October 1st, 2002
At the party, Autumn was glowing with newfound confidence. Mia and Reece were proud, watching her with smiles of approval. Despite her growing self-assurance, Autumn found herself uneasy when some boys began to hit on her. Most backed off after she said "no," but one persistent boy refused to take the hint.
"Hey, gorgeous! Will you date me?" he asked, giving her a wink. Autumn's discomfort was immediate. "Uhm... no, sorry," she replied firmly.
The boy was not dissuaded. "Oh, come on! With a figure like that... you're beautiful, baby. Date me." His drunken persistence began to unsettle Autumn. She had always had a fear of drunk people, stemming from her past experiences with her father. "No... sorry," she said again, her voice trembling slightly.
The boy's irritation grew. "Is it so hard to just accept? Come on, baby. You know you want me." His aggression made Autumn feel increasingly unsafe.
Before she could say anything more, Mia noticed the interaction from across the room. Seeing Autumn's distress, Mia quickly made her way over.
"Take a fucking hint! Which part of 'no' did you not understand?!" Mia yelled as she punched the boy, sending him crashing to the floor.
"You are the most stupid, most terrible person I've ever seen. Take 'no' for an answer!" Mia continued, her anger blazing as she berated him. As Mia raged, Autumn felt a flutter of butterflies in her stomach. The intensity of Mia's defense was something Autumn had never felt before, stirring unfamiliar but exhilarating emotions.
After dealing with the boy, Mia approached Autumn and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "You okay?" she asked, her concern evident.
"Thanks, Mia," Autumn replied with a smile. Though she usually disliked physical contact, this touch felt unexpectedly comforting and good.
That was undeniably the moment Autumn began to develop feelings for Mia. She felt a rush of emotions she'd never experienced before, but along with this new attraction came a deep sense of shame. It wasn't just that Mia was a girl; it was that she was Reece's girlfriend. Reece was genuinely happy with Mia, and Autumn couldn't bear the thought of disrupting that happiness. The conflict between her feelings and her loyalty to her brother left her feeling even more conflicted and distressed.
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Unraveled Threads
FanfictionA story about Reece, Autumn and Mia, before and after the whole prom situation. As the threads that once were strong, and unbreakable, slowly unravel.. until they meet again.