Crossing the line

8: Crossing The Line

AVA

The house was finally quiet.

After hours of grilling, drinking, and catching up with old friends, everyone had either passed out in the living room or left to find their beds. Ava slipped into her room, shutting the door gently behind her, the quiet settling over her like a blanket. She felt emotionally exhausted, her head still spinning from her conversation with Jake.

She undressed slowly, slipping into an oversized t-shirt she'd swiped from Liam's closet years ago, one that hung just above her knees. She stood by the window for a moment, gazing out at the darkened backyard, replaying Jake's words in her head over and over.

What if it is?

Those words had ignited something in her-something she wasn't sure she could control. She had spent years burying her feelings for Jake, convincing herself that nothing could ever happen between them, that Jake was Liam's best friend and off-limits. But now? The walls she had built around her feelings were beginning to crumble.

She crawled into bed, her mind racing. Maybe Jake was right. Maybe it wasn't such a bad idea to explore what was between them. But the idea of facing Liam-of what this would mean for her relationship with her brother-kept pulling her back. Could she really risk it? Could she throw away years of friendship, trust, and sibling loyalty for the chance to be with Jake?

As she lay there, staring at the ceiling, she heard the faint creak of the floorboards outside her door. She thought nothing of it at first-probably just someone using the bathroom. But then her doorknob turned, and the door swung open with a loud creak.

Liam stood in the doorway, his silhouette illuminated by the hallway light. His face was unreadable in the shadows, but the tension in his body was unmistakable.

"Liam?" Ava sat up, the sheet clutched to her chest in confusion. "What are you doing?"

Liam didn't answer right away. Instead, he stepped into the room, shutting the door behind him. The soft click of the latch felt louder than it should have. His movements were deliberate, and Ava's heart sank as she realized that something was wrong-very wrong.

"Liam, what's going on?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly.

Liam finally spoke, his voice low and tense. "I've been hearing things, Ava."

Her stomach twisted in knots. She had a bad feeling she knew where this was going, but she wasn't ready to face it. "What do you mean?"

Liam ran a hand through his hair, pacing a few steps before turning to face her. His jaw was tight, his eyes dark with a mixture of frustration and disbelief. "Jake."

Ava's breath caught in her throat. She stayed silent, unsure of what to say, but the name hung between them like a loaded gun.

Liam continued, his voice sharper now. "People are talking, Ava. They've been noticing how you've been looking at Jake-how he has been looking at you. What the hell is going on?"

Ava's heart pounded in her chest. She knew she couldn't lie to Liam, not when he was staring her down like that, but admitting the truth felt like stepping into a minefield.

"Liam," she started, choosing her words carefully, "nothing's happened. We've just... been talking."

"Talking?" Liam scoffed, his frustration boiling over. "Talking about what? Flirting with my best friend behind my back?"

Ava winced at his tone, pulling the blanket tighter around her. "It's not like that. I mean... it wasn't supposed to be like that."

Liam shook his head, his anger palpable. "You've gotta be kidding me, Ava. Jake? Jake? Of all people?"