and y/n starts being too hot (even though we are already) to make sophia realize why she said yes to that shit, idk im not good with plots but yeah (i just really want a pt2 babe pls give 🙏🙏
OKAY SCENE SUGGESTIONS CMON CMON KEEP IT COMING
Omg I have an idea🤓☝️ what if Alex picks a fight with yn and yn beats him so bad and then Sophia’s like “omg why did I ever say yes to that loser” and then they kiss and live happily ever after 😃😃
YESSS PREACHHH !!!
srsly for part 2, i dont want jealous yn i need jealous sophia. like i crave for those things. i mean jealous yn would be great for the first part but jealous sophia when yn is getting too close with lara has to be better. i need angst make them not end up together.
sorry bae but im a firm believer of fluff 💔
WHY THE FUCK WOULD U SAY YES TO THAT SHIT 😭😭😭
most valid crashout after finding out you still love your childhood crush
HI IM NEW HERE AND I JUST READ "PUPPY LOVE" AND IT WAS SO GREAT I JUST HAVE A QUESTION, WHERE THE FUCK IS PART TWO??? I NEED IT PLS IM BEGGING U THAT WAS SO GOOD 🙏😭🙏😭🙏😭🙏😭🙏😭🙏😭🙏😭🙏😭
hiiii welcomeee. im making part two but idk what to write pls give suggestions ! 😈
get your money up not your funny up pal🤕
i getting both 😼
TWEAKING SO BAD RN CUZ OF THAT SOPHIA FIC HOLY SHIT
guys we needa give sophia a break 😭 let the girl live
girl you did not. if you dont update by tomorrow im gonna shave my hair
its alright i think everyone rocks with no hair 😛🤘
i'm going to explode.
that sophia fic...
sophia is not in her right mind rn 😔
WHAT THE FAWKKKK TWEAKING EYE TWITCHING SCREAMING CRYING THROWING UP NAILS SCRAPING THE WALLS HOW COULD YOU DO THIS FUCK ALEX WHYY WHYYYYYY
okay guys lets end him
⊹ ｡˚ 𓂃 ♡ PUPPY LOVE ?!
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pairing : sophialaforteza x brothersbff!reader
synopsis : sophia laforteza spent years convincing herself that whatever she felt for you was just a childhood crush. something she buried the day you left. but then you came back, slipping into her life like you never left at all.
a/n : i wrote more than this lol. this is like the intro ig they in for a ride😛😛. and i js realised i named the guy alex cs i was reading mammamia by @/cinnamanz shout out to bro for making that masterpeice and im sowy 😔. btw making a dani christmas fic idc if its not chrisms im making it vro 💔
when sophia was nine, she was an absolute menace. not in a cool, rebellious way. more like the annoying little sister who wouldn't take a hint. she knew it. her brother knew it. his friends definitely knew it.
but not to you.
during one instance in summer and you all spent your days biking around the neighborhood, playing ding-dong ditch like a bunch of reckless kids with nothing better to do, she insisted on joining in.
her brother had scoffed, “sophie, you suck at this game. you’ll get caught in two seconds.”
she had pouted, “no i won’t.”
the others laughed,”no just stay on your bike.” one of them said. but you just grinned and shrugged, “let her try.” you dismissed them and there’s audible groaning from the group of boys.
and just like that, she had your approval. that was all she needed. she beamed at you. she knew the basic rules of ding dong ditch. ring the doorbell, pedal like hell, don’t get caught. easy. but when it was her turn, nothing went easy at all.
her heart pounded as she sprinted up the porch, her small fingers trembling on the doorbell. the chime echoed in her ears, and as soon as she hit it, she spun on her heel, ready to run. but her foot caught on the edge of the step and in an instant, she was falling.
the pavement met her with a rough scrape, and her knees burned from the impact. a sharp sting shot through her, but the rising panic in her chest drowned out every other sensation.
the porch light flicked on.
her stomach dropped.
she scrambled to her feet, but she was too slow. her brother and his friends had already melted into the shadows, their bikes disappearing into the distance. and there she was, left alone, frozen on the pavement with a bloody knee as the front door creaked open.
she was so dead.
but then, out of the dim light, you appeared.
she barely had time to register before you stepped in front of her, leaning casually against the porch railing like it was no big deal. your expression was calm, as if she didn’t just screw up infront of you.
“sorry, sir,” you said smoothly as the old man peered at you from inside. “wrong house. thought this was my friend’s place.”
sophia’s eyes widened. the man grumbled something about “kids these days” before retreating inside, closing the door behind him with a final thud. the moment the door clicked shut, you reached out and grabbed her wrist, gently yanking her up onto her bike.
“let’s go, sophie.”
she didn’t resist, she simply followed, her legs pumping furiously even as the pain in her scraped knees nagged at her. her heart wasn’t just racing from fear. it was racing because you had come back for her. you turned back and didn’t leave her there. Helpless.
sophia was raging with disappointment and also something else as she pedaled the bike. Her gaze landing on your back pedalling down the neighborhood. when you finally regrouped with the others, her brother was already laughing.
“sophie can’t even ditch properly” “you didn’t even try” “sophie just stay on your bike quietly next time”
sophia’s face flushed, and she hugged her arms to herself as embarrassment and shame mingled into a burning heat along her neck. she wished she could just vanish. then you sighed, cutting through the teasing.
“oh, come on,” you said, your voice gentle yet firm. “she tried her best. cut her some slack. she actually has a conscience. not all of us enjoy terrorizing innocent neighbors.”
sophia blinked, her eyes darting from you to the sneering faces around her. the others groaned and rolled their eyes, but in that moment, she couldn’t care less. all she felt was the overwhelming throb of her heart and a strange, warm flutter deep inside her chest.
the ride back to her house felt different. as you pedaled side by side, she kept sneaking glances at you watching how your hair caught the light in the wind, the slight parting of your lips as you focused on the road. you looked so effortlessly cool, so completely unbothered by everything.
by the time you reached her driveway, the sting in her knees had become a dull ache that reminded her of every fall she’d ever taken. she hopped off her bike and winced, trying to mask the pain.
“hey,” you said, noticing immediately as you slowed down, everyone already left while you stayed behind to ask. “you okay?”
she forced a smile, shrugging off the concern. “yeah, i’m fine.”
but you knew better. you knelt down in front of her, tilting your head as you inspected the scrape on her knee. a messy ribbon of dirt and dried blood tracing along her skin.
“that’s not fine,” you murmured.
before she could protest, you rushed inside dampening a paper towel. when you got back out sophia was sitting on the stairs. “this might sting a bit,” you warned as you knelt in front of her. she braced herself as you gently dabbed at the wound. a sharp hiss of pain escaped her lips, and you couldn’t help but smirk softly.
“baby,” you teased, though there was genuine care in your tone.
her face flushed deeper, and she mumbled, “i’m not.”
“whatever you say,” you replied with a light chuckle, fishing out a band aid out your pocket then pressing the band-aid over the scrape and smoothing it down with careful, deliberate strokes. “there. good as new.”
she stared at her knee, then at you, her wide eyes searching your face.
“what?” you asked, raising an eyebrow.
she shook her head quickly, turning away as if to hide her vulnerability. “nothing.”but it wasn’t nothing. in that tender moment, as she tried to mask her pain and embarrassment, she felt something shift inside her, an undeniable spark that made her heart beat faster. nine-year-old sophia laforteza was completely, hopelessly in love, even if she didn’t fully understand it yet.
sophia still remembers the day you left. it had been a summer afternoon, thick with the smell of cut grass and the distant hum of cicadas. you stood on her driveway, kicking at a stray rock while her brother complained about you moving away, arms crossed like his sulking could somehow convince you to stay.
but sophia? she just stood there, gripping the hem of her shirt so tightly that her knuckles turned white. she wanted to say something. anything. but all she could do was stare at the ground and swallow around the lump in her throat.
you had crouched down in front of her, tapping a knuckle under her chin to make her look up. “hey,” you had said, smiling softly, “don’t look so sad. i’ll visit. it’s not like i’m disappearing off the face of the earth.”
but you did disappear.
there were a few texts at first. pictures of your new neighborhood, jokes she barely understood, casual check-ins. but then middle school started, life got busier, and slowly, inevitably, the messages faded.
before she knew it, you became a memory. a childhood chapter she tucked away, rereading only when nostalgia hit late at night. she convinced herself that whatever she felt back then. that stupid, childish crush was gone.
until one fateful day it all came back. sophia wasn’t expecting her day to be anything special. she was walking down the hallway with her friends, disappointed with her grades on the recent exams, when she saw you.
leaning against a row of lockers, casually talking to her brother like you had never left, like you hadn’t been gone for years. her feet stopped before she even realized it.
“what—”
“no way,” she whispered, heart hammering against her ribs.
you looked different. taller, sharper around the edges. your uniform slightly rumpled, hair messier than she remembered. but the moment you smiled. that same easy, lopsided grin. she felt something inside her lurch violently back to life.
she barely had time to process before you looked up. and the second your eyes found hers, your whole face lit up.
“soph?”
you pushed off the lockers, taking easy strides toward her. laughing. it hit her harder than she thought possible because it was the same.
the world narrowed to just you.
the second your voice cut through the noise warm, familiar, so casually affectionate. it sent a violent jolt down her spine.
“holy shit,” you grinned, stepping forward like this was the most natural thing in the world. “come here, baby.”
baby?
the word crashed into her, loud and deafening, like someone had just rung a bell directly in her skull.
because, god, it had been years since she’d last heard you call her that. since she had been the baby of your little group. the youngest, the smallest, the one trailing behind while you stayed with her and her brother ran ahead.
back then, she hated it.
“i’m not a baby!” nine-year-old sophia had whined, stomping her foot.
but you had only laughed, ruffling her hair and calling her baby anyway, and for some reason. it sounded different coming from you.
so she never told you to stop and now she’s facing the consequences.
her body froze, breath caught somewhere between her lungs and throat. her friends barely had time to react before your arms wrapped around her, pulling her in.
the warmth of you hit her all at once. solid, grounding, impossibly real. she felt everything. the way your chin brushed the side of her head, the slow rise and fall of your chest, the way you smelled exactly how she remembered.
her hands hovered mid-air, uncertain, but her body betrayed her. before she could think, she was gripping the back of your blazer, her fingers curling into the fabric like she needed to anchor herself. because if she let go, if she even moved too fast, she was terrified she’d wake up and this would all be some elaborate, messed-up dream.
her friends were losing their minds behind her. manon’s choked gasp. megan’s loud, “oh, what the fu—” lara grabbing her arm, shaking her violently.
but sophia couldn’t focus on any of it.
because your arms tightened around her just slightly, a slow, lingering squeeze before you pulled back just enough to look at her, hands shifting from her back to her shoulders. your eyes flickered over her face, scanning, like you were checking to see if she was still the same girl from all those years ago.
she didn’t dare move. barely dared to breathe. and then, just like before, just like always, your hand lifted. before she could react, you were ruffling her hair, laughing. “you got taller.”
sophia sucked in a sharp breath.
it wasn’t fair.
how easily you fit right back into place, like you had never left. how you could just stand here, completely unaware of the way her heart had just thrown itself against the bars of her ribs like it was desperate to escape.
she scowled, nose scrunching as she smacked your hand away, even as heat crawled up her neck. “and you got uglier.”
you only laughed, unbothered.
her stomach flipped.
you pouted, tilting your head, teasing. “aren’t you excited? your favorite person is back in town permanently now.”
her favorite person. that's what youve always been. she has a feeling it’s going to stay that way for a long time. she scoffed, rolling her eyes like it didn’t affect her. like you didn’t affect her. “you wish.”
you gasped, pressing a hand to your chest, dramatic as always. “you’re so mean to me.”
“you deserve it.” she grumbled, crossing her arms.
before you could say anything else, another voice cut in.
“wait, hold on—”
manon was staring at her like she had just witnessed the moon landing. her eyes darted between the two of you, a grin way too knowing stretching across her face. “is this the cutie you used to talk about when—”
oh, absolutely the hell not.
“okay, we’re leaving.” sophia grabbed her wrist and dragged her away before she could finish that sentence. “oh, come on!” manon whined. behind her, megan and lara were already snickering.
“wait” lara grinned, “so that was y/n?”
lara finally asked after sophia had dragged them to a more secluded space. sophia glared ahead, jaw locked. “no idea what you’re talking about.”
megan lifted an eyebrow, arms crossed. “liar. your ears are so red”
sophia groaned, picking up the pace, yanking them along with her. the teasing turned into background noise, but the weight of it all settled onto her chest.
you were back. after years of being gone. after she thought she had finally let go of whatever childish feelings she had for you.
except now, she wasn’t a kid anymore, and neither were you. but the way you had smiled at her. so easily, so effortlessly. like nothing had changed. her stomach twisted.
she clenched her jaw and shoved it all down, deep, where it couldn’t reach her.
it didn’t mean anything.
she wasn’t nine anymore.
and she wasn’t going to let you get to her again.
the second tragedy of sophia’s day was sitting at her dinner table. the first, of course, was the fact that she had spent the entire afternoon thinking about you returning like you never left.
which meant she had gotten absolutely nothing done.
calculus? a lost cause. chemistry? an afterthought. all she could do was replay every second of seeing you again. every teasing grin, every laugh, the way you looked at her the same with a little something she couldn’t pinpoint.
and now, as she stood frozen in the doorway, her stomach plummeted.
because there you were. in her house. sitting comfortably at the dinner table, chatting with her dad like you weren’t the reason she had stared blankly at her notes for hours.
“sophia, honey, welcome home,” her mom’s voice cut through her panic. “come sit next to y/n.”
her heart actually stopped. because, of course, there was an empty seat right next to you.
perfect. just what she needed. another excruciatingly painful evening of trying to act normal around you.
she took a breath, squared her shoulders, and willed herself to move. you looked up as she approached, and there it was again. that smile. the one that had derailed her entire day.
“hey, soph,” you greeted, warm and easy, like it was completely normal for you to be here, in her house, in her life again.
she swallowed, nodding stiffly before sliding into the seat beside you. you nudged her lightly with your elbow. “long day?”
sophia forced herself to breathe. “yeah.”
“extra classes?”
“yeah.”
you hummed, picking at your food. “what’s got you stuck this time?”
“calculus.”
“oof,” you winced
her mom perked up at that, setting down her chopsticks. “oh! y/n could help you with that.”
sophia froze.
you? helping her? absolutely not.
“she’s been acing her ap calculus class,” her mom continued, beaming. “it’s perfect!”
sophia clenched her jaw. of course you did. you were always a natural at things you didn’t even try for. meanwhile, she had been drowning in numbers for weeks, getting nowhere.
“maybe you should let y/n tutor you,” her mom added, smiling like she hadn’t just ruined sophia’s life.
great. fantastic. because the one thing she needed less than anything in the world was to spend even more time with you.
“no thanks,” sophia muttered, stabbing at her food.
you gasped dramatically, hand over your heart. “wow. you wound me, baby.”
sophia choked.
her fork slipped from her fingers. she did not just hear that. you did not just say that. again.
she whipped her head toward you, eyes wide, betrayed. but you just grinned at her, all shameless and teasing, like you hadn’t just sent her into a full-blown internal crisis.
and worst of all? no one else at the table even reacted. her parents just kept eating, like this was completely normal.
like this wasn’t the most earth-shattering moment of her life. her grip tightened around her fork, heat crawling up her neck. “don’t call me that.”
you blinked, tilting your head. “what? baby?”
oh my god.
she kicked you under the table. hard. you yelped, nearly dropping your spoon. “hey!”
she scowled at you, but you were still smiling. that same stupid grin, like you knew exactly what you were doing to her.
“take the tutoring, soph,” her brother chimed in. “god knows you need it.”
sophia turned even redder. “this is none of your business!”
he shrugged. “what? your last test score was—”
“okay! fine!” she snapped, fists clenched. she turned to you, glaring. “you. library. tomorrow. after school. no funny business.”
you raised your hands in surrender, grinning. “scout’s honor.” she narrowed her eyes, warning you one last time before turning back to her food mumbling about you being a weirdo.
it has been a week tutoring and sophia convinced it was torture. she had to always keep herself in check and try to not look to stupid infront of you. but what made it worse is you’re so understanding.
its frustrating.
you never made her feel dumb, never handed her the answers outright. instead, you guided her, nudged her toward figuring things out herself. you’d lean closer always too close. tapping the edge of her notebook as you encouraged her to think it through.
and it worked.
somehow, against all odds, she had started understanding calculus. started answering questions in class, participating.
even her friends had noticed.
“no lara …ive had tutoring.”
“what you need to set me up soph, im drowning”
sophia only rolled her eyes and left class with lara calling out for her.
other than the improvement in her attitude during class, sophia absolutely loathed when you tucked her hair behind her ear so you could see her work.
hated the way it happened so effortlessly, like it was something you did without thinking. like it was just natural to reach over, brush your fingers against her skin, and push those stubborn strands back.
her entire body locking up as she tried desperately to keep her expression neutral, to not let you see just how stupidly, embarrassingly affected she was. hated how it made her feel unsteady.
it made her wonder if you had always done this, if she had just been too young, too naive to notice how close you always were, how easy it was for you to slip into her space like you belonged there.
and when your fingers brushed her skin, when you leaned in slightly she could smell that familiar scent of yours, the one that had embedded itself into her memories. she refused to acknowledge the way her heart kicked against her ribs just like she did last time.
she has grown out of it. so she would force herself to react the only way she knew how. with annoyance. with a sharp, “can you not?” or a dramatic sigh as she swatted your hand away.
rolling her eyes as if that would somehow erase the fact that her face was burning. but it never worked. because you’d just laugh it off completely unbothered. and go right back to helping her like you hadn’t just made her feel butterflies.
whats worse is youd be all sweet after, and treating her to something like boba, ice cream or whatever. just because.
“bubble tea?” she had a problem of never saying no to you. pathetic. she thought to herself. but a small voice in her head was thrilled that you asked. she convinced herself it was the after effects of calculus.
the night was windy. the silence was deafening but also comforting to sophia. she could hear barking in the distance that reminded her of her own dogs and how she was going to be with them after.
you and sophia walked side by side. the quiet was only broken when you asked, casually, like it was just another thought that had floated into your mind, “so, you seeing anyone?”
sophia almost tripped over her own feet. she froze for a full three seconds. before she managed to scoff and shake her head. “what? no”
you hummed, hands in your pockets, tilting your head as you glanced at her. “really?”
she frowned, shifting her backpack higher on her shoulder. “why do you sound surprised?”
you gave her an easy smile, and she felt that stupid tingle creep up her spine again. “c’mon, soph. you’ve grown so beautiful—there’s no way no one wants you.”
she could feel heat creeping up her face before she could stop it. why are you saying this so casually. she forced herself to roll her eyes, trying to act unbothered despite the fact that she was literally about to explode on the spot. “shut up.”
you only laughed, completely unfazed by the way she was actively fighting for her life.
before she could even process what was happening, you reached for her backpack, slipping it off her shoulder effortlessly.
“what—” she started, but you just slung it over your other shoulder, adjusting the straps like it was yours now.
you grinned, glancing down at her with an amused glint in your eyes. “this bag is, like, ten times bigger than you, baby. i don’t even know how you’re carrying this around all day without toppling over.”
sophia gawked at you, her mouth opening and closing. she was offended. she smacked your arm as hard as she could, she knew it did no damge to you. but you still gasped, all dramatic, clutching your chest like she had just mortally wounded you.
“wow” you breathed, “why am i getting bashed for doing public service”
“because i don’t need your public service,” sophia huffed, crossing her arms.
you just laughed, adjusting her bag on your shoulder like it weighed nothing. annoying.
the walk to the boba shop was short, just a few blocks away from campus, but sophia felt every single step. maybe it was the way your arm would occasionally brush against hers, or how effortlessly you carried both of your bags like it was the easiest thing in the world. maybe it was the fact that you had called her beautiful like it was something undeniable. she scowled to herself. no. youre not thinking about that.
before the moment could get quiet again, the boba shop came into view, the neon sign casting a soft glow against the pavement. you pushed the door open, motioning for her to go in first, and she absolutely did not feel anything about that. not at all.
the familiar smell of tea and tapioca filled the air as you both stepped inside. the shop was mostly empty, save for a couple of students hunched over their laptops in the corner. the cashier perked up as you approached the counter, giving a friendly nod.
she watched as you stepped up to the counter with effortless ease, ordering like you’d been doing this for years. she didn’t even need to say anything—you already knew her usual. it was something small, something insignificant in the grand scheme of things, but it made her feel something she absolutely did not want to name.
the cashier punched in the order, and before she could even think about reaching for her wallet, you had already handed over your card.
“my treat,” you said, completely casual, like it wasn’t a big deal. “for doing so well in calculus.”
sophia stiffened. you said it like you were proud of her. like it actually meant something. her fingers twitched at her side, the automatic urge to argue bubbling up, but she clamped her mouth shut.
she exhaled through her nose, muttering a small thanks while eyes darting anywhere but at you.
the walk back to campus was calm, the kind of quiet that felt easy. sophia focused on her drink, letting the cold seep into her fingers, every now and then glancing at you as you absentmindedly shook your cup to mix the boba. she hated how natural this was starting to feel, falling back into your orbit like no time had passed at all.
as the campus gates came into view, you turned to her, tilting your head. “you want a ride home?”
sophia shook her head without thinking. “no, it’s okay. basil’s got it.”
you slowed your steps, raising an eyebrow. “soph. he’s gonna leave you stranded for at least an hour” she winced. you weren’t wrong. basil had a horrible habit of showing up ridiculously late. still, she shrugged, acting like it didn’t bother her. “it’s fine.”
you sighed, shaking your head. “c’mon, don’t be dumb. i’ll give you a ride home. i have to pick up something at your place anyway.”
the city lights flickered through the windshield as you maneuvered through the streets. one hand on the wheel, the other lazily adjusting the air conditioning.
its crazy how natural you looked like this. relaxed, the faint glow of passing headlights casting soft shadows across your face. she hated that she noticed.
she looked away quickly, pretending to be very interested in her boba. “so,” you said, breaking the silence, “how’s school been? besides me making you a calculus genius, obviously.”
sophia snorted, shaking her head. “hardly a genius.”
you hummed, shooting her a knowing look. “lara says otherwise.”
“lara?” sophia repeated, trying to keep her voice neutral, but she could already hear the edge creeping in.
you glanced at her, amused. “yeah” sophia knew she was being irrational. knew it was dumb to be irritated by something as small as you acknowledging lara’s existence. but she couldn’t help it. because you were supposed to be hers. you were already invading her space, was it so much to ask that she didn’t have to hear your voice saying someone else’s name?
she took a long sip of her boba, mostly just to have something to do with her mouth that wasn’t pouting like a child. “since when do you talk to lara?”
you laughed, drumming your fingers lightly against the steering wheel. “since she’s in my music club”
oh.
sophia frowned slightly. lara hadn’t mentioned that. she should have known, lara told her everything, and yet somehow, she’d never thought to bring you up? before she could dwell on it, you kept talking.
“she talks about you,” you added, throwing her a quick glance before looking back at the road. “don’t worry, it’s good stuff.”
sophia’s grip tightened around her drink. “…like what?”
you smirked. “like how she overheard the teachers saying you’re almost one of the best in the class.”
her lips parted slightly. what. she didn’t even know the teachers said that. lara never told her. but you knew? how did that make any sense?
she didn’t know what to focus on. the fact that she was apparently good enough to be talked about like that, or the fact that you were the one telling her. she forced herself to scoff, looking away. “tch. what can i say im self made.”
you tapped your fingers lightly against the wheel. “ofcourse you are, you put in the effort. you show up to tutoring, you do practices and you actually care about getting better. you deserve everything good that comes your way.”
her breath caught in her throat.
the words hit her square in the chest, and suddenly, it was hard to breathe. how could someone be this kind? how could you say something like that so easily, like it wasn’t something that would sit in her ribs for the rest of the night?
her fingers tightened slightly around her boba shes surprised it hasn’t exploded and before she could stop herself, her eyes drifted toward you. your profile was illuminated by the city lights outside, jawline sharp, mouth relaxed, brows furrowing just the slightest bit in focus. you looked so… at ease. saying things like this came naturally to you.
because how could she get all the credit when you were the one who spent your free time tutoring her? when you were the one making sure she understood things, guiding her without ever making her feel stupid for free, and still somehow acting like she was the one who had done all the hard work?
she should look away. she knew she should look away. but she couldn’t.
then—
“if you keep looking at me like that, i’m gonna think you’re in love with me.”
her head snapped forward so fast it was a miracle she didn’t get whiplash. “shut up,” she muttered, taking a very long sip of her drink just to avoid saying anything else.
you laughed, amused, clearly enjoying the way she was stunned. “i’m just saying.” she ignored you, staring straight ahead, praying to every higher power that the ride home would be over soon.
as soon as you pulled into the driveway, sophia was out of the car like it was on fire, barely sparing you a glance before disappearing into the house. you huffed a quiet laugh, shaking your head as you followed her inside.
basil was in the kitchen, lazily scrolling through his phone, but he barely got the chance to look up before sophia breezed past him, dropping her bag onto the floor with a little more force than necessary.
“dude, i was just about to head out,” basil said, glancing at her.
“shut up,” sophia muttered, opening the fridge for a cold drink. she needed it with the day she had.
you snorted, leaning against the counter. “yeah, an hour from now.”
basil shot you a look, unimpressed. “why are you even here?”
you grinned, holding up the gaming controller you’d come to grab. “came to pick this up. also, saved your sister from being stranded at school.” basil rolled his eyes dismissing yn.
sophia grabbed a water bottle from the fridge, twisting the cap open as she turned on her heel, fully intending to escape upstairs before she did something stupid.
but before she could make it past the doorway, she felt a gentle tug at her wrist.
she nearly dropped the bottle.
you were still leaning against the counter, a lazy grin tugging at your lips as you looked at her. “my hug as thanks?”
sophia stared at you, her thoughts scrambled. her skin burned where your fingers lightly curled around her wrist. “for what?” she blurted, attempting to sound annoyed, but it came out a little too breathless.
your grin widened. “a week of tutoring and for saving you from sitting around for an hour waiting on basil.”
basil scoffed from the kitchen, but sophia barely heard him over the sound of her own heartbeat.
she hesitated, but you tugged her just slightly closer, tilting your head like you were waiting. expecting.
her body moved before her mind could catch up. stiffly, awkwardly, she stepped forward, wrapping her arms around you in what was probably the worst hug of her life.
but you didn’t seem to mind.
you hummed, warm and solid against her, your arms looping around her shoulders with ease.your comforting scent drowned her receptors.
sophia wanted to shove you. wanted to roll her eyes and scoff and say something sarcastic.
instead, she stayed there for a second too long, breathing you in, feeling the steady rise and fall of your chest against hers and then, before she could completely lose it, she pulled away, muttering a quick, “goodnight,” before practically sprinting upstairs.
rumors had been circulating that alex was planning to confess to sophia at the fundraiser. the very idea made her stomach turn.
she hated alex. he was one of basil’s friends. the one who never missed a chance to add salt to the wound whenever she messed up in front of the group. he made sure she felt like an outsider.
and now, all of a sudden, he liked her?
alex had spent years making her life difficult, and no amount of sudden affection was going to erase that. she wanted to tell him to get lost.
whenever alex pushed too far, you were the one who stepped in, the one who made him back off before things could go too far. you were the only one who ever really seemed to notice when she was uncomfortable, the only one who cared enough to make sure she was okay. and sophia hated the way that made her feel. she hated the warmth that crept in at the thought of you.
sophia groaned, slumping against the lockers as lara dug through her bag. “this is actually my worst nightmare.” sophia scowled, arms crossed tight over her chest.
lara finally glanced at her, unimpressed. “you’re being dramatic.”
“am not.” sophia huffed. “alex is the absolute last person on earth i’d want confessing to me. i mean, the guy made my childhood miserable! he’s a fucking bully and now he suddenly likes me? like, what—am i supposed to just forget years of bullying and fall into his arms?” she threw her hands up.
“i don’t want a confession! all i want is a handwritten apology letter with tears on it”
“who’s confessing to who?”
sophia stiffened. you.
she turned her head just in time to see you strolling up, brows raised in curiosity. the sight of you with hands shoved into your pockets, head tilted ever so slightly as you looked between her and lara.
lara, the traitor, wasted no time in answering. “alex. apparently, he’s planning to confess to sophia at the fundraiser.”
sophia braced herself, expecting you to tease her, maybe even laugh about it.
but instead your expression shifted.
it was subtle. your shoulders tensed just a little, your jaw tightening, something unreadable flashing behind your eyes before you quickly masked it with an easy grin. “oh?” you drawled, but your voice wasn’t as lighthearted as usual. “so, what—he’s just gonna make some big public scene about it?”
lara shrugged. “maybe.”
you scoffed, and sophia swore you rolled your eyes. “you could always just make it clear you’re not interested before he tries anything.”
sophia narrowed her eyes. “what do you care?”
“i dont” you said too fast, you were trying to cut off the conversation before it could lead anywhere dangerous. but then you hesitated, backtracking, exhaling softly through your nose before tilting your head toward her, your voice lowering just a bit. “but you do. and if you don’t like him, that’s kinda annoying, isn’t it?”
she knew you had a point, but she wasn’t focused on that. she was focused on the way your fingers twitched at your sides, the way the muscle in your jaw flexed before relaxing, the way your eyes were carefully fixed on some random spot on the lockers instead of on her.
before she could say anything, your phone buzzed, and you glanced down at it, thumb moving lazily across the screen. “basil said to wait by music room three after school,” you muttered, still half-focused on whatever was on your phone.
lara perked up immediately. “ooh, band practice?”
that finally got your attention. you looked up, smirked, and shot lara a wink before going right back to your phone, like it was nothing. “well see you later.” then you left.
sophia felt it like a physical blow. her stomach twisted, heat creeping up her neck before she could stop it.
that was hers. that wink, that stupid smirk, the teasing lilt in your voice. a jealous feeling clouded her mind.
before she could even think about it, she turned to lara, brows furrowing. “how’d you even know about that?” she tried to sound casual, but there was a slight edge to her voice, one that lara definitely caught.
lara just smiled, slow and knowing, like she was enjoying this way too much. “music club.” sophia clenched her jaw.
for the whole week, sophia couldn’t get a moment of peace. alex had been relentless, hovering around her like an annoying gnat that just wouldn’t go away. he was everywhere. before class, after class, during lunch. and she couldn’t even focus when she was with you.
not because of you, obviously. if it were just you, she wouldn’t mind. but alex had somehow made it his mission to sit with you two every single day, running his mouth and making so much noise that sophia could barely concentrate.
it was finally friday, and she was trying. really trying. to focus on solving an integration problem, gripping her pen just a little too tightly as she stared down at the numbers.
“and then my parents wanted me to go to princeton,” alex droned on beside her, leaning back in his chair smugly. like he belonged there with you two, “but i thought—”
sophia didn’t even look at him. she just clenched her jaw and kept scribbling in her notebook, pointedly ignoring him.
you, on the other hand, were visibly tense. she could tell by the way your fingers tapped impatiently against the table, the way your jaw clenched tight and defined, the muscle flexing beneath your skin.
she hated that she noticed.
alex was still talking. still. he had barely shut up the entire session, and it had been four whole days of him yapping while she was just trying to learn.
you exhaled sharply through your nose and finally snapped, turning to him with an expression so flat it sent a thrill through sophia’s spine.
“alex,” you said, voice edged with frustration. “shut the fuck up.”
alex blinked. “huh?”
you tilted your head, feigning patience, but your tone was anything but. “for the past four days, you’ve done nothing but talk about shit no one cares about while soph is literally trying to learn. do you even need to be here?”
alex scoffed, shifting in his chair. “damn, no need to be so hostile.”
“no, actually, i do,” you shot back. “because you’re annoying as hell and we’re trying to focus. so unless you suddenly became a calculus tutor, fuck off.”
sophia had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from smiling. the look on alex’s face was priceless. eyes wide, mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water before he muttered something under his breath and stood up, huffing as he stomped off.
you let out a long sigh, rubbing your temples before turning back to her.
“finally,” you muttered. “now, where were we?”
sophia blinked down at her notebook, heart skipping a beat. “integration” she murmured.
sophia woke up to the soft glow of sunlight filtering through her curtains, warming her face. but more than that, she woke up to the sound of music. faint but distinct, a steady rhythm pulsing through the floorboards.
she groaned, burying her face into her pillow for a moment before sighing and pushing herself up. rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she shuffled out of bed, still dressed in her pajama shorts and an oversized hoodie, her hair a mess of waves from sleep.
it was saturday. finally. she’d been dreading the weekend for one reason only. alex’s ridiculous plan to confess at the fundraiser. but after you had told him to fuck off in the bluntest way possible, she was praying he’d finally take the hint and drop it.
but that wasn’t her concern right now. because where the hell was that noise coming from?
barefoot, she padded downstairs, the music growing louder as she made her way to the basement door. it wasn’t just any music. it was live music, the deep hum of a bass and the sharp strum of a guitar.
she pushed the door open and peeked in, blinking at the sight before her.
basil and the rest of the band were scattered around the basement, instruments in hand, deep in the middle of rehearsal. the air buzzed with the sound of drums, the occasional offbeat note, and laughter between takes.
but her gaze landed on you immediately.
you were sitting on a stool, guitar resting on your thigh, fingers effortlessly plucking at the strings. you were focused, brow slightly furrowed, bottom lip caught between your teeth. and god, it was stupidly attractive.
before she could even process that thought, you looked up—and your gaze locked onto hers.
for a second, the rest of the basement faded away.
your eyes flickered down, taking in her disheveled appearance, and then you grinned, that slow, teasing kind that made something in her stomach tighten. “morning, sleeping beauty.”
sophia huffed, crossing her arms, suddenly very aware of how she must look. “why the hell are you playing so early?”
“it’s literally noon.”
she scowled, making you chuckle as you set your guitar down, leaning forward on your elbows. “you mad ‘cause we woke you up or ‘cause you missed half the practice?”
her cheeks warmed. half the practice? how long had you been down here? she glanced at basil, who just raised a brow at her knowingly before returning to tuning his bass.
“whatever,” she muttered, shifting on her feet. but before she could turn to leave, you reached out, catching her wrist gently.
“stay,” you said, softer this time. “we’re almost done, and you can judge our setlist.”
sophia hesitated. the way your fingers curled around her wrist—light but firm—made her brain stall for a second.
but she rolled her eyes, feigning disinterest. “fine. but if it sucks, i’m telling you.”
you smirked, giving her wrist a small squeeze before letting go. “wouldn’t expect anything less from you, baby.” her cheeks immediately turned red.
sophia couldn’t stop staring.
you moved effortlessly, arms flexing as you adjusted the equipment in the truck, the fading sunset casting a golden glow on your skin. your sleeves were rolled up, exposing the lean definition of your forearms, and when you lifted a speaker into place, the wind tugged at the hem of your white button-up, lifting it just enough to reveal a sliver of your stomach.
“soph, get the fuck in the car.”
her brother’s voice snapped her out of it. she blinked, heat creeping up her neck as she realized she had been blatantly staring. jesus christ.
rolling her eyes to play it off, she huffed and strode toward the truck. she was dressed for the fundraiser. her silky top tucked neatly into a fitted skirt that accentuated her figure, her hair styled effortlessly, makeup subtle but effective. she knew she looked good. she just wished she wasn’t thinking about whether you thought so too.
she barely had a second to settle into the truck before you slid in beside her. and then another bandmate followed, cramming into the seat on your other side.
the space was ridiculously tight.
sophia sucked in a breath as your thigh pressed flush against hers. your shoulder bumped into her, and you let out a quiet grunt, shifting slightly. only for the guy next to you to do the same, squeezing you further into her space.
“fuck,” you muttered, glancing down at her. “okay, this is—hold on.”
before she could process it, your arm lifted and draped over her shoulders.
her breath hitched.
“what the hell are you doing?” she hissed, stiffening.
“trying to not breath down your neck,” you deadpanned, tilting your head toward the guy practically squishing you from the other side.
sophia clenched her jaw, but she didn’t shove you off. mostly because you were right. the way you were packed into the truck, this was the only way to make it even remotely comfortable. but also…you were warm. and close. and smelled stupidly good.
your fingers lightly rested against her arm, thumb brushing against the fabric of her sleeve as you got settled. and when you turned your head slightly, murmuring, “better?” so close to her ear, she almost forgot how to function.
she exhaled through her nose, rolling her eyes as if her pulse wasn’t racing. “couldn’t get any worse.”
you chuckled, clearly amused, but you didn’t say anything else. just relaxed into the seat, arm still loosely slung around her. and sophia sat there, unmoving, fighting the urge to lean into you.
the whole ride was oddly comforting. light chatter from the front row with the soft music playing.
the way your fingers absentmindedly tapped against her arm, keeping time with the soft beat of the radio. the occasional hum under your breath when a song you liked came on. the lazy tilt of your head against the seat, eyes half-lidded, relaxed, completely unaware of the absolute disaster unfolding beside you.
she felt trapped. surrounded. every inhale filled her lungs with you. she hated to admit that she liked it.
the truck rumbled to a stop, and sophia barely had a second to process before she felt you shift beside her. your arm, the one that had been slung so casually over her shoulders the whole ride, lifted away, leaving behind a ghost of warmth that sent an involuntary shiver down her spine.
she exhaled sharply. god, she needed air.
but before she could bolt, the door swung open, and basil was already barking orders.
sophia rolled her eyes as she slid out of the truck, stretching her arms over her head, letting the crisp evening air cool the heat simmering under her skin.
the fundraiser was already coming to life around them. the sun was starting to lower on the horizon, painting the sky in warm hues of orange. carnival lights flickered on, illuminating the fairground in a golden glow. the scent of fried food and kettle corn drifted through the air, mingling with the distant laughter of kids running past.
but before she could take it all in, a heavy weight landed on her shoulders.
“carry that inside, yeah?”
sophia scowled at basil, who had just dropped a coiled-up cable over her like she was some kind of pack mule. “are you serious?”
basil only shooed her away. before she could snap at him, you walked past, effortlessly carrying an amp under one arm, a guitar case slung over your back. you shot her a grin over your shoulder. “c’mon, soph, at least pretend to be helpful.”
she grumbled something under her breath but followed anyway, dragging her feet as she carried the cable toward the stage area.
sophia cleared her throat, shifting on her feet. “alright, i’m gonna go find lara,” she announced, directing it mostly toward you and basil as you both worked on setting up. she needed to move, to go, to be anywhere but here—somewhere alex wouldn’t find her.
but before she could slip away, you turned to her, wiping your hands on your jeans, eyes locking onto hers, big wide doe eyes. “hey, you’re gonna come watch us play, right?” almost pleading. like her presence mattered
and god, why couldn’t she say no to you? why was that even a question?
she hadn’t seen you play in years. not since you were kids messing around in her garage, when your hands were too small to reach all the chords properly, when you’d grin at her between strums like you knew she was watching.
and now? now you were standing in front of her, taller, sharper, so much cooler than before, looking at her like it would make a difference if she was there.
she knew she should say something, but her mind was blank, lost in the way you tilted your head, looking at her expectantly.
sophia swallowed. tried to look unaffected. failed miserably.
“yeah,” she blurted out, barely a whisper. then, as if that wasn’t pathetic enough, she cleared her throat and tried again. “yeah. of course. i’ll be there.”
your face lit up instantly, all bright eyes and easy joy, and before she could even process what was happening, you wrapped your arms around her.
your arms were strong but gentle, warm but not suffocating, like you were made to hold her. you smelled like soap and a little bit of sweat from moving equipment, and it should not be as intoxicating as it was.
her hands hovered awkwardly on your back. patting it lightly not enough for you to notice, but enough for her to feel like she was about to melt straight into the ground.
then, just as quickly as you hugged her, you pulled back, grinning.
“awesome,” you said, still holding onto her arms for a second before finally letting go. “i’ll look for you in the crowd.”
she just nodded, not trusting herself to speak. and then scurried away to find lara and get alex out of sight, out of mind.
-
after what it seemed like minutes of having fun with her friends. the sun started to set slowly. and that was her que to leave. “gotta go guys” she said amongst the laughter.
“what. why so early?” megan perked up. “shes going to see her hot rockstar girlfriend” said lara with a smirk.
lara’s smirk deepened when sophia didn’t immediately deny it. “oh my god,” she drawled, nudging megan. “did you see that? she hesitated.”
sophia’s eyes widened, heat creeping up her neck. “i did not hesitate.” megan gasped theatrically, pressing a hand to her chest. “you totally hesitated.”
sophia groaned, shoving at lara’s shoulder. “she’s not my girlfriend.”
“yet,” lara shot back smoothly.
“shut up,” sophia muttered, but her ears burned.
her friends weren’t letting up. “nah, this is crazy,” megan grinned. “you got all dressed up just to go watch her play, huh?”
“that’s- i always look good!” sophia stammered. They were so annoying.
lara sighed dramatically, shaking her head. “it’s okay, soph. we get it. the effortlessly cool guitarist, the stage presence, the stupidly hot arm veins—”
before lara could even finish her sentence, sophia was already looking the other way, walking to the stage. she didn’t even turn around. she just flipped them off as she walked away, which only made them cackle harder.
sophia could already feel it before she even saw you—the buzz of anticipation in the air, the excited murmurs from the crowd, the way her pulse started to pick up as she pushed through the sea of people. and she finally got a good spot in the middle.
and then you walked onto the stage.
and sophia completely forgot how to breathe.
god.
the warm tones of the sunset traced every sharp angle of your jaw, the slope of your nose, the stray beads of sweat along your temple. the silver rings on your fingers caught the light as you flexed your hands, rolling out the tension before picking up your guitar. your sleeves were haphazardly rolled to your elbows, exposing the lean muscle of your forearms, your collarbones peeking through the loose neckline of your button-up.
you looked unreal.
her breath stalled in her throat as she watched you tilt your head back slightly. her fingers twitched at her sides, like some pathetic, desperate part of her wanted to reach for you.
then the first strum of your guitar broke through the air, and the sound of it. low and rich and you sent a shiver down her spine. the band kicked in, bass thrumming in her chest, drums pulsing like a heartbeat.
she wanted to keep watching forever. but then something blocked her view. a shadow fell over her, and her stomach dropped.
her focus wavered just enough for her to realize. alex.
he was saying something, voice edged with nervous excitement, but she wasn’t listening. couldn’t listen. not when you were right there, bathed in golden light, bass slung over your shoulder, looking like something out of a fever dream.
then, as if you could feel her staring.
you looked at her.
the air in her lungs vanished.
it wasn’t immediate. you didn’t react at first, just held her gaze, steady and unshaken, fingers still moving over the strings, body still swaying with the rhythm. but sophia felt it.
the weight of it. the intensity of it.
your lips parted slightly as you breathed through the lyrics, loose strands of hair falling into your face, eyes barely lidded under the glow.
she had to look away. because if she didn’t, if she kept looking, if she let herself fall for you again and she wasn’t sure she’d survive it.
alex was still talking. something about how he’s liked her for a while, how he wanted to tell her properly, how he knew the timing wasn’t great. her pulse was still in her throat.
her thoughts were spiraling. all she could think about was you. she felt exposed. like something inside her had cracked wide open, and every feeling she had been pushing down for years was crawling out, raw and desperate, begging to be acknowledged.
she had spent too long convincing herself this was over. that whatever she felt for you was just nostalgia, and that she wasn’t still looking at you the same way she did when she was nine. hopelessly smitten.
she was right back where she started. and she was drowning in it.
“—so would you go out with me?,” alex was saying infront her. but all she could look at was you.
she barely even registered his voice. her thoughts were screaming. she needed to stop this. she needed to push it all back down, needed to bury it so deep it never saw the light of day again.
before she could think, before she could stop herself, the words were already tumbling out.
“yes, alex. i’d love to go out with you.”