“Hi, Blair,” she said gently. “I swear I didn’t know you were coming. If I had, I would’ve left. I came over last night to watch Grey’s Anatomy with Austin, and he was worried about…” She trailed off, giving me a knowing look. “Well. You know by now, I’m sure.”
Her words surprised me—not because she’d been here with Austin. From the way he talked about her, that part didn’t feel strange at all. What surprised me was the image her words conjured. Austin. Watching Grey’s Anatomy.
“You like—” I started, amusement slipping into my voice as I looked at him.
“She makes me,” Austin cut in immediately, scowling.
“He loves it,” Seren laughed. “Don’t listen to him, Blair. He’s a huge softie. I swear he’s cried during, like, three episodes already.”
“Can you shut the fuck up?” Austin snapped, but it was too late. Seren and I were already laughing.
“You know,” I said lightly, “somehow I can actually imagine it.” Austin’s face flushed, genuine embarrassment blooming across his features for the first time since I’d met him. It caught me off guard. I smiled before I could stop myself.
“Alright, alright,” he shook his head. “Seren, can you leave? I’m trying to make Yellow some breakfast.”
“No.” Her word came out fast. Firm. It startled me. “I mean,” Seren added quickly, glancing at me like she realized I didn’t really know her yet, “I can if you want, Blair. But maybe we could… I don’t know. Get to know each other? I’ve been asking Austin to let us hang out since he met you.”
“You have?” I asked, surprised despite myself. I wasn’t sure why it caught me off guard. Seren felt so… elevated. Polished. The idea that she’d wanted to know me felt strange in a way I couldn’t quite explain.
“Of course,” she smiled, and it wasn’t the polite kind. It was warm. Real. “Austin is a huge part of my life. And he likes you so much that I already know I will too.”
“Oh,” I breathed, the word leaving me softly. My eyes drifted to Austin without thinking. He didn’t look embarrassed. Or defensive. If anything, he looked… proud.
“Don’t feel pressured to say yes, Yellow,” Austin said, clearly misreading my glance as a silent plea for backup. “I know she doesn’t hear the word no often, but she can take it.”
Seren scoffed. “Rude.” The ease between them made something twist gently in my chest. It reminded me of Holden and me when we were younger. Before things changed. Before he disappeared into something I couldn’t follow.
“No,” I said, shaking my head. “It’s fine. I’d like to get to know you too, Seren.”
“Really?” Her face lit up instantly, genuine excitement softening her features. And again, I wondered why it meant so much to her. She didn’t wait for anything else. Seren crossed the space in a rush, her dark hair swinging as she grabbed my arm and tugged me toward the couch. She spared Austin only a second’s glance as she moved. “Austin! Make us those bacon sandwiches,” she called out. “The ones with avocado!”
“Seren,” he said her name slowly, like she was a child who’d forgotten basic manners.
She froze, then looked back at me, embarrassment flashing across her face. “Sorry,” she smiled sheepishly. “What do you want? He’s actually a really good cook. He can make pretty much anything.”
“That sounds perfect,” I laughed, already finding their dynamic weirdly comforting. Austin muttered something under his breath as he headed toward the kitchen, but I didn’t catch it.
Seren was already talking to me, and I found myself leaning in, curious, open—ready. “So, Blair,” Seren began, her hand still looped loosely around my forearm. “I can call you that, right? Austin always calls you Yellow…”
I laughed at the confusion on her face, wondering why he’d never explained it to her. “Yeah, call me Blair,” I said. “I honestly don’t know why he calls me Yellow. I mean, I was wearing a yellow dress the night we met… well. The second night we met.”
“You know yellow is his favorite color,” she raised her eyebrows at me like she’d just revealed a secret.
“Yeah,” I laughed again. “He told me that.”
Seren nodded, then glanced toward the kitchen like she was checking to make sure Austin wasn’t hovering behind us. “He really likes you,” she whispered, delight written all over her face.
I nodded, unable to stop my smile. “I really like him too,” I whispered back.
“Yay,” she clapped her hands together, her voice returning to normal volume. “It’s kind of funny that you two found each other, you know. Since you knew Zane.”
“Well,” I hesitated, searching for the right words. “I didn’t really know him. I knew of him. He was really popular.”
“Was he?” Seren asked, genuinely curious. “Like, what kind of popular?”
“The stereotypical kind, I guess,” I shrugged. “Jock. Life of the party. Player.” I slipped the last word in quietly, wondering if I shouldn’t have.
But Seren didn’t flinch. If anything, she looked entertained, hanging on every word. “Sometimes I wish I’d seen him back then,” she said. “I’ve only ever known him after Henry…” Her expression softened. “You knew Henry, right? Austin said you did. I couldn’t believe him.”
