The weekend air felt oddly heavy, as if the sky itself was waiting for something to happen. Alex couldn't shake off the lingering unease from the night before, his mother's eerie words replaying in the back of his mind like a broken record. But today, he was determined not to let it show.
Liam, of course, had other plans.
"Relax, Alex," Liam murmured as he leaned casually against the old oak near the park where they'd agreed to meet up with Leo and Harper. His smirk was infuriatingly perfect, his silver-green eyes glinting with mischief. "You look like you just saw a ghost. Or worse… your mom on laundry day."
Alex shoved his shoulder, rolling his eyes. "You're not funny."
"Mm, but you're blushing." Liam leaned closer, brushing his lips dangerously close to Alex's ear. "Adorable."
Alex swore under his breath and stepped back, but the way Liam looked at him made it impossible not to smile. He was relentless, always teasing, always pushing just enough to make Alex's chest tighten.
