I bite back a laugh, already seeing where Nova’s going with this. “Wow. So you’re Anakin, huh?”
“Absolutely not,” Steven shoots back instantly, scowling at both of us. “Don’t even start—”
Nova gasps dramatically, clutching her chest. “Steven Skywalker, falling head over heels for his redheaded Padmé at the bakery—this is canon now.”
He groans, dragging a hand down his face. “Oh my god, you’re insufferable.”
She leans into the camera, eyes sparkling. “Careful, baby. If he turns to the dark side, we’re blaming Holly’s ginger hair.”
I laugh out loud, shaking my head. “Honestly, I’d pay money to see him try a lightsaber duel while balancing a tray of croissants.”
Steven points at me through the screen, glaring. “You’re supposed to be my friend.”
“I am,” I grin, raising my water bottle like a toast. “Which is why I fully support this love story.”
Especially because my best friend deserves a second chance. Especially after everything I know he’s been doing to face the strangeness of this situation. I can see the effort in his eyes, even when he tries to hide it behind a joke or a shrug. I wish I could make it easier for him—I want that more than anything—but at the same time, it’s almost like things between us fall back into place on their own. Natural, despite the mess. Even with me and Nova together now.
And the thing is, he’s happy for us. I can tell. Maybe not every second of the day, maybe not without that quiet sting that sneaks sometimes, but still, I know he’s genuinely happy. And that’s what matters the most.
There’s something between the three of us... an unbreakable bond. The kind that time, distance, or even heartbreak can’t erase. It’s in the way we still read each other without words, in the way our laughter spills over the same memories, in the way silence between us never feels heavy.
Sometimes I wonder if anyone else would understand it. Probably not. To outsiders, it would seem impossible—messy,complicated, maybe even doomed. But to me, to us, it’s justhome. No matter what changes—who’s in love with who, who’s hurting, who’s pretending they’re fine—we always find our way back to each other. That’s what makes it unshakable.
And maybe that’s why, even with all the strangeness, I don’t feel afraid of losing them. Because deep down I know that bond won’t break. Not now. Not ever.
“Come on, Steve. She’s adorable, she’s funny, she puts up with your grumpy face every morning,” Nova goes on, gleeful. “Honestly, I’m shipping you two. Power couple of the decade.”
I can’t help laughing, leaning my chin on my hand. “Sounds accurate to me.”
Steven throws his hands up. “Okay, you know what? If you don’t shut your mouth, I’m going to tell Vincent about the time Maggie and I caught you—”
Nova freezes, every ounce of color draining from her face. “No. Don’t you dare.”
His grin turns devilish. “Oh, I will. In fact, I think hedeservesto know—”
“Steven!” she shrieks, lunging at him. In one swift move, she slaps her hand over his mouth and practically climbs onto his lap to keep him pinned. “Nope. Not a word. You value your life, right? Because it ends tonight if you sayanything.”
His muffled voice rumbles beneath her palm. “Vincent should know—”
Her eyes go wide as saucers. “Stop! He doesn’t need to know about that.”
I lean closer, smirking. “Oh? Now I’m dying to know.”
“Vincent Cooper!” she yelps, shooting me a panicked glare. “Don’t listen to him. It’s lies. All lies.”
Steven manages to wrestle free just enough to blurt, “We walked in on her—”
Nova tackles him flat on the bed, shoving a pillow into his face. “Nope! Story canceled! This never happened!”
I’m laughing so hard I nearly drop my laptop. “Oh my god, this is the best thing I’ve ever seen.”
Steven’s muffled voice comes through the pillow, wheezy with laughter. “She was...”
Nova lets out a strangled scream. “I’m going tomurderyou!”
“She was what?” I echo, grinning so wide my cheeks hurt.
She whirls on me, cheeks crimson, hair flying everywhere. “Nope. Don’t you dare, Vincent Cooper. If you love me, you will not ask a single follow-up question.”
