Sunday Short: Can We Be Friends - Chapter 7

The next morning, Zoe woke up with the tiniest smile tugging at her lips. She couldn’t remember the last time she felt this light. She replayed the night before the quiet laughter, the way Ethan’s eyes softened when he said, “Just us,” and her heart squeezed.

Meanwhile, Ethan sat at his kitchen table, his untouched coffee growing cold. He scrolled through his messages, rereading the words he sent Bryan. I think I might have fallen for Zoe. Each time his chest tightened a little more, but instead of panic, he felt… peace. Like admitting it had set something free.

The days that followed felt almost magical. Without Lily constantly by her side, Zoe found herself leaning on Ethan more, and he, without Bryan, naturally drifted toward Zoe. They started texting throughout the day, little jokes and updates. They shared lunch breaks, late-night calls, and, eventually, secrets they hadn’t told anyone in years.

It was as if they’d slipped into a rhythm that had always been there, only now they could finally hear the music.

“Honestly,” Zoe laughed one afternoon as they sat at the campus fountain, the same spot that started it all, “I don’t know what I’d do without you lately.”

Ethan grinned, leaning back on his elbows. “Guess that makes me your best friend now, huh?”

Her smile faltered just slightly, her heart thudding at the weight of the words. “Yeah,” she said softly, almost a whisper. “Best friend.”

But the warmth in her chest betrayed the simplicity of the phrase.

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Across town, Lily and Bryan were buzzing with excitement. They met up at their usual café, trading updates like two covert operatives celebrating a mission well executed.

“Did Zoe text you last night?” Lily asked, eyes gleaming.

Bryan smirked, holding up his phone. “Yup. And Ethan too. We did it, Lily. They’re finally seeing each other the way we always knew they could.”

Lily clapped her hands together in delight. “This is huge! We’ve cracked the code, they’re best friends again, and falling for each other. It’s like the universe finally aligned.”

Bryan leaned forward conspiratorially, his grin widening. “So… what’s next?”

Lily tapped her chin, eyes glittering with mischief. “If we want this to stick, we need something bigger. Something that pushes them past all the maybes and what-ifs. A moment they can’t run away from.”

Bryan’s brows lifted. “You mean…?”

Lily smirked. “Exactly.”

Neither of them said it aloud, but the spark in their eyes promised one thing: the next phase of their plan wasn’t just about nudging Zoe and Ethan closer. It was about creating the kind of moment that could change everything.

The kind of moment where there’d be no turning back.

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Next Week in Chapter 8:

Lily and Bryan’s “big plan” is finally set in motion. Will Zoe and Ethan’s newfound bond survive the final push, or will fate take them in a completely different direction?