The door had barely clicked shut when Austin threw himself onto the couch with a boyish grin stretched across his face. Liam stood by the window, eyes still lingering on the driveway where Mia's car had just disappeared. He tried to shake it off, tried to steady the rhythm of his thoughts, but something about her remained. It was more than her beauty—it was the calm in her eyes, the curve of her voice, the ease with which she smiled. She had settled in his mind like a quiet melody he couldn't silence.
"Damn, that girl's amazing," Austin said, resting his arms on the back of the couch and tilting his head toward Liam. "I mean, Mia is... something else."
Liam blinked and turned slowly, his smile soft, trying to play it cool. "She's got a vibe," he replied simply.
Austin chuckled, then patted the cushion beside him. "Come on, don't downplay it. You know she's fine. I saw the way you looked when she walked in. You were dazed."
"Was I?" Liam laughed, finally walking over to sit beside him. "Nah man, I was just surprised. You've kept her hidden all this time."
Austin grinned like a teenager who had just won the lottery. "I had to be sure, bro. Had to know if this was real. And...it is. She's the first girl that's ever made me feel like I don't want to mess around anymore. You know?"
That last line hit Liam differently. He turned his eyes away, pretending to inspect the TV remote as his chest tightened with a feeling he couldn't name. But he forced a grin. "So what's the story? How did you two meet?"
"Oh, man... it's actually a funny one," Austin said, rubbing his hands together. "You remember that night I dragged you to that poetry slam in Atlanta? You bailed halfway through."
Liam nodded slowly, brows furrowed. "Yeah, I left early for that project deadline."
"Well, I stayed back. I was just about to leave too when this girl stepped on stage and started reading—Mia. Her piece was raw, man. Not all those abstract crap people read sometimes. It was like she was bleeding through her words. I watched her the whole time and just knew I had to talk to her."
Liam chuckled. "So the poetry worked on you? That's new."
Austin shrugged, grinning wider. "I was smitten, bro. Like, heart-racing, palms-sweating, don't-know-what-to-say kind of smitten. We talked afterward, and she was so cool, so real. We stayed out till 3 a.m. just walking and talking."
Liam smiled, genuinely this time. He was happy for his friend. They'd been through so many broken relationships, so many failed flings and flamed-out romances. Austin had been the reckless one, the wild card, always chasing the next thrill. To see him like this—settled, content, in love—was a relief.
"She makes me want to be a better man," Austin added, voice softer. "I never thought I'd find someone who makes me feel this seen."
Liam nodded slowly. "I'm happy for you, man. She seems like a great person."
Austin leaned back, placing his hands behind his head. "She is. I just hope I don't screw it up."
Liam turned to look at him. "You won't. Not this time."
There was a moment of silence between them, thick with unspoken things. Liam shifted on the couch, trying to push away the strange feeling that had been building since Mia walked in. He had to draw boundaries in his mind—clean, straight lines that kept his thoughts in check. Mia belonged to Austin. That was the rule.
But rules don't stop emotions. They just make you better at hiding them.
Austin, always the playful one, broke the silence with a nudge. "Now, enough about me. Let's talk about your love life. Don't think I haven't noticed that you've been acting all mysterious lately."
Liam blinked. "What are you talking about?"
"That girl you brought to that art exhibit last week. Blonde, short hair, legs for days. What's her name? Amanda? Ashley?"
Liam groaned. "Ivy?. It was just a one-time thing. We're not serious."
"Liam!" Austin said dramatically, sitting up. "Come on, man. You're telling me that girl wasn't anything serious? She looked at you like you'd just painted the stars for her."
"Yeah, and I looked at her like she was an Uber driver who took a wrong turn, she doesn't even know how to ride a c*ck well" Liam muttered under his breath.
Austin burst into laughter. "You're cold."
"I'm honest."
"You're in denial," Austin said, pointing at him. "When are you going to admit you need someone, man? You've been floating through women-like phases of the moon. Don't you get tired of it?"
Liam sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Honestly, I don't even know what I'm looking for anymore. I guess... when it's right, I'll know."
Austin leaned closer. "Or maybe you already do and you're just scared."
Liam raised a brow. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means maybe the girl who's right for you already walked in here tonight, and you're doing everything not to admit it."
Liam froze.
Austin smirked. "Relax, I'm just messing with you."
But Liam's smile didn't come.
Austin tilted his head. "Wait—yo, Liam. You're not actually—"
Liam stood up quickly. "I'm heading to bed. Big day tomorrow. We've got that presentation, remember?"
Austin laughed, oblivious to the internal war Liam was waging. "Alright, alright. Run away like always. Just remember, karma's watching."
Liam headed for the stairs, every step heavier than the last. When he got to his room, he leaned against the closed door, eyes shut, breath slow.
Austin's words echoed like a warning: "Maybe the girl who's right for you already walked in here tonight."
And the worst part wasn't the thought itself—it was how much Liam wished it weren't true.
"Austin is such a jerk, he enjoys messing with my head"
Liam picked up the car keys heading to the nearest lounge to clear his mind.
"Austin I'm off to the lounge to go f*ck some pus*y, would you like to join me?"
"Liam you are a bad boy, you jerk, I have a girlfriend now, you can go alone bro, make sure to enjoy yourself and make sure to f*ck that pus*y hard until she squirts," Austin said yelling from his room.