the sun was high in the sky, casting a warm, golden light over the expansive backyard. the air was thick with the scent of chlorine from the large pool and the soft rustling of the leaves from the few trees scattered throughout the yard. a place of calm. or at least, that's what it was meant to be.

alex lay sprawled on a sunbed beside the pool, her eyes closed and her head resting back on the soft cushion. the sound of the water, rippling in the pool, was like a lullaby as she basked in the warmth. the sun touched her skin like an old friend, familiar and comforting. there was peace in this moment, just being here, far away from the chaos of life. It felt like she was finally able to breathe.

nick was a different story. his energy never seemed to ebb. he was always moving, always seeking out something to entertain him, something to make him feel alive. today, though, it was different. he had this strange air of restlessness about him, like something was pulling at him, urging him to be somewhere else. but for now, he was here, lounging in the pool, sending playful glances toward alex as his body glided through the water, making small waves in his wake.

noah, on the other hand, sat at the edge of the pool, her legs dipped in the cool water. she had a book in her hand, but her attention was divided. she was trying, though. trying to focus on the words on the page, but the distant energy between nick and alex kept drawing her eyes to them. she could hear them laughing occasionally, and it grated on her. not because of their happiness, but because of the fact that it wasn't hers. that it had never been hers.

she couldn't stop staring at alex. the way she seemed so perfectly at ease, so effortless in her own skin, made noah sick to her stomach. alex had it all—the beauty, the effortless charm, the natural grace. noah hated it. hated how nick looked at her like she was the center of the universe, and how alex always seemed so unaware of how much she was envied. it felt like she was in the shadows, invisible, watching as everyone else got to play the main character in their own lives.

it didn't help that nick was... well, nick. he could charm anyone with a smile, and right now, his eyes were on alex, that familiar softness in his gaze as he studied her. noah had seen it countless times—how he would light up around her, how everything alex did seemed to take precedence. It made noah feel like she was suffocating, like the world was closing in on her and she was the only one who couldn't escape it.

as nick climbed out of the pool, the water dripping down his toned chest, noah felt the weight of the moment sink in. he turned his gaze toward alex, who was still blissfully unaware, her breathing slow and steady as she slept under the warmth of the sun. for a moment, nick just stared, his lips curving into a soft, affectionate smile. but noah's eyes followed his, and she couldn't help the slight pang of jealousy that tightened her chest.

"come on, you're such an idiot!" noah called out to nick, though her tone wasn't entirely serious. it was a playful rebuke, the kind they had always exchanged since they'd met, but it held a hint of frustration. it wasn't the first time she had been the third wheel between nick and alex, and it certainly wouldn't be the last. noah hated herself for it. hated that she was so caught up in this silent, internal war.

nick turned to her, the water dripping from his hair as he flashed her an innocent grin. "hey, it's my birthday. you have to be nice," he teased, the gleam of mischief dancing in his eyes. his voice was light, filled with the carefree tone that had always been his trademark. but when his eyes flickered over to alex, there was something softer there—something he didn't bother to hide.

noah noticed. of course, she noticed. her eyes narrowed slightly, her grip on the book tightening as she tried not to let it show. she was always hyper-aware of the moments when nick would look at alex like that—the kind of look that made her feel like she was standing on the edge of a cliff, watching as everything she wanted slipped further away.

"i'm gonna go," noah said, her voice cutting through the silence that had begun to grow between them. she didn't look at nick when she spoke, instead turning her gaze to the backdoors of the mansion. "i still have to pack for ibiza."

her words hung in the air, a thinly veiled excuse. noah wasn't stupid. she knew exactly what she was doing. the words were just a way to escape, a way to retreat into herself, to put distance between her and the reminder of what she could never have.

nick didn't say anything at first, just giving her a distracted nod as she walked past him. but as noah turned, her back to them, nick finally broke the silence.

"okay, see you later," he called out, though his words were absent, distracted by the thought of alex who still lay there, oblivious to everything happening around her.

noah left, walking through the back doors of the mansion and disappearing inside, leaving behind a silence that hung like a cloud. nick turned back to alex, who had shifted slightly in her sleep, the corner of her lip curling into a faint smile.

he moved closer to her, his bare feet making little sound on the stone floor as he walked. he crouched down beside the sunbed and then, with a grin that was full of mischief, he shook his wet hair at her.

before she could react, the water droplets hit her in the face, and alex jolted upright, blinking rapidly as she wiped her eyes.

"stop, nick!" she laughed, her voice still a bit groggy from just waking up. her lips pulled into a teasing smile as she shook her head, trying to catch her breath. her tank top clung to her body as she sat up fully, pushing her damp hair behind her ear.

nick was already in the pool again, his grin still wide and playful as he turned back to look at her from the water. there was something about the way he moved, so confident, so comfortable in his own skin, that made alex's heart skip a beat. she wasn't used to feeling like this—like she was always walking on a fine line between playful banter and something deeper, something harder to define.

but as she took a deep breath and stood up from the sunbed, she glanced down at herself and realized she wasn't dressed for the pool. she didn't have a bikini on, just her white tank top and nick's shorts, which hung loosely around her waist.

without thinking too much, she pulled the shorts off, standing in her black panties, before jumping into the pool with a laugh.

"i hate you," she said, though it wasn't said seriously. the words came out through her laughter as she splashed him with water, her movements carefree and full of energy.

nick swam closer, the water rippling around him as he drew near. his expression shifted, and for a moment, the playful smirk faded into something more intense, something that alex couldn't quite place.

he was inches away from her now, his eyes dark and focused, filled with something she couldn't ignore. she stopped moving for a second, unsure of what to say, of what to do. there was a strange pressure in the air—an unspoken tension that seemed to draw them closer.

"so, can you guess what i want for my birthday?" nick asked, his voice low, almost teasing, but there was something else there. a hint of vulnerability, or maybe it was just the heat of the moment that made everything feel more significant.

alex, still trying to keep things light, smirked and raised an eyebrow. "a new car?"

nick gasped dramatically, his face feigning shock. "ooh!" he laughed, his voice so light, but there was an edge to it now. the water around them was almost still, the world outside their bubble disappearing for a moment.

"i think i might know what you want, mr. leister," alex said, her tone playful but soft, as she swam backwards, the water lapping at her body.

nick's eyes followed her every movement, as if he was studying her, taking in every detail. "and what might that be, mrs. leister?" he whispered, swimming a little closer.

she chuckled lightly, her lips curving into a smile. "a breath mint," she teased, the words slipping out of her mouth before she could stop herself.

nick chuckled too, the sound warm and genuine. "i've just brushed my teeth," he smirked.

but before she could respond, he swam closer, so close now that she could feel the heat radiating from his skin. his fingers brushed her leg, and she shuddered slightly. the water around them seemed to vanish, and the moment stretched on, their gazes locked.

there was no escaping it. this was no longer about teasing or playful banter. this was about something real. something deep.

the tension between them was thick, like something tangible. a pressure, an energy that neither of them could ignore.

and then, as if a switch had been flipped, nick's fingers traced the curve of her body, moving slowly, purposefully, as if testing the waters. alex's breath hitched.

"see, to everyone else," he murmured, his lips close to her ear, "it just looks like we're having a conversation." alex's heart pounded. he was so close. too close. "so as long as you can keep your emotions under control..." she looked up at him, a challenge in her eyes. "you think i can't?" she teased. nick smirked. his fingers traced from her stomach downward, slipping past the waistband of her panties.

alex's breath hitched. she didn't move. didn't stop him. her breath came out shaky, uneven. "oh dear," nick mused, his smirk deepening. "you nearly fell at the first hurdle." "shut it," she murmured. 

her breathing turned heavier, each inhale sharper than the last. the tension between them was suffocating, thick like the heat in the air. His face was close, his lips hovering just near her ear.

and then, before she could stop it, a soft moan slipped past her lips. nick stilled. then, leaning even closer, he whispered, "do you want me to stop?" alex met his gaze, heat pooling in her stomach. "i can stop."

"no," she breathed. "no, don't stop." and he didn't. not until—

"noah?" the voice cut through the thick silence like a blade.

alex froze.

nick's fingers left her as he turned toward the source of the voice. noah's mom. she stood at the entrance of the pool area, looking around. "is noah here?" alex's heart pounded in her chest. nick, cool and composed, simply nodded toward the house. "no, she just left to her room, I think."

noah's mom didn't seem to suspect anything. she nodded once and walked away.

silence.

alex was still pressed against the pool's edge, her body buzzing, her breath shallow. nick turned back to her, smirking. the tension was still there, suffocating, heavy. he swam toward her, slowly, deliberately. the air between them crackled. he was inches away from her, so close that if either of them moved even a fraction, their lips would touch.

but just as he was about to close the distance—

he pulled away.

lifted himself out of the pool.

grabbed his towel.

and walked away.

leaving her there.

fuck.

she needed him.

she needed this.

she missed him.

( © SOLXSTRS 2025 )