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Chapter 42

POV Leo

I opened the door to our apartment, the familiar hum of the place greeting me as I stepped inside. It had been a weird day, but the excitement that had built up in me since this morning wasn’t something I could shake off. I had finally asked Austin  something I never expected to do. Two months after meeting him once at the supermarket and again at Estella’s birthday party it felt like the right moment to finally make a move.

As I walked through the hallway, I found Nash and Atlas lounging in the living room. Nash was sprawled on the couch, scrolling through his phone, while Atlas was sitting at the kitchen counter, tinkering with a cup of coffee. They both glanced up as I entered, their expressions curious.

“You look like you just came from a warzone” Nash said, raising an eyebrow as I shut the door behind me. “What’s up with you?”

Atlas smirked. “Yeah, what’s going on? You’re acting different.”

I hesitated for a moment, trying to shake off the nerves that were buzzing in my chest. I knew I couldn’t keep this to myself much longer. They would eventually find out anyway, and maybe talking about it out loud would help clear my head.

“I have something to tell you guys” I said, sitting down on the armrest of the couch. Both of their gazes shifted to me, waiting for me to explain further.

Nash sat up straighter. “Alright, hit us with it. What happened?”

I paused, gathering my thoughts. “I… I asked Austin out today” I said, the words tumbling out before I had the chance to second-guess myself.

Both my brothers went silent for a moment, processing what I’d just said. Then Nash was the first to speak, his face breaking into a grin. “You asked Austin out?” He looked between Atlas and me, clearly amused. “So you really went for it, huh?”

I could feel my cheeks flush. “Yeah. I mean, I had to. We’ve met a couple of times now at the supermarket, and then at Estella’s birthday. We’ve talked, and there’s something there. It just felt like the right time.”

Nash leaned back on the couch, clearly impressed. “Man, I didn’t know you’d be into him like that. I mean, from what Estella’s said, Austin’s a cool guy. You really feel like there’s something between you two?”

I exhaled slowly, feeling a mix of excitement and nerves. “I think so. I wasn’t sure at first, but when I saw him today… I knew I had to say something. I mean, I know it’s kind of complicated. He’s Estella’s best friend, and he’s younger than me. But I couldn’t ignore it anymore.”

Atlas smirked, clearly amused by my nervous energy. “Yeah, you’re really overthinking this, man. I can tell just by the way you’re talking about him that you like him. And he obviously likes you too, otherwise, he wouldn’t have agreed to go out with you. So stop worrying about it.”

“I know, I know” I muttered, rubbing the back of my neck. “It’s just he’s Estella’s best friend, and that complicates things. I don’t want to make it weird with her. And I definitely don’t want to mess up our friendship.”

Nash raised an eyebrow. “Dude, you’re seriously going to let that stop you? Estella already knows you’re into him, right? She’s not going to care. She’s been pretty chill about it every time she talks about him. If anything, she’ll probably be happy for you.”

I let out a frustrated breath. “I know. But still… I’m trying to wrap my head around it. It just feels strange, you know?”

Atlas shook his head, smiling. “Man, if it feels right, then just go with it. You and Austin obviously have a connection. You can’t let your insecurities get in the way of that. It doesn’t matter if he’s younger or if he’s Estella’s best friend. If you want this, go for it.”

Nash grinned. “Yeah, just don’t screw it up. We’ll all be waiting to hear how it goes.”

“Thanks, guys” I muttered sarcastically, though I was secretly glad they were being so supportive. “I’ll keep you updated.”

As I sat back on the couch, I realized that, despite my nerves, I was more excited than I had been in a long time. Austin had agreed to go out with me. This could actually happen, and I wasn’t going to let anything stop me.