The day had already felt weird, thanks to that awkward art class encounter with Luke, but I needed to decompress. There's no better place to do that than Chris's house. His mom never cares how loud we get, and his room is the one place I can just breathe without feeling like the world is trying to suffocate me.
On the way to his house, though, something felt off. Chris was quieter than usual, his usual snarky comments replaced by this uncomfortable tension. He kept fiddling with the strings on his hoodie, pulling them tighter like he was trying to strangle whatever words he was holding back.
"Hey, you good?" I finally asked, bumping his arm.
Chris looked at me, biting his lip nervously. "I have to tell you something."
Oh no. This can't be good. When Chris says that, it's either something ridiculously stupid or something that'll make me want to crawl into a hole.
"What is it?" I asked cautiously.
He glanced around as if someone might overhear, even though it was just us walking down his empty street. Finally, he sighed. "I like someone."
My eyes widened. "No way! Who's the lucky lady that's managed to melt the heart of the sassiest person alive?" I asked, genuinely intrigued. It had been a long time since anyone in the group had a crush—at least one they'd admit to.
Chris groaned and looked away, muttering, "Amara..."
I stopped dead in my tracks. "What?! No! No no no no no!" I practically shouted, throwing my hands up dramatically.
"I know!" he shouted back, his face turning red.
"You know the rules, Chris. No banging anyone in the group!"
"I know!" he said again, looking flustered.
"This is bad. Like, really bad," I said, trying to keep a straight face, but it was a losing battle.
"Naomi! Don't you dare laugh!" Chris warned, pointing a finger at me, already starting to crack a smile.
I couldn't hold it back anymore. I burst out laughing, clutching my sides as Chris groaned in protest. It was too much—his face, his panic—it was all hilarious.
Once we both stopped laughing, I wiped away a tear that had started to roll down my cheek. "So, what are you gonna do?" I asked, still grinning.
Chris hesitated, looking unsure. "I don't know. What should I do?"
"Shoot your shot, man," I said, shrugging.
"Wait, really?" he asked, blinking in shock.
"Yeah—screw that stupid rule," I said, looking at him seriously. "Plus, who am I to stand in the way of true love?" I added, teasing him with a dramatic tone.
Chris shoved me playfully, muttering, "You're the worst," but I could see the hint of relief in his eyes.
By the time we got to his house, we were both in a better mood. We bolted up the stairs to his room, where he flopped onto his bed, pulling open the drawer of his nightstand to grab a bag of Skittles he always kept hidden there.
Chris tossed me the bag, and I ripped it open, pouring a handful into my palm. "So," I started, smirking as I popped a Skittle into my mouth, "you'll never guess what happened in art today."
Chris raised an eyebrow, grabbing a handful of candy for himself. "What? Did you finally make something that doesn't look like a sad stick figure?"
"Ha-ha, very funny," I said, rolling my eyes. "No, there's a new guy. Blonde, freckles, green eyes, and—get this—he has to sit next to me."
"Oh no, not the horror of sitting next to a cute guy," Chris teased, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Shut up," I said, throwing a Skittle at him. "It was awkward, okay? He didn't even introduce himself properly before the teacher yelled at us to shut up."
Chris leaned back against his pillows, smirking. "So, let me get this straight. You sat next to a hot guy, and instead of flirting, you just sat there awkwardly? Classic Naomi."
"I wasn't awkward," I said, glaring at him. "I was... cautious."
"Sure, cautious. That's what they call it now," Chris said, laughing. "What's his name, anyway?"
"Luke," I said, finally.
Chris's eyebrows shot up. "Luke? That sounds... intense."
"What do you mean, 'intense'?"
"I don't know, like the kind of name for a guy who's either super boring or secretly a serial killer."
I couldn't help but laugh. "You're ridiculous."
"And you're avoiding the real question," Chris said, sitting up and pointing a Skittle at me like it was a weapon. "Do you think he's cute?"
"I—what? No!" I stammered, feeling my face heat up.
Chris grinned triumphantly. "Oh my God, you do! Naomi has a crush!"
"I do not!" I protested, throwing another Skittle at him.
Chris ducked, laughing. "You're blushing!"
"I'm not blushing!"
"Sure, whatever you say," he said, leaning back again with a smug look.
We spent the next hour laughing, teasing, and talking about everything and nothing, just like we always did. For a little while, it felt like everything was normal. No pain, no dark thoughts—just me and my best friend, cracking jokes and eating Skittles.
And for now, that was enough.
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180 Days
Random180 Days follows Naomi Torres, a young woman who's been living in a constant state of pain. Her home life is a nightmare-her father is physically abusive, and her mother's harsh words are just as damaging. With her older brother long gone, Naomi fee...