Berkley
Time slips by in a blur, like I’m floating on air.
Every time I close my eyes, I feel Rowen’s hands on me—his voice in my ear, the way he looked at me like I was the only girl in the world. That feeling... it lingers. Sticks to my skin. And I don’t want to wash it off.
As the hours count down toward my sleepover with Reign—and the inevitable reunion with the guys for the first time since being with Rowen—a nervous flutter stirs in my stomach. It’s not fear, exactly. Just... anticipation laced with uncertainty. They’ve all kept their distance, sending sweet brief texts here and there, never prying or hinting at what happened. Either Rowen’s kept it to himself, or they’re giving me space. Honestly, knowing them, it could be both.
Rowen and I agreed we’d see each other this weekend, technically through my overnight with his sister. And while I know Reign’s been supportive—hell, she practically shoved us all together—there’s still something nerve-wracking about walking into her room lit up like a damn firecracker, practically humming with leftover energy from the way Rowen made me feel.
Part of me wishes the giddiness would ease up before I arrive, just long enough to keep her from zeroing in on me with one look and calling it out. Not that I want to hide it from her. I just don’t know how to explain that kind of closeness... that kind of intimacy... to someone who’s grown up beside us, watching all our tangled friendships unfold.
Still, I shake it off and pack my overnight bag like it’s any other weekend, like nothing’s changed—even though everything has.
When I get to the house, it’s the cook who answers the door, not one of the guys. The flicker of disappointment that tugs at me is ridiculous, but I feel it anyway. I mask it with a polite smile, say thank you, and head inside.
This weekend is about Reign. About us. We’ve both needed time—just the two of us—and I’m determined to show up fully, no matter what emotions are still clinging to my skin like Rowen’s touch.
I reach Reign’s room just as dinner is being set up, the scent of something warm and savory hitting me like a hug I didn’t know I needed. My stomach growls right on cue—loud, proud, and without an ounce of shame. If food had a love language, this would be mine.
From inside, Reign’s voice cuts through the air, full of amusement. “Get your ass in here, Berk. I’d recognize that walk anywhere.”
I laugh under my breath and step inside, the weight on my shoulders easing the second I lay eyes on her. She’s sprawled cross-legged on her bed, already dishing out food like she’s been starving. The sight of her, the normalcy of it, the comfort—we could be fourteen again, hiding from the world and eating carbs in her room like it’s a sacred ritual.
And just like that, I know I made the right call coming here.
Even with my emotions still tangled and buzzing under my skin, being here with Reign feels like catching my breath after holding it too long. She’s not just my best friend—she’s the anchor that steadies me when everything else feels like it’s spinning out of control.
Of course, none of that means I’ll be able to keep anything from her. Especially not the truth stamped all over my face—the way my cheeks flush when she looks at me too long, the dazed grin I’m probably still wearing from Rowen.
Yeah... she’s definitely about to unravel every last secret I’ve tried—and failed—to keep hidden.
“Berkley!” Reign hollers, snapping me out of my daze. “I’ve missed you! Come eat before I devour your portion too.”
Giggling, I let her enthusiasm pull me in like a tide. “We saw each other yesterday.”
She narrows her eyes with a knowing smirk, practically radiating big-sister energy. “Yeah, but you’ve been ghosting me for the guys.”
I open my mouth to defend myself, but she lifts a hand sharply, cutting me off. “Don’t even start. That dreamy, love-struck expression plastered all over your face? It perfectly matches the one Rowen had when he came home. I’m assuming things are moving along nicely.”
Heat rushes across my cheeks, and I bite my lip as I nod at the question she doesn’t say out loud. “Yeah. This week has been incredible. They’ve treated me like I’m royalty.”
Her features soften, shifting into something warm and supportive. “And Rowen?” she asks, gentle and knowing without pushing.
I swallow, my voice quiet but steady. “Rowen and I… things went further than just talking last night.”
“Holy. Freaking. Shit. YES!” Reign explodes off the bed, practically catapulting herself at me. She wraps me in a hug that lifts my feet off the floor. “You finally did it! Goodbye, V-card! Don’t mess this up—we are officially one giant step closer to being real sisters.”
Her laughter is loud and chaotic, echoing through the room, and I can’t help laughing with her.
I grin, catching my breath. “When are you planning to lose yours? You said you were thinking about it with Dylan.”
The words are barely out of my mouth before her expression shifts. Just like that, the air changes. Her smile falters, eyes going distant—haunted.
My stomach drops. “Reign?” I step closer, voice softer. “What’s wrong?”
The question pulls her back like a rubber band snapping tight. Just a second ago, she seemed a million miles away. Her smile returns, but it doesn’t reach her eyes—like something inside her is still off-kilter. “Actually... that’s something we have in common. I lost mine a few weeks ago. I was just trying to find the right time to tell you.”
Her eyes dart away as she says it, fingers fidgeting with the hem of her hoodie. I know that look. It’s the one she wears when she’s saying one thing and feeling another.
