I flopped onto my bed, bouncing slightly as Nathan settled next to me. I pulled my laptop closer, balancing it on my knees.

"Ready for the cheesiest romcom ever?" Nathan grinned, reaching for the bowl of popcorn.

"God, I hope it's as bad as you said," I laughed. "I need a good laugh after this yesterday."

The movie started playing, some generic pop song blaring as the opening credits rolled. I tried to focus on the screen but was hyper-aware of Nathan beside me. His arm was just inches from mine, and I could smell his cologne—something woodsy and warm.

"Oh my god, look at her hair!" Nathan snorted, pointing at the screen. "It's like a poodle exploded on her head."

I giggled, grabbing a handful of popcorn. "Hey, don't knock it. That was the height of fashion. What year is this supposed to be set in?"

"Who knows? The 80s? 90s? It's like they threw every decade into a blender."

As the movie progressed, I found myself relaxing. The plot was ridiculous—something about a clumsy bookstore owner and a stuck-up businessman falling in love over increasingly improbable mishaps—but Nathan's running commentary made it hilarious.

"Ten Bucks says she trips and falls into his arms in the next scene," he whispered.

I snorted. "No bet. That's romcom 101."

Sure enough, the heroine stumbled over thin air, careening into the hero's conveniently open arms.

"Called it!" Nathan crowed, pumping his fist in victory.

I rolled my eyes, but I was smiling. I shifted slightly, and my arm brushed against Nathan's. A little jolt went through me, and suddenly, I was thinking about last Saturday night again.

We'd spent the day at the dog shelter, walking dogs and playing with them outside. It was hard work, but seeing Nathan cooing over puppies and getting slobbered on by big, goofy mutts made it all worth it.

When it was time to leave, Nathan drove me home.

My heart started beating faster just thinking about it. We'd pulled up outside my house, and I'd turned to thank him for the ride. But instead of the quick goodbye I'd expected, Nathan pulled me into a hug.

It wasn't like our usual quick, casual hugs. This one lingered. I could feel the warmth of his body, the steady rise and fall of his chest. His arms tightened around me, and I found myself melting into him, my face buried in the crook of his neck.

We stayed like that for what felt like forever, but it was probably only a minute or two. When we finally pulled apart, there was this charged, electric moment—when we just looked at each other. Nathan's eyes were so warm, so intense. For a second, I thought he might...

But then we pulled apart, and the spell was broken. We'd said awkward goodnights, and I'd stumbled into my house, my heart racing and mind whirling.

"Earth to Beth?" Nathan's voice snapped me back to the present. "You zoned out there for a sec. You okay?"

"Yeah, fine," I said quickly. Maybe a little too quickly because Nathan gave me a quizzical look. "Just... thinking about stuff."

"Must be some pretty interesting stuff to be more captivating than this cinematic masterpiece," Nathan teased, gesturing at the screen where the leads were having some kind of dramatic argument in the rain.

I forced a laugh. "Oh yeah, riveting. I was just trying to remember if I finished that English essay."

An essay? Was that the best I could come up with when I don't even go to college anymore?

Nathan raised an eyebrow. "You don't even go to college anymore, though?"

"Yeah, it was the one last month. About William Wallace. I couldn't remember if I'd handed it in."

He raised his eyebrows, then shook his head. "You were always the weird, crazy girl who wanted the best grades. Guess you still are."

I nudged him. "Some of us actually care about our grades, slacker."

"Hey, I care! I just care about more important things. Like watching terrible movies with my best friend."

Best friend. Right. That's what we were. I tried to ignore the little pang in my chest.

On-screen, the couple were making up with a passionate kiss. I pointedly looked away, suddenly finding the pattern on my covers fascinating.

"Wow, that was... something," Nathan said after a moment. Was it my imagination, or did he sound a little awkward too?

"Yeah," I agreed. "Super convincing. I totally buy that these two strangers are madly in love after knowing each other for three days."

"That's the magic of cinema, baby," Nathan said in an exaggerated announcer voice.

I laughed, the tension easing a bit. This was good. This was normal. Just two friends hanging out, definitely not thinking about almost-kisses or confusing feelings or anything like that.

The movie droned on, growing increasingly ridiculous. The male lead got amnesia after a conveniently timed bump on the head. The female lead's ex showed up to cause drama. There was a wacky misunderstanding involving a trained monkey and a briefcase full of cash.

"I can't believe you made me watch this," I groaned, throwing a piece of popcorn at Nathan's head.

He caught it in his mouth, grinning. "Hey, I suffer, you suffer. That's what friendship is all about."

"Remind me why we're friends again?"

"Because I'm charming and delightful, and you'd be lost without me," Nathan said promptly.

I rolled my eyes, but I couldn't help smiling. It was true, in a way. I couldn't imagine my life without Nathan in it. We'd been inseparable since we were practically in nappies.

I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye. When had gangly, gap-toothed Nathan turned into... this? Tall, with a jawline that could cut glass and those warm hazel eyes that crinkled when he smiled...

Stop it, I told myself. This was Nathan. My best friend. The guy who'd held my hair back when I got food poisoning last year. The one who knew all my embarrassing secrets and terrible jokes. I couldn't risk messing that up just because puberty had hit him like a freight train, and suddenly, I couldn't stop thinking about his hands.

"Oh, come on!" Nathan's exasperated voice pulled me out of my thoughts. "Now they're serenading each other? In the middle of a crowded restaurant? Who wrote this, a 12-year-old?"

"A very romantic 12-year-old," I said.

"More like a tone-deaf one. Is he... is he rapping now?"

I burst out laughing at the horrified expression on Nathan's face. "Oh my god, he is! This is amazing. Terrible, but amazing."

"I take it back. This movie is a masterpiece."

We dissolved into giggles, me clutching my sides as tears streamed down my face. It wasn't even that funny, but something about the absurdity of the moment, combined with the late hour and the sugar high from all the soda we'd drunk, made everything hilarious.

As our laughter died down, I realised how close we'd gotten. At some point, I'd ended up with my head on Nathan's shoulder, his arm draped casually around me. It felt... nice. Comfortable. Right.

I held my breath, afraid to move and break the moment. Nathan didn't pull away, either. We stayed like that, barely watching the movie anymore, just existing in each other's space.

My heart was pounding so loudly that I was sure Nathan must be able to hear it. I wanted to say something, to address the elephant in the room, but the words stuck in my throat.

What if I was reading this all wrong? What if Nathan didn't feel the same way? What if I ruined everything?

But then... what if I didn't? What if this was our moment, and I let it slip away?

I took a deep breath. "Nathan?" I said softly.

"Yeah?" His voice was quiet, too.

I lifted my head to look at him. Our faces were so close. All I'd have to do was lean in a little...

A loud crash from the laptop made us both jump. The hero had apparently tripped and fallen into a giant wedding cake on-screen.

The spell broken, I scrambled to sit up, putting some distance between us. "I, uh... I should probably go to the bathroom," I mumbled, sliding off the bed.

"Yeah, sure," Nathan said. Was I imagining the disappointment in his voice?

I practically fled the room, my heart racing. I locked myself in the bathroom, gripping the sink as I stared at my reflection.

"Get it together," I whispered to myself. "It's just Nathan. Your best friend. Nothing's changed."

But everything had changed, hadn't it? And I had no idea what to do about it.

Taking a deep breath, I splashed some cold water on my face. I could do this. I could go back out there and act normal. We'd finish the movie, Nathan would go home, and everything would be fine.

And if a little part of me was disappointed by that thought, I'd deal with that later.

Squaring my shoulders, I opened the bathroom door and returned to my room, where Nathan was waiting.

Where Nathan was always waiting, I realised. No matter what happened, no matter how confusing things got, Nathan would be there. Maybe that was enough for now.

I settled back onto the bed, carefully leaving a little more space between us this time. "So," I said brightly, "what'd I miss?"

Nathan launched into a recap of the latest plot twists, complete with over-the-top impressions of the characters. I laughed, letting myself relax.

We'd just returned to watching the movie when there was a knock at my door. I groaned internally—great timing, as always.

"Yeah?" I called out, not taking my eyes off the screen.

The door creaked open, and my mum poked her head in. "Hey, kids. Are you having fun?"

I was about to answer when she gasped dramatically, putting a hand to her chest. "Elizabeth Reid! Didn't your father explicitly say to keep the door open at all times when you have a boy over?"

My face immediately felt like it was on fire. "Mum!" I hissed, mortified. "Really? Now?"

Nathan, the traitor, was trying — and failing — to hold back his laughter next to me.

Mum held her serious expression for about two seconds before breaking into a grin. "Oh, relax, sweetie. I'm just teasing."

"Not helping, Mum," I grumbled, wishing I could disappear into my mattress.

She laughed, coming fully into the room now. "So, what are we watching?"

"'We' aren't watching anything," I said pointedly. "Nathan and I are suffering through the world's cheesiest romcom."

"Excuse me," Nathan piped up. "This is high art. You just can't appreciate its genius."

Mum peered at the screen, where the main couple were now having some misunderstanding involving a case of mistaken identity and what looked like a stolen chihuahua. "Oh, I remember this one! Your dad and I watched it years ago. It's... certainly something."

"That's one way to put it," I snorted.

"Well, don't let me interrupt your... cinematic experience," Mum said. Then she turned to Nathan. "Nathan, dear, would you like to stay for dinner? I'm just about to dish up the lasagna."

Nathan's eyes lit up. He loves Mum's lasagna almost as much as I do. "That would be great. Thanks!"

"Wonderful! I'll call you two when it's ready." She headed for the door, then paused. "Oh, and I'll just leave this open a crack. You know, for air circulation."

"Mum!" I groaned, burying my face in my hands as she left, chuckling to herself.

As soon as she was gone, Nathan burst out laughing. "Your face!" he wheezed. "You looked like you wanted the earth to swallow you whole."

I whacked him with a pillow. "Shut up! Like you weren't embarrassed, too."

"Nah," he grinned, "I think it's cute how your mum still thinks we need supervision. Like we haven't had sleepovers since we were seven."

"Yeah, well, things change," I muttered before I could stop myself.

Nathan's laughter died down, and he looked at me with an expression I couldn't quite read. "Do they?" he asked softly.

My heart started racing again. Was this it? Were we finally going to talk about... whatever this thing between us was?

But before I could figure out how to respond, a loud crash from the laptop made us both jump. On-screen, the male lead had apparently tripped over the stolen chihuahua and fallen face-first into a fountain.

The moment, whatever it was, had passed. We both turned back to the movie, laughing at the ridiculous scene, but I could feel a new tension in the air.

"So," Nathan said after a minute, his voice forcedly casual, "your mom's lasagna, huh? Think she remembered to make garlic bread this time?"

I latched onto the change of subject gratefully. "God, I hope so. It's practically a crime to have lasagna without garlic bread."

"Remember when she forgot and your dad drove to the store at 9 PM just to get some?"

I laughed at the memory. "Oh yeah! He came back with, like, five loaves because he couldn't decide which kind to get."

"Your parents are the best," Nathan said, a note of wistfulness in his voice.

I nudged his shoulder gently. "Hey, they consider you part of the family, right? Dad's always saying he finally got the son he always wanted."

"What, am I not daughter material?" Nathan gasped in mock offence.

"Nah, you're too ugly to be a Reid girl," I teased.

"You wound me, Beth. Truly, my heart may never recover."

We grinned at each other, the earlier awkwardness fading away. This was how we'd always been - easy banter, inside jokes, comfortable silences. Why did it suddenly feel so different?

On-screen, the movie was reaching its climax. The male lead was racing through an airport, desperate to stop the female lead from getting on a plane to... somewhere. Paris, maybe? I'd lost track of the plot about an hour ago.

"Five bucks says he makes it just as they're closing the gate," I said.

Nathan scoffed. "No bet. That's like, the law of romcoms. Although..." He squinted at the screen. "Is that... is he on a luggage cart?"

I leaned in for a closer look. "Oh my god, he is! He's driving a luggage cart through the airport! How has security not tackled him yet?"

"Maybe they're all secret romantics," Nathan suggested. "They see a man driving recklessly through a crowded airport and think, 'Ah yes, true love. Carry on, sir.'"

I cracked up at his deadpan delivery. "Of course! I'm sure that happens all the time in real airports."

"Oh, absolutely. I hear airports are just full of luggage cart-driving Romeos."

We dissolved into giggles, clutching our sides as the movie's absurdity reached new heights. The hero was now using a megaphone he'd stolen from a tour guide to profess his love to the heroine, who was dramatically running towards him in slow motion.

"This," Nathan gasped between laughs, "is the greatest thing I've ever seen."

"It's so bad," I agreed, wiping tears from my eyes. "How did they make this with a straight face?"

"Maybe they didn't. Maybe the cast was trying not to crack up the entire time."

"That... would explain a lot about the acting."

As our laughter died, I realised we'd shifted closer during our giggle fit. Nathan's arm was pressed against mine, and our legs were touching. I should probably move away, I thought. But... I didn't want to.

Nathan didn't move either. We sat there, sides pressed together, watching as the movie reached its predictably sappy conclusion. The swelling music, the passionate kiss, the cheering crowd of conveniently gathered strangers...

"Well," Nathan said as the credits started to roll, "that was..."

"A masterpiece?" I suggested.

"I was going to say 'a trainwreck,' but sure, let's go with masterpiece."

I turned to look at him, ready with another quip, but the words died in my throat. Nathan was already looking at me, his expression soft and warm in a way that made my heart skip a beat.

"Beth," he said quietly, "I—"

"Kids!" My mum's voice floated up the stairs. "Dinner's ready!"

We jerked apart like we'd been shocked. Nathan cleared his throat, suddenly very interested in straightening his shirt.

"We should, uh..." he gestured vaguely towards the door.

"Yeah," I agreed quickly. "Don't want to keep Mum waiting. You know how she gets about punctuality."

We climbed off the bed, carefully not looking at each other. As we headed for the door, Nathan paused.

"Hey, Beth?"

I turned my hand on the doorknob. "Yeah?"

He seemed to wrestle with himself for a moment, then just smiled. "Thanks for watching this disaster of a movie with me. It was fun."

"Yeah," I said, smiling back despite the swirl of confusion in my chest. "It was."

As we headed downstairs, the smell of lasagna and garlic bread filled the air; I couldn't help but wonder what Nathan had been about to say. But maybe, I thought, that was a question for another day.

For now, we had dinner to eat, more bad movies to mock, and a friendship that was... changing. Growing into something new, maybe. And as scary as that was, I was starting to think it might not be such a bad thing after all.