is tha

feet were suddenly glued to the ground. Whoever it was, h

ed front glass now rolled down. And there was an attr

was sitting in the front passenger seat, curious of who was drivin

She was more relaxed, at lea

op you off," Mark said, tilting

tinted glass,

a good idea to get into a car with two strong guys she barely knew. Lily's eyes

tled, "We don't bite ... Lily

little coaxing from Mark and Ethan, Lily

of the air conditioning on her skin, she closed her eyes and let out a sigh. But as she opened her eyes, she caught E

te reaction, and Mark n

an, who only responded with

er?" Lily asked, hoping to ease th

e used to be friends until Ethan m

ed for that," Ethan

it's too late, li

t was too late, you w

od best friend lonely. Seems like everyone you know i

don't blame the

ou sti

p it," Eth

bro," Mark jived,

t a laugh. "I won

Mark remarked, with a

xchanges filled with both bitterness and humor. Lily

admiration, "Oooh, it's cute!" Lil

before her mind could register

ing Lily's face to redden immediat

her shyness, Lily said, "Uhm... my hou

f," Mark said, turning to Lily. "You're also

ago, sophomore ye

the girl everyone thought was Madis

he disappointment in

gnized you from last year. You

ercation with Maddison, feeling a mix of sa

y commented, trying to avoid more questions about the fight s

Mark admitte

w we're the seniors, I suppos

urned her face to the window and ignored Mark'

aga

brave! ... I'll play around with the girls in our grade... since I have n

do you say, Lily? Do you

lanced at Ethan with a dangerous sm

her, so her feelings died before they could ever develop into anything. Now he seemed interested in her, and she sensed her feelings

ht to herself, feeling trapped, not kno

," Mark told Ethan. He assume

e it," Eth

ere alike in the way they talked. One was an extrovert, and the other

sudden?" Mark asked, break

nal fantasy," Lily replied, feeling prou

up laughing, impressed by Lily's qui

She's a tough one," he told Ethan. "And

rds her house. "Thanks," she added, as

Mark crooned, smirking. "I'll keep it in m

nd Lily rolled h

," Lily stated as sh

nd as their eyes met, a smirk formed on Mark's face. "Make sure to lea

ark acted like he hated Ethan, he couldn't hide the excitement of reuniting with his childhood best friend.

d dressed in violet cotton sheets, and on the bed sat Lily, sketching away in her notebook as the sounds of her parents arguing filtered

ut the noise and chaos of the world around her. And a

e past few days. Ethan's sudden appearance in her life had left her f

also strangely intrigued, but he felt more friendly and different in the car. She couldn't exp

d a knock at her door. "Lily, sweetie, can

d quickly, shoving her sk

ir faces tense and serious. "Lily, we

used that tone, it

tely," her mother, Mrs. Davis, added. "And we're

piano lessons were expensive, and she knew her dad had

, her heart sinking at the thought of giving

something you enjoy," her father, Mr. Davis, said. "But we

eyes. She knew her parents were doing the best they c

ceiling designed with star shapes. She couldn't bear the thought of l

e had heard from some classmates that he was quite popular on

She soon later stopped when she found out he had no interest in her. But now that they are n

username 'markluvs69' and scrolled through his photos, her heart racing as she tried to contr

med to have everything - looks, popularity, and a seemingly perfect life. And yet, there was something ab

panicked and unliked it, then liked it again w

eh

't shake the feeling that there was something they were both hiding, something that she wasn't supposed to know. Mark warned Lily about Ethan,

rtable to be with, does she real