Destined... | Anthony 'Ant' Vaugn

000 Destined...

Missy Beckett and I? We've been best friends since forever. Like, since we were five. It all started in the chaos of the school playground on our first day of school. Picture this: the sun's out, kids are laughing, everything's loud and chaotic. And there we are, both eyeing the same swing set. I was taking my sweet time on the swing (as you do), and Missy? Well, she wasn't about to wait. So what does she do? She shoves me right off. Bold move, right? And here's the kicker—there was literally another swing right next to mine, totally free. But no, she just had to have the one I was on. Classic Missy.

And that was it. That's how it all started. From that day on, we were basically glued together. Ride or die, no questions asked. Secrets, dreams, crushes—everything we had, we shared. Nobody even tried to come between us. We were a package deal.

But, you know, life happens. Stuff changes. It was slow at first, barely noticeable, but by the time Missy started dating Sasha, things between us started shifting. It wasn't like this big dramatic breakup or anything. It was more like... this quiet, sneaky thing. Like a shadow creeping in, messing with the dynamic we'd always had. Missy was spending more time with Sasha, and me? I was drifting toward my brother's friend group. Specifically, toward Anthony Vaughn.

Now, Anthony. Where do I even start? Out of all my brother's friends, he was always my favorite. He had this whole effortless charm thing going on, like he didn't even have to try, and that smile? Yeah, it was enough to make my heart skip a beat. It was totally different from how I felt about Dusty, my actual brother. Don't get me wrong—I love Dusty. But with him, it's all sibling vibes, nothing more.

Anyway, Missy and I were still tight when Sasha wasn't around. We'd hang out, laugh, reminisce about the good old days. But even then, I could feel it. Something was off. It wasn't like before. I couldn't help but miss the days when we were each other's number one. Back then, it felt like nothing could touch us, and now? Now it felt like I was holding onto something that was already slipping away.

But maybe that's just how it goes, right? People change. Friendships evolve. And honestly, maybe that's not such a bad thing. Missy seemed happy with Sasha, and for the first time, I started seeing myself differently too. Hanging out with Anthony was exciting, like I was stepping into a new version of me.

So yeah, things weren't the same. But maybe they weren't meant to be. Maybe this was just the next chapter for both of us—new adventures, new connections, and who knows? Maybe something even better.