Chapter One: Denise
“Commitment issues look handsome on you.” I shoot him a smug smile.
His face shows nothing, but his eyes glare daggers into mine. “I don’t have commitment issues.”
I scoff. “Oh please. Tell that to the desperate girls in your phone.”
He leans in, close enough that his breath brushes my neck, my skin betraying me with involuntary goosebumps. “Are you jealous,” he asks, leaning back just slightly, eyes locking with mine, “menace?”
I huff a laugh, leaning back, creating some much-needed distance. “Why would I be jealous of a dick everyone’s already sampled?”
Riley clears her throat from the couch, legs sprawled over Alex’s lap. “I’ve said it before, and I’ll say again: You guys should just fuck already.”
Theo whistles and nods in agreement, eyes still on the video game. “Completely valid point. Especially considering the ‘moment’ we accidentally walked in on years ago.”
My cheeks flush, heat spreading across my face. I instinctively edge further from Jean-Luc.
He grins knowingly, flopping onto the other double-seater—long body stretched across it, somehow still hanging off the edges.
I clear my throat, pretending ignorance. Pretending I don’t know what he knows. Of course we’ve fucked. It’s predictable. If it weren’t for Theo and Alex walking in that one time, the group wouldn’t be placing bets on how fast we’d try again. Spoiler: They’ve all lost.
The five of us grew up side by side, inseparable by decree… though I beg to differ. Riley and Alex—dating forever—manage to carve out their own space during outings, leaving us slightly less tethered.
“Seriously, Nessie,” Riley shoots a pointed look, “The sexual tension is going to cause a combustion before the nuclear war.” She wiggles her eyebrows at me before refocusing on the game, cursing at Theo when she loses the match.
“It’s not sexual tension.” I shrug, walking around the kitchen bar counter and leaning on it - making the distance between me and Jean-Luc even greater than the Great Wall of China. “It’s annoyance. However, you won’t see the difference since you’ve only dated one guy in your entire existence.”
Riley rolls her eyes at me, putting the controller down with a fussy Theo who wants a rematch due to Riley’s cheating accusations. “I’ve dated other guys before I’ve dated Alex.”
“WHAT?” Alex turns to face Riley in complete shock, his glasses too big for his face. “You did?”
Theo bursts out laughing, clutching his sides as he tries to breathe through his words. “Yes, Riley and I dated for two weeks when we were like, what? Eleven?” He looks at Riley for confirmation, who only gives a meek nod with a very annoyed expression.
“Not my best taste, I agree.” She says to Alex who is now staring at a wounded Theo.
“Hey! I gave you a flower every day.” He sulks, folding his arms over his chest, “I am not that bad of a boyfriend.”
“Yeah, that was until Jean-Luc came along and you forgot that other people also exist.” Riley throws back and Theo stutters for words.
Of course it makes sense. When Jean-Luc came to our school, it was like some foreigner in a familiar country to all of us. Theo, being the outgoing charismatic class clown he is, was the first to take a liking in him.
Riley was my first and only friend, then she met Theo, through whom she met Alex and slowly our little friendship group had taken shape. I’ve known that Riley was my neighbor since forever, it was only after her and Theo’s “breakup” that we realised we are all actually neighbors, including Jean-Luc who then also happened to be the new kid on the block.
Jean-Luc didn’t take long to get his feet. He’s handsome, sporty, charismatic and has a killer smile. The girls were practically drooling over him before they could spell puberty and having charming Theo on his side only made it much easier.
“Speaking of, Theo,” I speak up, tracing the lines on the countertop, “When are you going to move on from Riley? Honestly, it’s been over 12 years.”
Theo’s face reddens with each word, his mouth thinning and his eyes widening.
Of course he had moved on from her, but it’s been a joke since forever between me and Riley because Theo hadn’t had a steady relationship at all.
“I did move on!” He yelps out, suddenly seeming smaller than his 6′4 football-built frame. His broad shoulders slump forward, almost like he is trying to protect himself from my brutal force.
Riley bursts out laughing. A not-very-happy looking Alex is eyeing Theo suspiciously now and Jean-Luc... I watch him from underneath my lashes, not ready to face him full on just yet.
Jean-Luc is just casual—body loose, face unreadable. He never seems bothered.
"How did this conversation turn from Denise and Jean-Luc to me anyway?" Theo sulks further, lifting himself from his seat.
"Oh, come now, Theo," Riley bats her lashes at him, "I know I've been the best and I get it." She throws her hair over her shoulder, shooting Alex a playful wink, who in returns just shakes his head.
