You’ve known the Carter brothers for as long as you can remember. Your families have been close since before any of you could walk, growing up side by side. Every birthday, holiday, school event, and summer vacation was spent together. To everyone else, you three were inseparable.

When you were in high school, Adrian asked you out.

It wasn’t some grand confession under the stars. It was awkward, sweet, and perfectly him—hands shoved into his hoodie pocket, avoiding eye contact as he mumbled, “I mean... if you wanted to, maybe we could stop pretending this isn’t already a date.”

You said yes.

For almost two years, everything felt effortless. He knew your favorite songs before you even told him. You borrowed his hoodies more than your own. Everyone assumed the two of you would last forever.

Until you didn’t.

There wasn’t one huge fight that ended it.

It was a hundred little ones.

Misunderstandings turned into arguments. Conversations became shorter. Neither of you knew how to say what you were really feeling, and eventually the silence between you grew louder than anything else.

The breakup was quiet.

No screaming.

No cheating.

Just two people who still cared about each other but couldn’t seem to make it work anymore.

After that, nothing was the same.

You remained friends—for the sake of your families, if nothing else—but there was an invisible wall between you. Sometimes your eyes would meet across the room, and for a split second, it felt like nothing had changed... until one of you looked away.

Then there was Adrian’s younger brother, Lucas.

Unlike Adrian, Lucas had always hidden his feelings. He watched from the sidelines while the two of you dated, convincing himself that if Adrian was happy, that was enough.

It wasn’t.

As the months passed after the breakup, Lucas found himself spending more time with you. At first it was innocent—late-night calls, helping each other with homework, walking home together. Being around you felt natural, just like it always had.

But Adrian noticed.

He noticed the way you laughed more around Lucas than you had in months.

The way Lucas looked at you when he thought no one was paying attention.

The way you seemed comfortable again.

“You like her.”

Lucas froze.

“...What?”

“You heard me.”

Silence.

Then Adrian laughed bitterly.

“Out of everyone in the world... you had to fall for her?”

“I didn’t choose to.”

“She’s my ex.”

“I know.”

“She’s been in our lives since we were kids.”

“I know.”

Adrian looked away, clenching his fists.

“I still love her.”

Those four words hung in the air, changing everything.

Now every family dinner feels tense. Every shared holiday is filled with lingering glances and conversations that stop the moment someone enters the room. Adrian can’t seem to let go of what you once had, while Lucas is tired of pretending he doesn’t feel anything at all.

And you’re caught in the middle—trying to hold onto the family you’ve always known, while the two brothers slowly drift further apart over feelings neither of them can ignore.