The next morning, sunlight punched through the curtains like it had a personal vendetta.
Naya groaned and pulled the blanket over her head.
Then she remembered the hot chocolate. And Lucien. And the fact that his room was right next door.
She sat up slowly, glaring at the wall like it had betrayed her.
Meanwhile, in the kitchen, the house was already buzzing. Emily was animatedly chattering about some board game she wanted everyone to play. Grace was halfway through a phone call and an omelet. Nora sat at the counter, sipping orange juice and scrolling on her phone with the kind of peace only a solid night of sleep and zero romantic tension could bring.
Lucien was nowhere in sight.
Naya entered cautiously, her hair in a bun that looked like it gave up halfway through being made. She avoided eye contact and made a beeline for the cereal.
"Morning!" Emily chirped. "How'd you sleep?"
"Great," Naya lied. "So peaceful. Not weird at all."
Nora raised an eyebrow but said nothing.
Grace hung up the phone. "Lucien's out back fixing the shed door. Something about the lock being broken."
Naya did not look interested. Not even a little.
"Cool," she said, pouring cereal like it insulted her ancestors.
Nora leaned over and whispered, "You okay?"
"Peachy."
"Because you left the kitchen last night looking like you were gonna throw your hot chocolate at someone."
"I was just... caught off guard."
Nora nodded slowly. "By Lucien being alive and speaking?"
Naya narrowed her eyes. "By him being next to the mugs at the exact moment I needed one. Suspicious, if you ask me."
Grace clapped her hands suddenly. "Oh! By the way, we're doing a family dinner tonight. Backyard cookout. Everyone's helping."
Naya froze mid-chew.
"Even Lucien?" she asked warily.
"Especially Lucien," Grace said with a proud mom grin.
Fantastic.
The day passed in a blur of errands, sunscreen, and Emily dragging everyone into a heated argument about whether marshmallows should be lightly toasted or fully incinerated.
By the time evening rolled around, the backyard was glowing with string lights, the grill was sizzling, and the picnic table looked like a Pinterest board threw up on it.
Naya helped carry out the last tray of drinks, careful to avoid the side of the yard where Lucien was flipping burgers like he had a personal vendetta against ground beef. She hadn't spoken to him since the hot chocolate incident. And she wasn't planning to.
She took a seat beside Nora, who leaned in. "He's been moody all afternoon."
"Not my problem," Naya muttered, sipping lemonade like it was tea.
Across the table, Lucien glanced at her. Just once. But it was enough to set off the static again.
Grace raised her glass. "To new beginnings and no more broken shed doors!"
Everyone cheered.
Except Naya, who was too busy not looking at Lucien.
After dinner, while Emily roasted marshmallows with a flamethrower-like passion, Nora nudged Naya. "You should probably talk to him."
"Why?"
"Because you keep eyeing each other like you're in a romantic spy movie. And I'm not even sure who's winning."
"I'm not playing."
"Sure you're not."
Before Naya could respond, Lucien stood up, brushing crumbs off his hands.
"I'm heading in," he said casually. "Got school stuff to prep."
"School?" Grace asked. "I thought you were off until Tuesday?"
Lucien shrugged. "Got some notes to look over."
He walked back inside, and for a brief second, Naya wondered if he'd say goodnight to anyone. He didn't. He just disappeared.
---
The Next Morning – First Day of School
The car ride was chaos. Emily forgot her art project. Grace spilled coffee on the seat. And Lucien… sat in the passenger seat with headphones in, ignoring everyone like a broody statue.
Naya and Nora squished into the back. Nora kept yawning. Naya kept fixing her hoodie drawstrings like they were responsible for her life falling apart.
When they finally pulled up to school, students were already swarming the front lawn like ants in cool sneakers.
Lucien hopped out first, grabbing his backpack. He didn't wait.
Emily scampered after him. "Wait for me!"
Naya stepped out slowly. The school building loomed like a judgmental castle.
"Okay," she muttered. "New year. New chill. Less Lucien."
"Good luck with that," Nora said, already waving at someone she knew.
As they headed inside, Naya could feel it—the whispers, the stares. Someone definitely recognized her. The video Jessica posted after the rejection? Yeah. That thing had legs.
In the hallway, someone murmured, "Is that the girl who asked out Lucien and got curved?"
Naya clenched her jaw.
Just then, Lucien rounded the corner.
Their eyes met.
He looked like he was about to say something.
Naya turned sharply and walked the other way.