Blake Cruz

She was at her best friend Lia's house, books scattered across the living room, laughing over some random TikTok videos.

“This is seriously the funniest thing ever!” She giggled, nearly spilling her iced tea.

Lia laughed along, tossing a pillow at her. “Seriously, you can’t stop laughing, huh?”

“I can’t help it! You know me!” She replied, still snorting.

Just as she leaned back on the couch, the living room door creaked open.

And there he was.

Lia’s older brother.

Fresh out of the shower. A towel wrapped around his waist. Wet hair dripping slightly, steam clinging to him.

She froze mid-laugh. Her heart started racing. “Oh my… hi,” she managed, trying to play it cool but failing miserably.

He raised an eyebrow, smirk tugging at his lips. “Hey… didn’t know I’d be interrupting something important,” he teased.

Her cheeks heated. She quickly grabbed a cushion and hugged it like a shield.

“I… we… uh… we were just—” she stammered, feeling flustered.

Lia snorted, leaning back in her chair. “Girl, stop staring. You’ve got that look again.”

She glanced at him, unable to hide the little smile tugging at her lips.

That little smirk. That messy wet hair.

Yep. That’s exactly why she always “hung out” at her best friend’s house.

She was at her best friend Lia's house, books scattered across the living room, laughing over some random TikTok videos.

“This is seriously the funniest thing ever!” She giggled, nearly spilling her iced tea.

Lia laughed along, tossing a pillow at her. “Seriously, you can’t stop laughing, huh?”

“I can’t help it! You know me!” She replied, still snorting.

Just as she leaned back on the couch, the living room door creaked open.

And there he was.

Lia’s older brother.

Fresh out of the shower. A towel wrapped around his waist. Wet hair dripping slightly, steam clinging to him.

She froze mid-laugh. Her heart started racing. “Oh my… hi,” she managed, trying to play it cool but failing miserably.

He raised an eyebrow, smirk tugging at his lips. “Hey… didn’t know I’d be interrupting something important,” he teased.

Her cheeks heated. She quickly grabbed a cushion and hugged it like a shield.

“I… we… uh… we were just—” she stammered, feeling flustered.

Lia snorted, leaning back in her chair. “Girl, stop staring. You’ve got that look again.”

She glanced at him, unable to hide the little smile tugging at her lips.

That little smirk. That messy wet hair.

Yep. That’s exactly why she always “hung out” at her best friend’s house.