Y/N and Louise had been best friends since their first day of kindergarten. Their bond was built on countless hours of shared secrets, whispered dreams, and unwavering support. They spent their childhood exploring the world together, and not a single major event in one's life happened without the other being there. Their friendship was their cornerstone, a comforting certainty in a world that often felt too big.
Louise's brother, Everest, was a constant yet distant presence in their lives. Three years older, he had the kind of confidence that made him the life of every party and the star of every sports team. To Y/N, he was a figure of silent admiration. Her crush on him was a secret she entrusted only to Louise.
Y/N blurted it out one rainy afternoon as they lay on Louise's bedroom floor, painting their nails a ridiculous shade of neon green. She could still remember the way her heart pounded as she admitted it. "Louise, I have to tell you something. I have a huge crush on Everest."
Louise's eyes had widened with surprise. After a moment of stunned silence, she burst into laughter, "Oh my god, Y/N! Everest? My brother Everest?"
"Yeah," Y/N replied, her cheeks flushing bright red. "I know it's silly. He's so... you know, and I'm just... me."
Louise stopped laughing and looked at Y/N seriously. "Y/N, you're amazing. But you know Everest, he's... different. He's popular, he's..."
"Cool," Y/N finished the sentence for her. "I know."
"But hey," Louise had said, squeezing Y/N's hand, "It doesn't change anything between us. If anything, it makes things more interesting."
Despite Louise's reservations, Everest and Y/N found a kind of friendship. It wasn't the easy camaraderie that Y/N shared with Louise, but a quieter, more tentative connection. They talked occasionally, shared jokes during family barbecues, and sometimes even partnered up for games when Louise was preoccupied.
One particular summer night, the three of them gathered around a campfire in Louise's parents' garden. The sky was an expanse of deep velvet, dotted with countless stars. The crackling of the fire and the scent of burning wood filled the air. Louise sat with her boyfriend, Harry, her laughter mingling with the gentle hum of the evening. Y/N and Everest sat opposite, their faces glowing in the warm light of the fire.
Everest leaned back, resting his elbows on the grass. He looked effortlessly handsome, with his messy hair and easy smile. Y/N tried to focus on the marshmallow she was roasting, pretending the proximity didn't make her heart race.
"So, Y/N," Everest said suddenly, breaking the comfortable silence, "I've been thinking a lot about our first date."
Y/N blinked, almost dropping her marshmallow into the flames. "What?"
Louise, who had been whispering something to Harry, looked up in surprise. Harry, catching the shift in mood, grew silent as well.
Everest shrugged, still gazing at the stars. "Yeah. I mean, if we were to go on a date, I think I know what we'd do."
Y/N's heart was a drum in her chest. "You do?"
"Yeah." He spoke with a casual air, as if he was discussing a recent homework assignment, not a scenario that had been the subject of her daydreams for months. "We'd start with a walk along the beach at sunset. Then, I'd take you to this little café I know, where they serve the best hot chocolate. After that, maybe a late-night movie. And we'd end the night watching the stars, just like this."
Y/N stared at him, her marshmallow forgotten. Louise and Harry exchanged glances, a mix of surprise and amusement in their eyes.
"And," Everest continued, glancing at Y/N with a small smile, "I'd probably tell you how long I've liked you. Even though you think you're not my type, you've always been something special."
Y/N felt like she was floating. She searched Everest's face, trying to decipher if he was joking, but his expression was sincere.
"Really?" she whispered.
"Really," he said softly.
The fire crackled, the night air cool against their skin. Everest reached over and gently took her hand.
Louise watched them, a warm smile spreading across her face. She nudged Harry, who gave her a knowing look, and they stood up quietly, leaving Y/N and Everest alone by the fire.
In the soft glow of the flames, Y/N realized that the impossible had become possible. Under the vast expanse of the starlit sky, with her best friend's silent blessing, Y/N felt the start of something wonderful.
The world around them melted away, leaving just the two of them, connected in a way that transcended the labels of popular or ordinary. In that moment, everything felt perfect, and Y/N dared to believe that maybe, just maybe, some dreams were meant to come true.
