I KNOW THE END

1⒋

August 22nd, 2023

THE MASON RESIDENCE

CLEO

I wasn't sure why I was so nervous as I walked up to Matt's front door. We'd hung out countless times before, but something felt different today. Maybe it was the tension that had been lingering ever since the drama with Grace and Alex. Or maybe it was because, deep down, I couldn't ignore the little flutter I'd been feeling every time I was around Will lately.

I took a deep breath and knocked. A few moments later, Will opened the door, grinning. "Hey, Cleo. Come on in."

"Hey, Matt ," I said, smiling back. I followed him inside, the familiar scent of his house making me feel a little more at ease.

We headed to the living room, where he had a couple of sodas and snacks set out. "I figured we could just chill, maybe watch a movie or something," he said, plopping down on the couch.

"Sounds perfect," I replied, sitting down next to him. I was grateful for the distraction after everything that had happened at school.

We scrolled through movie options, eventually settling on something light and funny. As the movie played, we laughed and made jokes, slowly easing into the comfortable rhythm we always had. But there was this undercurrent of something unspoken—an awareness that hadn't been there before.

During a particularly funny scene, I laughed so hard that I leaned into Will, resting my head on his shoulder. It was something I'd done before, but this time it felt different. More intimate. When I looked up at him, his gaze met mine, and for a moment, everything else seemed to fade away.

We were close—closer than we'd ever been. I could feel his breath, warm and steady, and suddenly my heart started racing. Neither of us moved, as if we were both waiting to see what the other would do.

"Cleo..." he started, his voice softer than usual, like he was testing the waters.

"Yeah?" I whispered back, not trusting myself to say more.

His eyes flickered down to my lips, then back up to my eyes. "I... I think I—"

Before he could finish, I closed the distance between us. It was quick, almost instinctive—a light, tentative kiss. But when we pulled back slightly and looked at each other, something shifted. I could see the surprise in his eyes, but there was something else too—something that mirrored exactly what I was feeling.

Without another word, we leaned in again, this time slower, more deliberate. The kiss was soft and sweet, like we were both still figuring out what this meant. But it felt... right. Like this was something we'd been building toward all along, even if neither of us had fully realized it until now.

When we finally pulled away, both of us were a little breathless. I bit my lip, suddenly shy, wondering what he was thinking.

Matt smiled, that easy, reassuring smile I'd always liked about him. "That... was unexpected," he said, but there was a lightness in his tone.

"Yeah," I agreed, unable to stop myself from smiling too. "But... not bad, right?"

"Definitely not bad," he said, chuckling. He reached over and took my hand, his thumb brushing lightly against my skin. "I've kind of liked you for a while now, you know."

My heart fluttered at his words. "I guess I've liked you too, but I didn't realize it until recently."

We sat there for a few more moments, just holding hands, neither of us rushing to define what this meant. It felt good, like we were in our own little bubble, away from all the chaos of the last few days.

The movie played on in the background, but it barely registered. All I could think about was how natural this felt—being close to Matt, sharing something more than just friendship. I didn't know what would happen next, but for the first time in a while, I felt like something was falling into place instead of falling apart.

MATTHEW

I couldn't believe it actually happened. Cleo and I... kissed. And it wasn't awkward or weird like I'd imagined it might be if it ever happened. It was easy, like it was meant to happen all along.

I've liked Cleo for longer than I'd care to admit, but I never thought she'd feel the same way. She was always just one of my best friends—the girl I could talk to about anything, who never judged me, even when I was being an idiot. But lately, things had been different between us. I'd catch myself staring at her a little too long or wondering what it would be like to hold her hand, and today, it all just... clicked.

As we sat there, her hand still in mine, I felt this mix of relief and excitement. Relief that she felt the same way, and excitement about what this could mean for us.

"Maybe we should keep this between us for now?" Cleo suggested, breaking the comfortable silence.

I nodded, understanding why. "Yeah, let's take things slow. I don't want to mess up what we have, you know?"

"Me neither," she said, squeezing my hand reassuringly.

We spent the rest of the afternoon just hanging out like we always did, but there was this new layer of closeness between us that made everything feel different in the best way. It was like we'd crossed some invisible line, and now there was no going back—but I didn't want to.

Whatever this was, it felt right, and for once, I was actually looking forward to what came next.

As Cleo got ready to leave later that evening, we shared one last quick kiss at the door, both of us smiling like idiots afterward. "See you tomorrow," she said, her eyes sparkling with that playful energy I loved.

"Can't wait," I replied, watching her walk away with a sense of contentment I hadn't felt in a long time.

Whatever happened next, I knew we'd figure it out together. And for now, that was more than enough.

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