Isabella lay sprawled across Ava's bed, one arm tucked under her head, the other gripping her phone tightly. The sound of water running from the bathroom reminded her that Ava was still showering. The thought alone made her smile unconsciously, her lips curving in a way she couldn't control.
Her chest felt heavy, yet strangely light at the same time. Every day, her feelings for Ava seemed to grow stronger, and she didn't know what to do with them. She had always been protective of her best friend, but this was… different.
She knew she was possessive. She didn't want Ava out of her sight for too long. The moment Ava started chatting with others, Isabella's mind instantly began to race. What are they talking about? Why is she smiling so much? Is she forgetting about me?
Her thoughts carried her back to one day at school.
She remembered sitting on the sun-warmed steps outside their classroom, her backpack still half-unzipped, watching as Ava laughed with two other girls by the swings. Isabella's chest had tightened in a way she couldn't explain back then. She gripped her pencil case so hard it nearly split, eyes never leaving Ava's face.
When Ava finally ran back to her, cheeks flushed from laughing, Isabella asked sharply, "What were you talking about?"
"Nothing," Ava shrugged, still grinning. "They just wanted me to show them my drawing."
But Isabella had scowled, tugging on Ava's sleeve until she sat back down beside her. Only then did the knot in her stomach loosen.
Even back then, the fear of losing Ava to someone else had been rooted deep inside her and it never really went away.
It wasn't that she wanted to cage Ava in. No, she didn't want to suffocate her. So, she allowed Ava some space to laugh, to talk, to mingle. But there was always a limit. Isabella always found herself stepping in, either sliding an arm around Ava's shoulders or cutting the conversation short with her cold glare at whoever was trying to take Ava's attention.
She hated that she couldn't explain what she was feeling. Was this normal? Was it wrong? Or was it something people simply didn't talk about out loud?
Grabbing her phone, Isabella opened her chat app. Her fingers trembled slightly as she typed into the little white box:
"Why do I feel butterflies in my stomach every time I see my best friend? Why do I get jealous when she talks to other people? Why can't I stop thinking about her face, her voice, her laugh…? Is it possible to like a girl this much?"
Her thumb hovered over the send button, heart thumping wildly in her chest. She couldn't even bring herself to breathe properly. She felt like if anyone saw her messages, they would know her secret instantly, that she might be falling for Ava.
She shut her eyes tight, memories flashing through her head: Ava's soft giggles when Isabella said something silly, the way Ava's hair always smelled sweet like vanilla, the way her eyes sparkled whenever they looked at her.
The butterflies in her stomach turned into a storm.
Isabella clutched her phone tighter, her lips pressing into a thin line. "What's wrong with me…?" she whispered to herself.
And then the bathroom door creaked open.
Ava stepped out, hair damp, wrapped in a simple towel. Isabella's eyes flickered up instantly, and her heart almost stopped. For a moment, all she could do was stare at the girl who had unknowingly turned her world upside down.
Ava smiled innocently, completely unaware of the turmoil burning in Isabella's chest. "Your turn, Bella."
Isabella quickly locked her phone and shoved it under her pillow, forcing a smirk to cover up the chaos inside her.
"Yeah… sure."
But her heart knew the truth—she was losing control, and the feelings she was trying so hard to ignore were only getting stronger.
By the time she finished her shower, she had convinced herself to push the thoughts away, at least for tonight. Yet, the moment she stepped out wrapped in a towel, there was Ava, already dressed in her nightwear, legs tucked under the sheets, lost in the pages of a book. The soft lamp by her bedside bathed her in a warm glow, making her look like something out of a dream. Isabella froze for a second, her chest tightening.
"Hey," Isabella's voice was casual, though her heart was anything but. "Can you help me with something?"
Ava looked up from her book, her eyes soft. "What is it?"
"Lotion," Isabella said, holding up the bottle. "My hands are slippery."
Ava smiled faintly, setting her book aside. "Alright, come here."
Isabella sat on the edge of the bed, her towel still clinging loosely to her damp skin. As Ava's hands began to spread the lotion across her shoulders, Isabella's breath hitched. Ava's touch was gentle, careful, almost hesitant, but every glide of her fingers felt like fire against Isabella's skin.
Neither spoke. The room was filled only with the quiet hum of the lamp and the rhythmic sound of Ava's hands working over her back. Isabella tilted her head slightly, stealing glances at her best friend's face, noticing how Ava was avoiding her eyes.
When Ava finished, Isabella stood, dropping the towel to change into her pajamas. She caught the way Ava's gaze immediately darted away, her cheeks flushing as she quickly pretended to adjust her book.
"Why are you looking away?" Isabella teased, a sly smirk tugging at her lips. "You can look, you know."
Ava's eyes widened, and she turned her face even more firmly to the side. "Stop being naughty," she muttered, her voice tight but playful.
"Oh, I am?" Isabella chuckled softly, slipping into her pajamas with deliberate slowness. "I didn't notice that."
The tension was thick, charged, electric. Ava buried herself back into her book, pretending to read, but the pages blurred in front of her. Isabella, now dressed, climbed into bed beside her, leaning just a little closer than usual, her shoulder brushing against Ava's.
The air between them was no longer the easy comfort of best friends, it was something heavier, something that made Ava's heart race and Isabella's lips curve into the faintest, most dangerous smile.
Their faces met and they stared at each other for a long period of time both saying nothing.