A month had passed since my first day at school, and the whirlwind of new experiences had settled into a comfortable routine. Quin and Reya had become not just friends but pillars of my new life here. Our days were filled with laughter and shared adventures—whether it was a trip to the local shop, indulging in ice cream, or just hanging out at each other's houses. Quin and I had especially bonded, finding in each other a shared sense of humour and countless common interests.

Quin kept me updated about Tommie, even though Tommie himself still hadn't spoken to me. It was like Tommie was this elusive figure, always present in our conversations but never crossing paths with me directly. I was curious and a bit frustrated, but Quin's updates kept my interest piqued. The stories about Tommie's soccer skills, his plans, and his charisma were always intriguing, but they only fuelled my curiosity further.

In the meantime, Quin had developed a noticeable crush on Reya. It was endearing and slightly frustrating to watch him pine from a distance, too shy to make a move. I found myself playing the role of supportive friend, giving him pep talks and encouraging him to take a chance. It was clear he had feelings for Reya, but the courage to express them seemed just out of reach.

Jake, my brother, was a whirlwind of his own making. His popularity had soared, and he seemed to have a talent for attracting trouble. He was constantly in and out of detention, and his fifth girlfriend was currently the topic of much speculation. Despite the chaos he often caused, Jake had found his place at school and was living it up, making a name for himself as both a troublemaker and a charmer.

As for me, I was settling into my new life, finding comfort in the friendships I'd formed and navigating the complexities of high school with a mix of excitement and apprehension. The month had been a blend of highs and lows, but it was slowly shaping into a story I was starting to be eager to continue.

It was a quiet afternoon after school, and Quin and Tommie were hanging out at the soccer field, just kicking the ball around and chatting. The sun was starting to dip, casting long shadows across the field. Quin's phone buzzed in his pocket, and he pulled it out to check the screen.

"Ashta," he muttered with a small smile, answering the call. "Hey, what's up?"

"Hey, Quin! I was wondering if you wanted to come over for dinner tonight. My mom's making her famous lasagne, and she said I could invite you," Ashta's voice came through the phone, light and cheerful. Quin's eyes lit up at the mention of food. "Lasagna? You know I'm in," he said, laughing softly. "What time?" "Maybe around six? You know Jake's probably going to try and eat the whole thing, so you better come early," Ashta teased. "Alright, I'll be there. See you soon," Quin replied, ending the call with a grin.

Tommie, who had been casually juggling the ball with his feet, noticed the shift in Quin's expression and lowered the ball to the ground. "Who was that?" he asked, raising an eyebrow curiously.

Quin pocketed his phone, trying to act nonchalant, but Tommie's eyes didn't miss the slight smirk still lingering on Quin's face. "Oh, that was Ashta," Quin said casually, leaning against the goalpost. "Ashta?" Tommie repeated, his curiosity piqued. "Isn't that the new girl? You've been hanging out with her a lot lately."

"Yeah, she's cool. We've become good friends. I'm going over to her place for dinner," Quin replied, brushing it off as if it were no big deal. But there was a subtle hint of pride in his tone that didn't escape Tommie's notice.

Tommie tilted his head, studying Quin for a moment. "Just friends, huh?" There was a teasing note in his voice, the kind that hinted at something more, even if Quin hadn't admitted it. Quin rolled his eyes. "Yes, just friends. She's really easy to talk to, you know?"

Tommie nodded slowly, a thoughtful look crossing his face. "I see. So... she's the one who's been keeping you busy after school, huh?" There was a flicker of something in his eyes—maybe curiosity, maybe interest, but it was hard to tell.

Quin chuckled, throwing the soccer ball back to Tommie. "Pretty much. Besides, you're the one too busy with soccer all the time."

Tommie caught the ball with ease, but his mind lingered on Quin's words. He hadn't really noticed Ashta before, at least not in the way Quin seemed to. But now, hearing Quin talk about her, something stirred in him—a curiosity about the girl he had yet to speak to, but who seemed to have quietly slipped into Quin's life.

Tommie kicked the soccer ball lightly to Quin, watching it roll across the grass as he spoke. "So... you and Ashta, huh?" he asked with a smirk, testing the waters. He stood back, waiting for Quin's reaction as the ball stopped by his foot. Quin chuckled, nudging the ball back with a quick tap, his eyes flickering with amusement. "Nah, not like that," he said quickly, a bit too quickly.

Tommie raised an eyebrow, stepping forward to intercept the ball. "Really? 'Cause you're always talking about her. Feels like there's something going on." Quin stopped the ball, laughing as he bent down to readjust his shoe. "Nah, man," he said again, giving the ball a swift kick towards Tommie. "I like someone else." Tommie fumbled slightly, surprised by the response. He regained control and kicked the ball back, curiosity creeping into his voice. "Oh yeah? So, who?"

Quin shrugged, kicking the ball up and catching it with his knee. "You'd know if you were around more," he teased, flicking the ball over to Tommie. "And besides, Ashta's into someone else." Tommie stopped the ball with his foot, stunned. "Wait, seriously? Who?" Quin grinned but didn't answer, instead flicking the ball from Tommie's feet with a quick, playful kick. "Not telling," he said, laughing. "But trust me, it's not me."

Tommie, a little taken aback, booted the ball towards Quin again, but this time his mind was racing. He hadn't really paid much attention to Ashta before, not beyond that embarrassing moment with Jake, but now... now he was curious. "So, what's she like, anyway?" he asked, kicking the ball towards Quin more gently this time. "She seems kinda cool."

Quin stopped the ball with a soft tap. "She's awesome," he said, a genuine smile spreading across his face. "Fun to hang out with. We've been doing stuff after school—grabbing ice cream, going to the shop, we go to each others house, She's really chill, you'd like her."

Tommie nodded, kicking the ball lazily back, processing everything. "Maybe I would," he said quietly, more to himself than to Quin. He gave the ball one last solid kick, sending it soaring across the field. As Quin jogged after it, Tommie's thoughts lingered on Ashta—the girl he hadn't really noticed before but was suddenly very curious about.

At dinner, I watched as Quin casually chatted with my parents. He had this effortless way of talking about random stuff—school, soccer, weekend plans—just fitting right in. My dad seemed to like him, nodding along, while my mom kept smiling at every little thing he said. They were clearly approving of him, which made me relax a little.

Meanwhile, Jake was being... well, Jake. He was inhaling his food like it was his last meal on Earth, throwing in jokes between bites. "Quin, man, you're too slow! Watch and learn!" he said, shovelling more food into his mouth, causing everyone to laugh. Typical Jake.

After dinner, I caught Quin's eye and gave him a look that said, *Let's get out of here.* "We'll be upstairs," I told my parents as we excused ourselves. We made our way up to my room, and I closed the door behind us.

"So, what's going on? You've got that look," I asked, leaning against the wall, my curiosity getting the better of me. Quin had this little grin on his face like he was holding onto something.

He threw himself onto my bed and started talking. "So, I was hanging out with Tommie today, right? And he asked me who I was talking to when you called earlier."

My heart skipped. *Tommie asked about me?* "What did you say?" I asked, trying to sound casual even though I could feel my pulse quickening.

"I told him it was you, obviously," Quin continued. "Then, he started asking a bunch of questions. He thought I had a crush on you or something." Quin rolled his eyes at the thought. "I had to clear that up real quick, told him I like someone else."

*Wait... Tommie was asking about me?* "He actually asked about me?" I asked, my voice a little softer, the excitement bubbling up.

Quin nodded, watching me closely. "Yeah, he was curious. I told him you're into someone else, but it's clear you've caught his attention."

I could feel butterflies starting to swirl in my chest, a stupid smile creeping onto my face. "Do you think he's noticed me?"

Quin shrugged but gave me a knowing smile. "Looks like it. He was definitely asking."

That single thought—*Tommie was asking about me*—made my heart race in a way I hadn't felt before. Maybe... just maybe, I'd been noticed after all.

The next couple of weeks at school, I started to notice Tommie watching me more often. He hadn't spoken to me yet, but I could feel his gaze when I walked by or when I was with Quin and Reya. It was subtle, but I noticed. He always seemed to ask Quin about me, which made my stomach flutter in this weird, confusing way.

Quin, Reya, and I had become inseparable. The three of us hung out almost every day after school—whether we were grabbing ice cream, hitting up the shop, or just chilling at each other's houses. We were best friends now. But even though Quin acted like the same goofy guy, I could see Reya was starting to get shy around him. It was subtle, but she blushed more when he joked or tried to play it cool when he made her laugh.

One day after school, Tommie and Quin were kicking a soccer ball back and forth on the field. They'd been hanging out a bit more since Quin had been spending more time with me, and Tommie kept bringing me up.

"Alright, spill it," Quin finally said, kicking the ball harder toward Tommie. "Why do you keep asking about Ashta?"

Tommie stopped the ball under his foot, laughing lightly. "What do you mean?"

"You know exactly what I mean," Quin said, shaking his head with a smirk. "Every other day, it's 'How's Ashta?' 'What's Ashta up to?' What's your deal?"

Tommie shrugged, smiling in that laid-back way he always did. "I don't know. I guess I just think she's interesting. You never talk about anyone else like you talk about her, Quin. And you hang out with her all the time. It's like... you're always with her."

Quin rolled his eyes, giving the ball a sharp kick back. "You think I like her, don't you?"

Tommie grinned and raised an eyebrow. "I mean, yeah. Don't you?"

"No, I don't," Quin said, shaking his head and laughing. "I like someone else."

That made Tommie pause, looking a little surprised.  Who man?"

Quin hesitated for a second, but then he sighed and admitted, "Reya."

Tommie blinked, clearly taken aback. "Reya? As in, your other best friend, Reya?"

Quin shrugged, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah, man. She's... I don't know, she's different. We've been hanging out for a while now, and I guess I just realized I like her."

Tommie's face broke into a grin, and he laughed. "No way! That's awesome, dude. I didn't see that coming! You got to tell her."

Quin shook his head quickly, panicking a little. "No way, man. She'd never go for me. Besides, she's been acting all shy around me lately."

Tommie thought about it for a second, then shrugged. "Maybe she likes you too. You never know."

Quin just smiled, kicking the ball back again. "Yeah, maybe."

But Tommie wasn't done. He gave Quin a teasing look. "Okay, so if you don't like Ashta, who does she like?"

Quin grinned but stayed tight-lipped. "Can't tell you, man. That's her business, not mine."

Tommie groaned, clearly frustrated. "Come on, Quin! Just tell me! What's the big deal?"

Quin chuckled, shaking his head. "Nope, not happening. You'll have to figure that one out yourself."

A couple of days later, Tommie brought it up again, this time in the cafeteria during lunch. Quin and I were sitting at our usual table when Tommie came over, plopping down with his tray. After a few minutes of random conversation, he leaned over and asked Quin, "Hey, so... why don't you invite Ashta and Reya to my party this weekend?"

Quin looked at him, surprised. "Your party? You want me to invite them?"

"Yeah, why not?" Tommie said, as if it was no big deal. "You guys are always hanging out. It'd be fun to have them there. Plus, you should invite Ashta's brother too. What's his name again? Jake, right? He can drive, can't he?"

Quin raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, Jake can drive. But why do you want him there?"

Tommie shrugged. "I don't know, the more the merrier, right?"

Quin smirked, clearly catching on to something. "Alright, I'll tell them. This should be interesting."

As Tommie walked away, Quin turned to me with a knowing grin. "Looks like you're getting invited to Tommie's party." His words sent a surge of butterflies through me, and I could already tell something was changing, something big.

And just like that, the wheels were set in motion. A party at Tommie's, with Reya, Quin, Jake, and me. I had no idea what was about to happen, but I knew things were about to get interesting.