Sixteen-year-old Yasmine Emori Sanders was getting ready to start at a new high school. She recently moved in with her sister Charlie after her mother's death. The death ultimately took a toll on her. She didn't eat or sleep for weeks. Her mother wa...
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After drying off and getting dressed, Soreia paced the room, her mind still buzzing with concern over how the night would play out. She knew how fragile Yasmine's emotions were when it came to Noah, and the thought of them being in the same room—especially after today—was troubling.
Kane, sensing her unease, approached and wrapped his arms around her from behind. "Hey, it's gonna be okay," he murmured into her ear, trying to comfort her. "We'll just make sure things don't get too heavy."
Soreia turned around and looked him in the eyes. "I hope you're right. Yasmine's been through enough, and the last thing she needs is to be around Noah when she's trying to get over him."
Kane nodded, guilt flickering in his expression. "I'll keep an eye on him. If things start getting weird, we'll shut it down."
Soreia gave a half-smile, appreciating his support. "Okay, thanks."
A little while later, after Soreia had finished getting ready, she grabbed her keys and texted Yasmine that she was on her way. The drive to Yasmine's was quiet, Soreia lost in thought about how to navigate the inevitable tension. She didn't want Yasmine to feel blindsided or uncomfortable, but there wasn't much she could do about Noah showing up at this point.
When she arrived at Yasmine's, her best friend was waiting on the porch, dressed in a casual outfit that still hinted at her fashion-forward style. As she slid into the passenger seat, Soreia immediately noticed the weariness in Yasmine's eyes.
"Hey," Soreia greeted gently, giving her a warm smile. "You good?"
Yasmine shrugged, her voice soft. "I'm hanging in there. Just trying to not think too much, you know?"
Soreia bit her lip, debating whether or not to tell her about Noah. She hated keeping secrets from Yasmine, but part of her didn't want to stress her out any more than she already was. Maybe things would stay calm tonight. Maybe Noah wouldn't cause a scene.
As they drove toward Kane's place, Soreia tried to keep the conversation light, talking about everything from music to random gossip to help distract Yasmine. By the time they pulled up to the house, Yasmine seemed a bit more relaxed.
But that calm shattered the moment they walked through the front door.
Noah was already there, sitting on the couch with a drink in hand, looking up at them as they entered. The room fell silent for a beat, the tension thick enough to cut through.
Yasmine froze, her eyes locking onto Noah's for just a second before she quickly looked away, pretending not to care. But Soreia could see the hurt flicker in her expression.
Soreia internally cursed herself for not warning Yasmine earlier. She shot Kane a look, silently communicating her frustration. He gave her a small, apologetic shrug before getting up to greet them.
"Hey, glad you could make it!" Kane said, trying to inject some enthusiasm into the room.
Yasmine forced a smile, but Soreia could see right through it. "Yeah, thanks for having me," she said, her voice tight.
