Hearts of trouble (under development)

Do i like her?

The next few months passed in a blur of school, family drama, and unexpected adventures that brought Shawn, Lily, and Cory even closer together. It wasn't that life had suddenly become easier for Lily-far from it. But with her two best friends by her side, the days felt a little more manageable. They had their regular hangouts at Chubbie's, the late-night conversations, and spontaneous trips to the arcade, each moment an escape from the chaos in their lives.

As the days wore on, it became clear to Shawn that his feelings for Lily were growing deeper than just friendship. At first, he tried to ignore it-chalked it up to the fact that she was an incredible person and a great friend. But every time she laughed, every time their hands brushed by accident or when she'd lean into his shoulder for support, something inside him seemed to shift. He found himself thinking about her in ways he hadn't before, his feelings growing stronger every day.

It wasn't just the way her eyes sparkled when she talked about something she loved, or how she always seemed to know when he was having a bad day. It was the way she trusted him, the way she allowed herself to lean on him when life was hard. It was the way she made him feel like maybe-just maybe-there was something worth fighting for.

But Shawn didn't want to complicate things. Not with everything Lily was going through. He kept his feelings to himself, not wanting to risk ruining their friendship. Still, it was hard to ignore the way his heart would race when she smiled at him or how her presence seemed to make the world a little brighter.

One afternoon, the three of them found themselves at the local park, enjoying a rare moment of sunshine. Cory was trying-and failing miserably-to impress Lily with his basketball skills, while Shawn leaned against a nearby tree, quietly observing.

"Come on, Cory, I've seen you play better than this!" Lily teased, laughing as he missed yet another shot.

"Hey, I'm not the one who's got the real skills here," Cory retorted, grinning back at her. "I'm just warming up."

Shawn smiled at the playful exchange, his thoughts wandering back to how Lily had come into his life-how much she'd changed everything for him. She was the one who had kept him grounded through his ups and downs. It was hard to believe how quickly they had become this inseparable trio.

"Alright, alright. Let me show you how it's done," Shawn said, stepping forward and taking the ball from Cory. He dribbled once, twice, and then easily sank a shot into the hoop.

Lily clapped, impressed. "Okay, okay. You definitely have skills, Hunter. I'll give you that."

Shawn laughed, catching the ball. "I told you. I'm a man of many talents."

As he passed the ball to Cory, their eyes met briefly. There was something unspoken between them-something more than just friendship. Shawn felt it again, that tug in his chest, but he shoved it aside. They were friends. He couldn't risk ruining that. Not when Lily was going through so much.

Later that night, after another long day of classes and yet another heart-to-heart with his dad, Shawn found himself sitting in the living room of Lily's house, waiting for her to come downstairs. She had texted him earlier, saying she wanted to talk.

He had no idea what it was about, but his mind raced with a thousand possibilities. Maybe she'd noticed the way he'd been acting. Maybe she could tell something was off. Maybe she was just dealing with the weight of everything herself.

When she finally walked into the room, wearing her favorite oversized sweatshirt and a tired smile, Shawn felt the familiar warmth spread through him.

"You wanted to talk?" he asked, his voice softer than he intended.