𝓔𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓷𝓪𝓵 𝓼𝓾𝓷𝓼𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓮
ᴼⁿ ᵒᵘʳ ʷᵃʸ

Elena was sprawled out on the couch, her feet tucked under a cozy blanket, scrolling through her phone.

It had been a few days since she and Mason shared that kiss, and the lingering excitement still buzzed around her every time she thought about it.

But tonight was about to be something different.

Her phone buzzed, and she looked down to see a message from Madeline: "Hey, me and Miguel are coming over to hang out. You good?"

Elena smiled and quickly replied, "Of course! Come on over."

A few minutes later, the doorbell rang, and Elena quickly jumped up, excited to see her friends.

She opened the door to find Madeline, Miguel, and Mason standing there, the familiar warmth of their presence making her heart light up.

"Hey, you guys!" Elena greeted them, grinning. "Come in, come in!"

Madeline was the first to step inside, giving Elena a quick hug.

Miguel followed, flashing her a smile, and Mason lingered just behind, his eyes meeting hers with that familiar spark.

"We bring gifts!" Madeline declared, holding up a bag of snacks. "We figured you could use some movie snacks."

Miguel, with his usual laid-back vibe, tossed a couple of DVDs onto the coffee table. "Picked up some classics for us to watch."

Elena laughed, shaking her head. "You guys are the best." She gestured for them to sit down, and they all plopped onto the couch, Madeline and Miguel sitting together while Mason settled beside Elena.

The four of them instantly fell into their usual rhythm, chatting and laughing as if no time had passed.

Elena felt that same comfort with them, like they had always been a part of her life.

She and Mason exchanged a glance every so often, the energy between them still electric, but neither of them acknowledged it out loud. Not yet.

"So, what are we watching?" Elena asked, glancing down at the DVDs Miguel had picked out.

Madeline snatched one up. "10 Things I Hate About You," she said with a dramatic flourish. "You can't go wrong with a classic 90s romcom."

Miguel nodded enthusiastically. "I'm just here for the popcorn and laughs, to be honest," he said with a grin.

Elena laughed, turning to Mason, who was already looking at her with a smirk. "You're going to be really into this, right?"

"I mean, Heath Ledger? Who could resist?" Mason replied, leaning back and giving her a playful wink.

As the movie started, the group settled into comfortable silence. The familiar banter and the constant teasing felt like the best kind of company—like everything in her life had finally fallen into place.

During the movie, Elena noticed Mason subtly moving a little closer to her. Their knees brushed together, and she didn't pull away. Instead, she glanced over at him, and without a word, he gave her a soft smile.

Madeline, catching the subtle exchange, raised an eyebrow, but before she could say anything, Miguel leaned over to her and whispered something. They both broke into quiet laughter, but Elena was too wrapped up in the moment to care. Mason's hand brushed against hers, and she almost didn't notice, but then he gave her a little nudge, as if asking for permission.

Elena's heart raced as she laced her fingers with his, a small, simple gesture that made her feel like she was floating.

After a few more minutes, Madeline dramatically gasped. "Okay, okay. I have to ask. Mason, are you going to finally admit that you like Elena or what?"

Elena froze, her cheeks heating up at the sudden attention. She looked at Mason, who was already grinning like he was trying to suppress a laugh.

"I mean, it's pretty obvious at this point, right?" Mason said, his voice light and teasing. He looked at Elena, a soft smile on his face. "I've liked her for a while now."

Miguel smirked, nudging Madeline. "Told you."

Elena felt her pulse quicken, but she didn't feel embarrassed. Instead, there was a sense of relief, like this had been bubbling beneath the surface for too long and she was just waiting for the right moment.

Madeline shot her a playful wink. "Well, about time."

Elena laughed, feeling the warmth of their teasing, but it was different now. Everything between her and Mason felt different. There were no more unspoken words, no more waiting for the other to make the first move. They had already made their choices.

"So, I guess that means you're official?" Madeline asked, her eyes twinkling with excitement.

Mason shrugged, giving her a smirk. "I'd say we're definitely on our way."

Elena just smiled, her hand still in his, feeling like everything was finally in place. It was as if the whole world had shifted into a perfect alignment—her best friends, her feelings for Mason, everything was just... right.

The rest of the evening passed by in a blur of laughter, snacks, and the comfort of being surrounded by her closest friends. Elena knew that no matter where life took her, these moments would stay with her forever. And with Mason by her side, things only felt brighter.

— ETERNAL SUNSHINE —