BETWEEN TWO HEARTS.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN; Officially

The front door swung open.

Henry leaned against it with a grin.

"Took you long enough."

Ethan stepped inside, slipping off his shoes.

"I said seven."

"You got here at seven."

"So..."

"So I expected you at six fifty-nine."

Ethan shook his head, a smile threatening the corner of his mouth.

"You're impossible."

"I hear that a lot."

"You should start listening."

Henry laughed, stepping aside.

"Come in."

The smell of pizza and the sound of voices drifted into the hallway.

"You guys finally let him in?" Noah called from the living room. "I was about to eat his share."

"You've already eaten half of yours," Liam answered.

"That's different."

"How?"

"I was hungry."

Liam looked at Henry.

"I've given up trying to understand him."

"You and me both."

Ethan walked into the living room, dropping his backpack beside the couch.

"About time," Liam said.

"You've been complaining for two minutes."

"It felt longer."

"It always does with you."

The room broke into quiet laughter.

Davi looked up from the sofa.

She'd been sitting with one knee tucked beneath her, listening more than speaking.

"Hey."

Ethan met her eyes.

"Hey."

It was simple.

Natural.

The kind of greeting people exchanged after seeing each other almost every day.

Nothing more.

Nothing less.

Then Liam suddenly frowned.

"...Hold on."

Everyone looked at him.

He pointed between Henry and Davi.

"I've just realised something."

Henry reached for another slice of pizza.

"What now?"

Liam looked at Davi.

"I don't think we've ever actually talked."

Henry blinked.

"What are you talking about? You've seen her at school."

"I said talked."

He turned back to Davi.

"I've seen you around school loads of times."

Davi nodded.

"I've seen you too."

"And I've been here..." He looked at Henry. "Twice?"

"Three times."

"Three?"

Henry held up three fingers.

"You forgot movie night."

"Oh..."

Liam snapped his fingers.

"Right."

He laughed, looking back at Davi.

"Every single time, Henry said you were upstairs studying."

Davi smiled, slightly embarrassed.

"I usually am."

Henry swallowed his mouthful of pizza.

"She disappears whenever I have people over."

"I don't disappear."

"You kind of do."

"I just like quiet."

There was no defensiveness in her voice.

Just honesty.

Liam nodded slowly.

"That actually explains a lot."

Noah pointed at her with a breadstick.

"I thought you just didn't like us."

Davi looked genuinely surprised.

"I didn't even know you."

"See?" Noah looked around the room dramatically.

"I've been taking it personally for no reason."

"You take everything personally," Ethan said.

"I do."

"You got offended because the vending machine took your money."

"It betrayed me."

"It malfunctioned."

"Same thing."

Aya chose that exact moment to step through the front door.

She paused in the hallway, taking in the scene.

"What did I miss?"

Henry pointed at Noah.

"He's arguing with a vending machine again."

"I won that argument."

"You walked away."

"I walked away with dignity."

"You walked away because security came."

Liam burst out laughing.

"I forgot about that!"

Aya slipped off her shoes and walked over to Davi.

"You okay?"

"Mhm."

"You sure?"

Davi looked around the room.

Liam was already teasing Henry.

Noah had somehow started another argument about pizza toppings.

Ethan quietly helped Henry move the drinks onto the coffee table without either of them saying much.

She smiled.

"...Yeah."

Aya noticed it immediately.

"What?"

"What?"

"That smile."

Davi frowned.

"What about it?"

"I haven't seen it all week."

"It's just nice."

Aya followed her gaze.

"You mean..."

She lowered her voice.

"...this?"

Davi looked around again.

The laughter.

The teasing.

Henry pretending to be annoyed.

Noah insisting pineapple belonged on pizza.

Liam threatening to leave if anyone agreed with him.

She nodded.

"It feels..."

She searched for the right word.

"...different."

"In a bad way?"

"No."

A small smile returned.

"In a good way."

Before Aya could answer, Henry clapped his hands once.

"Alright!"

Everyone looked at him.

"Enough talking."

Liam groaned.

"Here we go."

Henry pointed toward the TV.

"Tournament."

"I'm in."

"So am I."

Noah raised both hands.

"I call winner."

"That's not how tournaments work," Liam sighed.

"It should be."

Henry looked around the room.

"Girls?"

Aya immediately shook her head.

"I value my sanity."

Henry looked at Davi.

"What about you?"

She raised the book resting on her lap.

"I'll watch."

"I knew you were going to say that."

"I know."

Henry grinned.

"Fine."

He tossed Ethan a controller.

"You're with me."

Liam frowned.

"That's unfair."

"No excuses."

"I haven't even lost yet."

"You will."

"We'll see."

As the first match loaded onto the screen, the room filled with overlapping voices.

Arguments about teams.

Complaints about controllers.

Noah insisting snacks should count as "emergency supplies."

For the first time in a long while...

The house didn't feel too loud.

To Davi...

It simply felt lived in.

She rested her chin lightly against her hand, watching the people around her instead of the television.

Maybe...

Just maybe...

Not every change had to be something to fear.