𝐔𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐋 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐄𝐍𝐃

02. 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗲

"ARE YOU SURE YOU DON'T WANT TO GO WITH US?"

Eszter nearly begs for Michelle to tag along, nervous as ever as she searches through her closet for an outfit. The enhanced was going out with Peter to a small fair in Queens, and though she and Peter have always hung out, things were different a bit now.

A few months after the Vulture's attack, Eszter was the first to confess her true feelings to her best friend, which was a terrifying thing the girl has ever done. She remembers how much of a nervous wreck she was; Eszter was stuttering and forgetting what she was supposed to say, the enhanced often rambled, too. Peter was gobsmacked, left frozen in his spot as Eszter remembers that he was silent as ever; then, Peter abruptly exclaims of his own feelings after realizing that he hadn't said anything.

So, the two had been talking ever since, and to say the least, Eszter and Peter's relationship has been a bit . . . tense.

And now, the group of friends was meant to go out with Peter and Eszter, but unfortunately, Michelle had opted out. It made things more complicated because Ned had texted both friends that he couldn't go--he had homework to do.

Michelle was sitting on the bed as she rests her chin on her palms, glaring at her best friend with much annoyance as she has to listen to her constant pesters. "As I said five minutes ago, no," Michelle merely rolls her eyes. She sits up as she cocks a brow when her friend seemed a lot more anxious. "There's a crowd--hey, are you okay?"

Spinning around on her toes, Eszter was gripping onto random articles of clothing in her hands, revealing the stress expression on her face.

"No, I'm not. I never actually hung out with Peter alone ever since I told him that I liked him, and I'm kind of scared to be alone, but I don't know why," the girl began pacing her room. Each word she spoke was covered with the thick Sokovian accent, making it difficult for Michelle to understand. "And I don't know what to wear."

Michelle scoffs, shaking her head as she pushes herself from the bed, deciding to intervene before Eszter has a mental breakdown. "What makes this so different? It's just you and Peter hanging in out," Michelle tries to calm her friend, taking the clothes from Eszter's hands and puts them away. "And no, uh-uh, not these. Geez, look what you've turned me into--a girl who likes dress-ups. This is terrifying."

"MJ, I'm serious," Eszter sighs, plopping onto her bed as she lets her friend search for an outfit for her. "I don't want to screw things up. It just feels like things changed, even when we said things wouldn't . . ."

Michelle glances back at the enhanced, frowning a bit. The curly-haired girl thought she should be a little more supportive--only this one time. Eszter needs a best friend who can really knock some sense into the enhanced, someone who will tell the truth, no matter how brutal. It turns out, Michelle was the right fit.

Exhaling rather dramatically, Michelle grumbles under her breath, not seeming to notice the smile on Eszter's face--who quickly covered it up with a frown. "Fine. I'm not good at this whole supportive friend thing, but Eszter, you and Peter are meant to be together . . . or whatever."

"But how do you know that?" Eszter stresses.

"I don't," Michelle shrugs, honest. "It's not something you're going to see or find out by hiding behind people." Eszter knew her friend was right, but she found comfort whenever her friends tagged along. "What I'm trying to say is: stop being so scared all the time. You're only holding yourself back."

At that moment, Eszter didn't know how to feel. Was it true? Maybe she does tend to hide behind her friends, and it was a way to help Eszter feel less awkward. There has been a slight awkward tension lingering between the two friends, and just maybe, Eszter should listen to Michelle. The curly-haired girl was right, and the enhanced should try listening to them because they're right.