Summer deepened. The air grew thicker, the days quieter. Chris had started sleeping over at Mason's place more often—not always for a party or hangout, but sometimes just because it was easier. That's what he told Claire and their parents.
The truth was harder to explain.
Because lately, whenever Jade came over, something always happened.
It started with little things. A shared glance. A brush of fingers. A joke layered with heat. When Claire stepped out to get drinks or take a call, Jade would drift a little closer to Chris, her hip nudging his, her eyes flicking to his mouth.
And Chris… stopped pretending he didn't notice.
One afternoon, Jade dropped by unannounced, claiming she wanted to use Claire's Wi-Fi to watch a drama Claire had no interest in.
Claire rolled her eyes. "Make yourself at home. I've got a group call for my summer prep course."
Jade plopped onto the couch, pulling out her phone, while Chris lounged nearby with a sports magazine.
Once Claire shut the door to her room, Jade tossed her phone aside and leaned over the armrest toward Chris. "Got a kiss for me ?"
Chris glanced at the hallway, then back at her. "You're insane."
"Am I?" she whispered, already leaning in.
Their lips met, soft at first, then hungrier. Chris's hand slipped to her waist, tugging her closer across the couch and then make her sit on his lap. It only lasted a few seconds, but it was enough to leave both of them breathless when they broke apart.
"Go back to your drama," Chris muttered.
"Go back to pretending I'm not your favorite part of the day," Jade shot back with a smirk.
Another day, they crossed the line completely.
Claire was sorting laundry in the living room. Jade had gotten up, claiming nonchalantly, "Gotta pee. Or something."
Chris stood up a minute later. "Need water."
Claire waved him off, barely looking up.
But in the hallway, Chris quietly slipped into the bathroom behind Jade.
The door clicked shut.
Inside, Jade pulled him down by the collar before he could even speak. Their kiss was deep, greedy, their hands fumbling. Her back hit the bathroom counter as he lifted her slightly onto it, her legs parting to pull him closer.
It was fast, messy, whispered moans swallowed by the hum of the exhaust fan. She clutched at him, biting his shoulder when she came, muffling herself against his neck. He followed not long after, trying not to groan too loud.
When they stepped out—separately—Claire was still folding shirts and barely looked up.
"Took you long enough," she mumbled.
"Bad sushi," Jade said casually, flipping her hair. "Almost died."
Chris had to bite his tongue to keep from laughing.
The stolen moments didn't stop there. Sometimes Jade would come over when Claire wasn't home at all. They'd sprawl on Chris's bed, tangled and lazy, whispering dumb jokes between kisses. Other times, they wouldn't even touch—just lie side by side, quiet, their pinkies hooked together like something they weren't ready to say aloud.
But it was no longer just about sex.
Chris noticed how Jade curled toward him even when she was asleep. How she waited for him to text her after he left. How her gaze softened when he brushed hair from her face without thinking.
And Jade… well, Jade wasn't making jokes about "just scratching an itch" anymore.
Later that week.
Chris stood at the far end of the backyard, sweat beading down his neck as he adjusted his grip on the hockey stick. He'd set up a makeshift net against the fence, practicing his shots like he did every afternoon. Shirtless, focused, lost in rhythm.
He wound up for a wrist shot, but something flickered through his mind—an image of black hair sprawled across a pillow, lips dragging against his throat.
The shot went wide. The stick hit the ground with an awkward thud—and with a loud, dry snap, the shaft cracked near the blade.
Chris blinked, stared down at the splintered edge, and let out a low breath. "Great."
He scratched the back of his neck, annoyed with himself.
After collecting the broken halves, he wiped his palms on his shorts and pulled out his phone.
"Hey, Dad?" he said when his stepdad Tom picked up. "You think I could borrow your car tomorrow?"
There was a pause on the other end. "Did something happen?"
"I broke my stick during practice. Gotta head to Hamilton. They've got that pro shop with the good composite ones."
Tom chuckled. "Sure. Keys'll be on the counter. Don't forget to fuel it."
"You got it. Thanks."
Chris ended the call, then tapped another contact.
The line barely rang once before Jade answered. "Miss me already?" she said smugly. "Hungry for more?"
Chris rolled his eyes but couldn't help smirking. "No. I broke my stick."
A beat.
"Ohhh. That stick." She giggled. "How'd that happen? Thinking about me while you were playing with your wood?"
Chris sighed. "I need to go to Hamilton tomorrow to buy a new one. Want to come with?"
There was silence on the other end for a second, like she wasn't expecting the invite.
"You're taking me shopping for sports gear? You do know I won't understand a thing you're buying, right?"
"I'll carry your bag if you get bored."
"Fine," she said, voice lighter now. "But only if you let me pick where we eat. And maybe buy me ice cream after."
Chris laughed. "Deal."