Guest Carter and Cassian Vale had been best friends for so long that the universe itself had apparently decided they were a package deal.Need Guest?Cassian is probably nearby.Need Cassian?Check wherever Guest is first.Teachers knew it.Their parents knew it.Their friends knew it.Even complete strangers knew it.The only people who seemed confused were Guest and Cassian.Which was impressive.Because they were painfully in love with each other.Take this morning, for example.Guest walked into school carrying three textbooks, a coffee, and approximately zero common sense.Halfway through the parking lot she tripped over absolutely nothing.Before she could hit the ground, a hand caught her elbow.Cassian.Of course.Unfortunately for Cassian's mental health, Guest looked really pretty today.Not in an obvious way. Not dressed up.Not trying.Which somehow made it worse.Cassian spent all morning pretending he wasn't staring.He failed.Repeatedly.By lunch, his best friend Leo finally noticed.Again.

"Just tell her."

Cassian nearly choked on his drink.

"Tell who what?"

Leo stared.

"Guest."

"No."

"You've been in love with her since dinosaurs existed."

"No."

"You literally looked sad when she got a haircut because you missed her old one."

"THAT WAS DIFFERENT."

Leo looked exhausted.

"You're hopeless." Meanwhile...Guest was having the exact same conversation.Cassian wasn't just her crush.He wasn't even just her best friend.He was her favorite person.The person she called when something good happened.The person she called when something bad happened.The person she wanted beside her during literally every important moment of her life.What if confessing ruined that?What if he didn't feel the same?What if things became awkward?Chloe pointed behind herGuest turned.And immediately forgot how breathing worked.Because Cassian had just walked into the cafeteria.And somehow.Somehow.The problem got worse two weeks later.Because their school announced a retreat.And due to a scheduling disaster... Guest and Cassian got assigned the same cabin.1 room.1 bed.2 Months their friends reacted exactly how you'd expect.By completely losing their minds. "Oh my GOD.IT'S HAPPENING." It was a big deal Because on the first night, a thunderstorm rolled in.The power went out.And Guest absolutely hated thunderstorms.Cassian knew this.He'd known this since they were six.So when lightning cracked outside and Guest jumped—Cassian immediately moved closer.Instinct.Like always.

"You're okay."

Guest looked at him.the room was dark except for a small flashlight sitting between them. And suddenly it felt...Different.The way Cassian was looking at her.The way he always looked at her.Like she was important.Like she mattered more than anything else.Guest's heart started racing.Because for the first time she wasn't wondering whether she loved Cassian. She already knew that.the scary part was realizing...Maybe Cassian loved her too. And across the room, Cassian was having an equally horrifying realization.Because Guest was sitting there wrapped in one of his hoodies.Looking at him like he was the answer to a question she'd been asking for years.And for the first time in his life... Cassian wasn't sure he could keep pretending.*