Adam Yauch's older sister had decided months ago that Mel was a project worth taking on.
Not because there was anything wrong with her.
Laura genuinely adored Mel.
But she also saw something the boys either ignored or were too afraid to touch—Mel had spent most of her life hiding inside oversized clothes and scraped-knee bravado because it was easier than wondering whether anyone would ever see her differently.
Laura saw the girl underneath all of that almost immediately.
And she was determined to drag her into the light if she had to.
Much to Mel's horror.
⸻
"You are not leaving this house looking like a thirteen-year-old skateboard accident," Laura announced one Saturday afternoon.
Mel looked down at herself.
"What's wrong with this shirt?"
"It has holes."
"It's vintage."
"It smells like gym class."
Mel snorted while Adam Horovitz nearly fell off the couch laughing.
Laura glared at both of them.
"You," she pointed at Ad, "are part of the problem."
"The problem?" he grinned.
"You treat her like she's another one of your idiot little friends."
"She is one of my idiot little friends."
Mel shoved him hard while laughing.
But Laura noticed the tiny flicker in Mel's expression afterward.
The disappointment.
Small. Fast. Easy to miss.
Unless you were looking for it.
And Laura had been looking for a long time.
⸻
She knew about the crush.
God, everyone knew about the crush except maybe Ad himself.
The way Mel's entire face changed when he walked into a room wasn't exactly subtle.
And meanwhile Ad acted like he was completely oblivious while unconsciously orbiting around her every second of the day.
It drove Laura insane.
Especially because her brother—
Her sweet, patient, hopelessly devoted brother—
was completely in love with the same girl.
Yauch never said it outright.
He didn't have to.
Laura saw the way he looked at Mel when she laughed. The way he listened when she spoke. The way he softened around her completely.
And she also saw the quiet heartbreak every time Mel's attention drifted back toward Ad.
⸻
That afternoon, Laura had finally managed to get Mel seated at the kitchen counter with a makeup bag spread open between them.
Mel looked deeply suspicious.
"This feels illegal."
"It's mascara, not tax fraud."
YOU ARE READING
Signals Crossed
RomanceThis is a story about childhood friendship that has stood the test of time even into adulthood. Central to the story is the friendship between Mel and Adam. As close as they are, they just can't seem to get it right. The one thing they seem to get r...
