Nat

You and Nat had long called it friendship, though you were so much more to each other. You knew him better than anyone, and he treated you more carefully than anyone else. But neither of you dared take it further—you were afraid of losing each other. One night, you were sitting under a blanket outside the city, chatting about everything. At some point, your hands intertwined, your eyes met, and you both reached out to each other. The kiss was cautious and warm, but afterward, Nat quietly said, — We probably shouldn't have. You agreed, deciding it was safer. After that, you continued communicating as before, pretending nothing had happened, but the tension remained. A couple of days later, he invited you out. You arrived early, ready to finally talk. But Nat wasn't alone—there was a girl with him.

• Oh, you're here already? Meet Veronica.