The house was quiet at last. Blankets were scattered across the living room floor, the remains of their late-night project session blending into an impromptu sleepover. Naomi's snores rumbled softly from one corner, Vivienne hogged an entire couch like royalty, and Iris mumbled in her sleep every so often. Calla had already kicked her blanket halfway across the room, while Selene lay on her back, still as a stone. Everyone else looked peaceful. Everyone except Mara. She lay curled up, eyes wide open, her mind replaying every flicker of Gael from earlier. The faint sheen of sweat on his temple when he'd walked into class. His hair damp, messy in a way that only made him look more unfairly perfect. His calm, precise voice when he explained a point in their project, steady as ever while her heartbeat had refused to behave. It was maddening. She sighed softly, thinking the sound had drowned in the quiet, but Selene's low whisper broke the silence.
"You're awake." Mara flinched, turning her head. Selene's sharp eyes caught hers in the dim light. "So are you," Mara whispered back. Selene rolled onto her side, smirking. "Yeah, but I'm not the one lying there looking like I just watched a romance drama." Heat rushed to Mara's cheeks. "I do not." "You do." Selene scooted a little closer, keeping her voice down. "You've got that restless, dreamy look. Let me guess… Gael?" Mara groaned into her pillow. "Oh my god, Selene—" Selene grinned wickedly. "Busted. You totally were. I knew it. Honestly, I should start keeping score on how many times you zone out when his name comes up." Mara peeked out from the blanket, her face burning. "It's not… like that." "Sure." Selene raised an eyebrow. "Then explain why you're staring at the ceiling like you're composing poetry about his jawline." Mara smacked her lightly with the pillow. "I'm not—" "Yes, you are," Selene cut in, chuckling quietly. "Come on, Mara. We're friends. Just admit you like him."
Mara hesitated. Her mind filled with flashes — the steady way he'd held himself when she leaned closer, the quiet acceptance when she kissed him, the strange but undeniable pleasure that flickered across his face though his tone stayed calm. "He's… different," she whispered finally. "He doesn't react like other people. It's like… every little thing I do gets filtered through this calm, steady wall. But when I manage to break through, even a little — it feels huge. Like I earned it." Selene's teasing softened into curiosity. "So you like the challenge." Mara shook her head slowly. "It's not just that. It's… him. The way he's so self-contained, so precise. He makes me feel like I have to pay attention to every detail. And when he does react — even the tiniest bit — it's like I can't look away." Selene studied her for a moment, then smirked again. "You've got it bad." Mara buried her face deeper in the blanket. "Shut up."
"No, seriously." Selene chuckled. "Next thing I know, you'll be doodling his name in your notebooks with little hearts around it." "Selene!" "What? I'm just preparing myself for the inevitable. Soon we'll all be living in Gael and Mara's World, population: obsessed." Despite herself, Mara laughed softly into the pillow. "You're insufferable." "And you're hopeless," Selene whispered warmly. She reached over, tugging Mara's blanket playfully. "But hey… don't stress too much. Whatever you're feeling, it's written all over your face. Sooner or later, he's going to notice." Mara's chest tightened at the thought, both thrilling and terrifying. She didn't answer, just let Selene roll back into her blanket nest with a satisfied smirk. Mara laughed weakly, but her chest tightened. "It's terrifying too. What if I'm just imagining all of this? What if he doesn't… care?"
Selene shrugged gently. "Maybe he doesn't care in the way we expect. But you're already inside his circle — and trust me, that's rare. He could've shut you out completely, but he didn't. That's something." Mara bit her lip. "You think so?" Selene smirked again, but softer this time. "I know so. And if you're this restless just thinking about him… you might as well stop pretending. You like him. More than you want to admit." Mara's face turned crimson. "Selene…" Selene grinned, whispering dramatically, "Mara and Gael, sitting in a tree—" "Stop!" Mara hissed, smacking her with the pillow. Selene laughed, muffling it so the others wouldn't wake. Then she leaned back, voice low and kind. "Seriously, though. Don't overthink it tonight. You've got something brewing with him, and whether it's slow or messy or confusing, it's real. And that's worth losing a little sleep over." Mara didn't answer right away. Her heart was still racing, her thoughts still restless — but Selene's words wrapped around her like a strange comfort. For the first time that night, she smiled into the pillow.
Mara thought Selene would let her rest after that last pillow smack, but of course, Selene wasn't the type to stop when she was having fun. "So," Selene whispered, eyes glinting mischievously in the dim light, "since we're confessing feelings now… how far have you two actually gone?" Mara's face ignited. "Selene!" "What? It's a valid question." Selene grinned like a cat. "The way you were squirming earlier when Naomi asked if he's, you know, big—" Mara smacked her again with the pillow, harder this time. "You're impossible." Selene bit back a laugh, shielding her head. "Okay, okay, fine. I'll behave. But seriously, I need to know — when you're with him, does it feel like… more than just curiosity?" Mara blinked, her defenses lowering for a moment. "…More." Selene tilted her head. "More how?" Mara stared at the ceiling again, her voice quieter. "It's like… he doesn't belong to the same world as us. He's so calm, so unreachable. But then, when I'm close to him, it feels like… like I'm standing at the edge of something huge. Like I could fall in at any second."
Selene softened. "That sounds an awful lot like falling for him, you know." Mara groaned, dragging the blanket over her head again. "Don't say it like that." Selene tugged it down with a smirk. "What? That you're crushing hard on Gael? That every time he breathes near you, your heart does cartwheels?" "Selene!" Mara hissed, but her laugh betrayed her. Selene grinned wider. "So what is it? His eyes? His voice? His scary smart brain? Or… don't tell me it's all of it." Mara bit her lip, hesitating. "…All of it." Selene's teasing froze for a beat. Then she let out a low whistle. "Wow. You're doomed." Mara buried her face again, her muffled voice almost a whine. "Why does it feel like that?" Selene lay back beside her, their shoulders touching. "Because you're not just curious anymore. You like him, Mara. You like the mystery, the challenge, but also the way he grounds you. Admit it — you don't just want to figure him out. You want him."
Mara's chest tightened, and this time she didn't argue. "…Yeah." Selene glanced at her, a sly grin tugging at her lips. "Then say it." Mara's eyes widened. "Say what?" "That you like Gael." Selene's tone was sing-song now. "Come on, Mara. Say it out loud." Mara shoved the pillow over her face again. "I hate you." "You love me," Selene teased. Then, leaning closer, she whispered, "But not as much as Gael." Mara peeked out just enough to glare at her, cheeks burning. "You're the worst." Selene chuckled, satisfied. Then her voice softened again, almost protective. "You know, if you really like him, the rest of us have your back. Even if he's… complicated. Especially because he's complicated." Mara blinked, her chest warming. "…Thanks." Selene grinned. "Now get some sleep before I keep you up all night grilling you about what his hair smells like."
Mara groaned into the pillow, but she was smiling. And for the first time that night, her restless thoughts felt a little lighter — because she wasn't carrying them alone anymore.