𝐍𝐢𝐧𝐚 | 𝟏𝟖 +

𝐅 𝐎 𝐑 𝐓 𝐘 - 𝐓 𝐖 𝐎

Nina

I was lounging on Stella's couch, flipping through her magazines, when she suddenly turned to me with a teasing grin. "So, Nina, got a date yet for prom night?" she asked, her voice dripping with curiosity.

I shook my head and smirked, leaning back into the cushions. "Nope, not yet." I replied, casually. "But I'm waiting for a certain someone to ask me."

Stella raised a brow, immediately intrigued. "Oh? And who might this certain someone be?"

I couldn't help the little smile that crept onto my lips. "You'll have to wait and see." I teased, keeping her in suspense. Honestly, I wasn't about to spill the details just yet. Stella was my best friend, sure, but there were some things I liked to keep close to my chest.

She huffed dramatically, crossing her arms. "Come on, give me something!"

I laughed, tossing a pillow at her. "All I'm saying is, if this person doesn't make the first move soon, I will."

Stella grinned, catching the pillow and hugging it. "Ooh, bold move. I like it. I hope they ask you though."

"Me too." I muttered, even though I already had a feeling they wouldn't. But still, a girl can hope, right?

Stella glanced at me with a playful glint in her eye. "Speaking of dates, did you finally break up with Antonio?"

I chuckled and nodded. "Yeah, I texted him last night."

Her eyes went wide, and she groaned, rolling her eyes. "Of course, you broke up with him over text. Classic Nina." She gave me a playful shove, and I laughed, slapping her shoulder lightly in return.

"Hey, what's wrong with that? It's efficient!" I defended myself, still grinning. I mean, what was the big deal? Antonio and I weren't even that serious. Plus, I wasn't about to drag out some big emotional breakup when I knew it wasn't going anywhere.

"Efficient, sure. Cold, definitely." Stella teased, shaking her head at me.

I shrugged, not too bothered by it. "Better than stringing him along."

She snorted, tossing the pillow back at me. "You're impossible."

I caught the pillow and hugged it to my chest, feeling relaxed in the moment. "You know me too well."

Stella smiled, her playful teasing fading into something a bit more serious. "Well, whoever this mysterious person is, I hope they make you happy, Nina. You deserve that."

Her words made me pause for a second. I wasn't used to talking about stuff like that with Stella, or anyone, really. But for a brief moment, I let my guard down. "Thanks." I said softly, my eyes drifting to the floor for a second before looking back at her.

We fell into a comfortable silence after that, just chilling, the sound of music from Stella's stereo filling the air. As much as I loved keeping things light and playful, moments like these, where it felt like someone actually saw me, were rare. And I appreciated them, even if I didn't always show it.

Noah

I sat on the edge of Charlotte's bed, nervously tapping my fingers on my knee. Charlotte was lounging back, scrolling through her phone, not paying much attention to me until she glanced up. "Why do you look so constipated?" she asked, eyebrow raised in amusement.

I flipped her off, rolling my eyes. "Shut up." I muttered, though a grin tugged at my lips. "I need to ask you for a favor, and it's... kind of a big one."

That got her attention. Charlotte sat up, tossing her phone aside and crossing her arms. "Alright, spill. What do you need?"

I took a deep breath, feeling my heart race a little. "Okay, so... I want to ask Nina to prom." I said, my words rushing out in a jumbled mess. "And I thought, well, I thought I could make one of those big cardboard signs, you know? And do it on the field after the soccer game. So... would you help me make the sign?"

Charlotte's eyes went wide, her jaw dropping slightly. "Wait! since when do you like Nina?" she blurted, clearly caught off guard.

My face heated up instantly, and I looked down, trying to avoid her piercing gaze. "Things have been... good between us." I mumbled, feeling the blush creeping up my neck. "I just, I want to ask her in a special way."

She stared at me for a long moment, and I could practically hear her brain processing everything. I was just waiting for her to ask a million questions, but instead, she sighed and shook her head. "Well, damn. I didn't see that coming." she muttered, but then she smiled and leaned back on her bed. "Alright, sure. I'll help you."

I let out a breath I didn't even realize I was holding and threw my arms around her, hugging her tightly. "Thank you! Seriously, you're a lifesaver."

Charlotte patted my back, chuckling softly. "Yeah, yeah, just don't make this a habit. And I still want details about how this happened with you two."

I pulled back, grinning sheepishly. "It's... complicated." I said, trying to avoid diving into everything. I wasn't ready to explain all of it, especially not the mess with my dad or how Nina's been taking care of me.

Charlotte's eyes lingered on me for a moment, and I could tell she was wondering about my busted lip. I knew she wasn't dumb, but I'd already given her the "I ran into a door" excuse when she asked earlier. I was just glad she didn't push it any further now.

"Uh-huh, complicated." she repeated, giving me a knowing look but letting it slide. "Well, you better make this sign epic then. Nina's not the type to settle for anything less."

I laughed, feeling some of the tension leave my body. "I know. That's why I need your help. It has to be perfect."

Charlotte nodded, standing up and stretching her arms over her head. "Alright, let's get some supplies. We've got a promposal to plan."

As we started brainstorming ideas for the sign, I couldn't help but feel a little lighter. Despite everything going on, this felt like something good. Something I was looking forward to. And with Charlotte's help, I knew I'd make it special for Nina.

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~ R