Crossing the line

2: Unwanted tension

AVA

Ava busied herself unpacking in her old room, trying to ignore the nagging sensation that Jake was just downstairs, making himself at home. She hadn't been in town for more than an hour, and already, his presence was suffocating. The worst part? She couldn't tell if it was in a bad way or not.

Her room hadn't changed at all since high school. Posters of her favorite bands were still tacked to the walls, and her desk was cluttered with old notebooks and a few dusty trophies. It felt like stepping into a time capsule-a reminder of who she used to be, back when everything seemed so much simpler.

She folded the last of her clothes into the drawer, hoping the mundane task would calm her nerves. But her mind kept drifting to Jake-his cocky grin, the way his eyes seemed to linger on her just a little too long when he'd greeted her.

This summer was supposed to be her chance to relax, to regroup before starting her new life in the city. And now, thanks to Liam, she'd be spending every day navigating the awkward tension that had somehow sprung up between her and Jake.

She'd managed to avoid him for the last few years, ducking out of family gatherings and friend hangouts where she knew he'd be. But now there was no escaping it.

There was a knock on her door. Ava turned, half-expecting to see Liam, but instead, there was Jake, leaning casually against the doorframe like he owned the place. Of course.

"Your brother sent me up to see if you needed help," he said, his voice annoyingly smooth. "But it looks like you've got it all under control."

Ava straightened, crossing her arms. "I'm good, thanks."

Jake stepped inside anyway, his eyes scanning her room with a smirk. "This place hasn't changed much, huh? Feels like I've walked straight into 2015."

"Glad to see you're so nostalgic," she muttered, wishing he'd take the hint and leave.

He walked over to her bookshelf, picking up an old soccer trophy and examining it with mock seriousness. "You were a pretty good player back in the day. What happened?"

Ava shot him a glare. "I grew up. Got busy."

"Too busy for a kickabout with me and Liam?" He set the trophy down, turning to face her, his expression softening just a little. "You used to be one of the boys, you know."

"I'm not one of the boys anymore, Jake."

Something flickered in his eyes at that, something she couldn't quite read. He took a step closer, and the air in the room seemed to thicken.

"No," he said quietly. "You're definitely not."

Ava's pulse quickened. She opened her mouth to say something, anything to break the tension, but the words caught in her throat. This was exactly what she'd been trying to avoid-this charged moment, where the lines between them blurred, and everything she knew about him felt upended.

Before she could gather her thoughts, Liam's voice boomed from downstairs. "Jake! We need to head out!"

Jake didn't move right away. He held her gaze for a long, agonizing second before stepping back, a small, knowing smile tugging at his lips.

"Looks like I've got to go," he said, his tone casual again. "See you around, Ava."

And just like that, he was gone, leaving her standing in the middle of her room, her heart racing and her thoughts spinning. What the hell had just happened?

She needed to keep her distance. No matter how drawn she was to Jake, this couldn't go anywhere. He was Liam's best friend, and that made him off-limits.

But as she sat down on her bed, trying to shake the strange feeling that had settled in her chest, she couldn't help but wonder if that rule was one she was capable of following anymore.

Love you all! Thanks for reading!
<3