We lasted exactly ten minutes.
Ten peaceful, quiet, interruption-free minutes.
And honestly? That might've been a record.
I was still sitting on the couch beside Austin, pretending to watch something on TV while very much not paying attention to it.
Because my brain kept replaying one thing.
The kiss.
Over.
And over.
And over again.
"Why are you smiling?" Austin asked suddenly.
My head snapped toward him.
"I'm not smiling."
"You are."
"I'm not."
He leaned a little closer, squinting like he was inspecting evidence.
"You definitely are."
I grabbed a pillow and shoved it lightly at him.
"Stop analyzing my face."
He laughed.
"I'm just saying."
"Well don't."
"Okay," he said, still smiling.
Silence fell again—but this time it was… lighter.
Easier.
Then—
My phone buzzed.
Again.
I froze.
Austin glanced at it.
"You're really committed to ignoring that, huh?"
"Yes."
It buzzed again.
And again.
And again.
I groaned.
"Okay, this is getting aggressive."
Austin chuckled.
"Maybe you should check it."
"I don't want to."
"What if it's important?"
"It's Ethan."
"That's not important."
"Exactly."
But the buzzing didn't stop.
Reluctantly, I reached over and flipped the phone.
Ethan (12 missed calls)
My eyes widened.
"Oh no."
Austin leaned over.
"What?"
I turned the screen toward him.
He laughed.
"He's panicking."
"He's dramatic."
The phone buzzed again.
I sighed and answered.
"What?!"
"WHY DID YOU IGNORE ME?!" Ethan shouted.
I winced.
"Volume!"
"ANSWER THE QUESTION!"
"I was busy!"
"With WHAT?!"
I glanced at Austin.
He raised an eyebrow, clearly amused.
"With… stuff."
"WHAT STUFF?!"
"Private stuff!"
There was a pause.
A long pause.
Too long.
Then—
"…Oh."
I closed my eyes.
"No."
"Ohhhhh," Ethan said slowly.
"No."
"OH MY—"
"ETHAN."
"IT HAPPENED DIDN'T IT?!"
Austin burst out laughing.
I covered my face.
"This is exactly why I didn't answer!"
Ethan's voice got louder.
"YOU DIDN'T ANSWER BECAUSE YOU WERE KISSING?!"
"I DID NOT SAY THAT!"
"You didn't have to!"
I groaned.
"I'm hanging up."
"WAIT—"
I ended the call.
Silence.
Then Austin lost it.
He laughed so hard he had to lean forward.
"This is not funny," I said, though I was trying not to laugh too.
"It's a little funny."
"It's not!!"
"It is."
I shook my head.
"He's never going to let this go."
"Definitely not."
My phone buzzed again.
I didn't even check it this time.
"Nope."
Austin leaned back.
"So… now he knows."
"Unfortunately."
"You okay with that?"
I thought about it.
Then shrugged.
"I mean… it was going to happen eventually."
"True."
Another pause.
Then I looked at him.
"So."
"So?"
"Now what?"
He tilted his head.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean… what is this?"
I gestured between us.
"This."
Austin thought for a moment.
Then said simply,
"Whatever you want it to be."
That answer surprised me.
"You're really leaving it up to me?"
"Yeah."
"Why?"
"Because I don't want to rush you."
That made something in my chest soften.
"You're very patient," I said.
"I try."
I smiled a little.
"Okay."
"Okay?"
"Okay."
He nodded.
"I like that answer."
Before I could respond—
A loud knock echoed through the door.
We both froze.
Then slowly turned toward it.
I narrowed my eyes.
"No."
Austin laughed.
"Round two?"
"If that's Ethan, I'm not opening the door."
The knock came again.
Louder.
"OPEN UP!" Ethan's voice shouted.
I stood up.
"I knew it."
Austin stood too, clearly trying not to laugh again.
I walked to the door and opened it just enough to glare at him.
"What."
Ethan stood there, slightly out of breath.
"You hung up on me!"
"Yes."
"Rude."
"You were yelling."
"I had a reason!"
"No, you didn't."
He leaned closer.
"I absolutely did."
"No, you—"
He suddenly paused.
His eyes moved past me… to Austin.
Then back to me.
Then back to Austin.
A slow grin spread across his face.
"Oh."
I didn't like that "oh."
Again.
"What?" I asked.
He pointed between us.
"It's real now."
"It was always real," Austin said calmly.
Ethan gasped.
"HE ADMITTED IT?!"
I facepalmed.
"This was a mistake."
Ethan pushed the door open and walked in like he owned the place.
"I need details."
"You're not getting any."
"I deserve them."
"You don't."
"I started this."
"You did not start this!"
"I absolutely did," he said proudly.
Austin shook his head.
"You just talk too much."
"And look where it got you."
I groaned.
"Both of you are impossible."
Ethan flopped onto the couch again.
"So… what are we calling this?"
"Nothing," I said immediately.
Austin looked at me.
"Still?"
I hesitated.
Then shrugged.
"Maybe… something."
Ethan leaned forward like this was the most important moment of his life.
"Say it."
"No."
"Say it."
"No."
Austin smiled slightly.
"You don't have to."
Ethan pointed at him.
"You're too calm about this."
"I'm fine."
"I'm not," Ethan said. "This is huge."
I sat back down.
"It's not that huge."
"You kissed him!"
I froze.
Austin looked at me.
I looked at him.
Ethan's eyes widened.
"WAIT— THAT WAS A GUESS."
I buried my face in a pillow.
"I hate everything."
Austin laughed again.
Ethan stood up dramatically.
"I KNEW IT!"
"You didn't know anything!"
"I knew the vibes!"
I groaned.
"I'm moving."
"You can't escape me," Ethan said.
"Watch me."
Austin leaned back, still smiling.
"You're definitely not escaping him."
"Great."
Ethan crossed his arms proudly.
"So… what now?"
I looked at Austin.
He looked back at me.
And for once…
I didn't panic.
"We take it slow," I said.
Ethan nodded.
"Slow is good."
Austin smiled.
"Yeah."
Ethan grinned.
"But not too slow."
"ETHAN."
He laughed.
And despite everything—
The chaos.
The teasing.
The interruptions—
This time felt different.
Because now it wasn't just almosts anymore.
It was real.
And somehow…
That made everything worth it.