Between Us

☆ part twenty four ☆

The early morning light poured through the kitchen windows, casting a soft glow over the counters and illuminating the faint traces of flour still dusting the surface from last night's failed attempt at cookies. The house was quiet, the kind of stillness that only existed before everyone else woke up. It was just me and Indi, perched on the counter, sharing hushed whispers as though we were teenagers at a sleepover. Indi leaned her back against the cabinet, her legs swinging idly as she sipped from her mug of coffee. Her dark hair was a mess, and she still had the remnants of sleep on her face, but her eyes were sharp and full of curiosity. "Okay, so let's be real," she said, her tone conspiratorial. "How did whole thing feel? It all sounds... ah gosh I don't know fun."

I rolled my eyes playfully, but I couldn't stop the small smile tugging at my lips. Indi wasn't one to let things go, and honestly, I appreciated her persistence more than I'd ever admit out loud. "I'm not too sure really ," I said, setting my own coffee down beside me. "Exciting ? Terrifying? Both?"

She grinned. "That's what I figured. But seriously, Lark, this is huge! I mean, I knew by how you look at her, oh my days, the way you look at her is adorable. And now it's not just some hopeless crush. She likes you back! How does that feel?"

Her enthusiasm was contagious, and I couldn't help but laugh softly. "It feels... surreal, honestly. Like, I've spent so long just pushing these feelings down, convincing myself that nothing could ever happen. And now..." I trailed off, shaking my head in disbelief. "It's just a lot to wrap my head around."

Indi nudged me with her elbow, her grin turning mischievous. "A good kind of 'a lot,' though. Right?"

I smiled, nodding. "Yeah. A really good kind."

Indi sighed dramatically, setting her mug aside and throwing her hands in the air. "God, your life is so exciting right now. Meanwhile, mine is just so boring. Like, where's my drama? My forbidden romance? My passionate lakeside confession?"

I burst out laughing, nearly spilling my coffee. "Oh, please. Your life is not boring. You literally have a new crush every other week."

She shrugged, unbothered. "Yeah, but none of them are as swoon-worthy as this whole thing with you and Sophie. I mean, come on. The angst? The tension? The romance? It's like something out of a movie."

I rolled my eyes, but my laughter softened into something more genuine. "You're ridiculous, you know that?"

"Yeah, yeah," she said, waving me off. "But you love me."

Before I could respond, the sound of footsteps approaching the kitchen caught our attention. Indi and I both turned to see Oakley walking in, his hair sticking up in all directions and his face scrunched in a half-awake grimace. He was wearing a hoodie that looked two sizes too big and a pair of plaid pajama pants that had clearly seen better days. What are you two whispering about?" he grumbled, heading straight for the coffee pot, his voice still rough with sleep.

I straightened up, quickly scrambling for an answer. "Uh, just... stupid stuff. Nothing worth repeating," I said, shrugging and hoping he'd let it go.

But Indi's eyes lit up with pure, unfiltered chaos. The wicked grin that spread across her face was a clear warning sign, but I didn't have time to stop her. "Oh, we were just talking about how Lark has chlamydia," she said casually, like it was the weather forecast.

I froze. Oakley froze mid-reach for the coffee pot, his hand hovering in the air. His head turned to me slowly, one eyebrow raised, his expression somewhere between disbelief and cautious amusement. "Excuse me?" he said flatly.

A strangled laugh escaped Indi as I groaned, covering my face with my hands. "I do not!" I said, my voice muffled by my palms. "She's lying. She's an idiot."