DELUSIONAL HEART

ch 1: WHISPERS IN THE AIR

**Chapter 1: Whispers in the Air**

Phil had always been the golden boy—smart, athletic, and well-mannered. The kind of guy everyone in the neighborhood admired. But even the perfect guy had his secrets. Phil’s secret had a name: *Lily*. Ever since she moved in a few months ago, she had become the constant backdrop to Phil’s thoughts.

Lily was beautiful—no doubt about it—but she was also elusive, a mystery wrapped in soft laughter and fleeting glances. She rarely joined their group at the park, and when she did, Phil barely had the courage to look her in the eye. The one person who knew about his silent obsession was his best friend, Nick. Naturally, Nick loved to tease him about it every chance he got.

"Man, you're like a dog chasing its tail," Nick said as they passed Lily’s house for what seemed like the hundredth time that week. “She’s going to think you’ve lost it.”

Phil stuffed his hands deeper into his pockets, his face warming. “I’m not stalking her, okay? I just like to be... around.”

“Yeah, around... *her house*,” Nick said, flashing a grin. “You’ve got it bad, man. Seriously, just talk to her. How hard can it be?”

*Harder than you think*, Phil thought, his stomach doing flips. “I will... eventually.”

Nick shook his head, laughter bubbling up as he nudged Phil’s shoulder. He was genuinely excited for his friend, hoping to see him make a move. Yet, there was an underlying suspicion about Becca that nagged at him. Why had she brought up Lily?

Just then, Lily’s front door creaked open. Phil’s heart skipped a beat as Lily stepped out, her hair catching the afternoon sunlight. She was laughing at something her friend Emily said as they strolled out toward the park. Becca and Matt trailed behind them, chatting. Phil’s pulse quickened. *There she is...*

Nick nudged him again, his excitement palpable. “Hey, lover boy. You gonna stare all day or say something?”

Phil swallowed hard, the knot in his throat tightening. “Let’s just head to the park. It’s not a big deal.”

Nick raised an eyebrow. “Uh-huh. Right. Not a big deal at all.”

At the park, the group started a casual basketball game. Nick, always competitive, took the lead, reveling in the adrenaline and the thrill of victory. He could sense Phil lagging behind, his attention constantly drifting to Lily. Every move she made seemed to pull Phil further into a haze, while Nick felt a swell of happiness for his friend. *If only he could just see how much she might like him back...*

As the game wrapped up and they gathered by the benches, Becca approached Nick and Phil with an easy smile. She was always friendly, but there was something in the way she glanced at Phil that made him feel uneasy—like she was sizing him up.

“Hey, Nick. Phil,” Becca said casually, leaning against the back of the bench. Her gaze flickered toward Lily, who was sitting with Emily a few feet away, engrossed in conversation.

Nick wiped the sweat from his brow, still pumped from the game. “What’s up, Becca? You played a decent game out there. Almost thought you’d beat me.”

Becca smirked. “In your dreams, Nick. I’ll beat you when I’m actually trying.”

Nick laughed and shook his head, but his eyes darted back to Phil. He could see Phil’s anticipation building as Becca’s eyes settled on him, and that familiar protective instinct kicked in. *What does she want?* he wondered, feeling a flicker of suspicion.

“You know, Phil,” Becca said, her tone casual, but there was an edge to it that made Phil’s nerves buzz. “Lily talks about you sometimes.”

Phil blinked, caught off guard. “Wait, what?”