45

Levi Carson, the man who could charm his way out of almost anything, who thrived on quick wit and competition, was willing to wait-for me and was now my boyfriend.

It was terrifying, this vulnerability. Letting someone in meant giving them the power to hurt you, and Levi had always known how to push my buttons. But now, he wasn't just pushing; he was prying open doors I'd long since bolted shut. Yet, for reasons I couldn't fully explain, it didn't feel like a risk. It felt like a leap worth taking.

I liked it.

The hum of my phone interrupted my spiraling thoughts. Spencer's name flashed on the screen, and I picked up, desperate for a distraction.

"How are you?" Spencer teased before I could even say hello. Her tone was light, but there was curiosity woven through it.

I groaned, sinking deeper into the couch. "I am fine," I replied, trying to sound indifferent.

"Fine?" she repeated, clearly unimpressed. "You're telling me Levi Carson, smirk extraordinaire, is your boyfriend now and all you have to say is 'fine'?"

"Spence," I warned, though I couldn't stop the small smile creeping onto my lips.

She wasn't deterred. "You know, Ethan and I were joking about how he might propose to you one day. So far, the top ideas include a hot air balloon, a flash mob, or-"

"Spencer," I cut in, my cheeks burning. "You're impossible."

"Impossible and right," she sang. "But seriously, you sound...different. Happier, maybe?"

The question gave me pause. Was I happier? The thought lingered long after we hung up, slipping into my dreams like a whisper I couldn't ignore.

"I am happy and I didn't expect it to be with Levi - you know."

She laughed at my answer. "Of course it has to be Levi."

"Spence," I warned again, flopping onto my couch with my phone balanced precariously between my shoulder and ear.

"What?" she replied, feigning innocence. "Am I not allowed to bring up the fact that you're practically glowing these days? You know, ever since a certain someone entered the picture?"

"I'm not glowing," I said, rolling my eyes even though I could feel my cheeks heating up.

"Right, because someone's cheek just turns red when we talk about certain someone." she teased.

I groaned, burying my face in a cushion. "Can we please talk about something else? Like, literally anything else?"

"Nope," she said cheerfully. "Because this is way more fun. I mean, who would've thought? You and Levi Carson. It's like a plot twist straight out of a rom-com. I should be charging admission for this."

"Spencer..."

"Don't 'Spencer' me. You know I live for this stuff. Besides, I have so many questions. Like, when did you even start liking him? Was it during one of your famous arguments? Oh, wait-was it when he visited you when you were sick? Because let me tell you, Ethan was dying when I told him about that."

"I regret ever telling you that," I muttered, covering my face with my hands.

"Don't regret it. Embrace it," she said dramatically. "Come on, you've got to admit it's kind of cute. You two were like oil and water for years, and now you're...what? Peanut butter and jelly?"

I snorted. "Did you seriously just compare us to a sandwich?"

"Absolutely," she said without missing a beat. "Oh! Or better yet, fire and gasoline. That's more your vibe."

"Thanks for the imagery," I said dryly.

"You're welcome," she replied, completely unfazed. "Anyway, is everything still all googly eyes and stolen kisses?"

"Googly eyes?" I repeated, raising an eyebrow even though she couldn't see me.

"You know what I mean," she said, and I could practically hear her smirking. "Come on, spill. What's it like dating the guy you swore you couldn't stand? Is he, like, secretly a romantic? Does he write you poetry or something?"

"Spencer, I swear to God-"

"Okay, okay," she said, laughing. "I'll stop. For now. But seriously, you do seem...different. Happier, maybe."

I hesitated, her words catching me off guard. "I guess I am," I admitted quietly. "I didn't expect to be, but..."

"But Levi," she finished for me, her voice softening slightly. "Who would've thought?"

"Certainly not me," I muttered, though I couldn't help the small smile tugging at my lips.

"Well, for the record, I totally called this years ago," she said, her teasing tone returning full force. "You can deny it all you want, but I always knew there was something there."

"Oh, really? You 'always knew,' huh?"

"Yup," she said confidently. "Ethan even agrees with me. He said the only person who didn't know you liked Levi was you."

I groaned, throwing a pillow across the room as if she could somehow feel it through the phone. "I hate both of you."

"No, you don't," she said sweetly. "You love us. Just like you love Levi."

"Spencer!"

"What? I'm just stating the obvious," she said, completely unapologetic. "Anyway, tell Levi I said hi. Oh, and tell him that if he ever proposes, he'd better go big. I'm thinking skywriting or an elaborate treasure hunt."

I rolled my eyes. "Why are you even thinking about that?"

"Because it's Levi" she said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "He's not exactly subtle, and neither are you. It'll be iconic. Trust me."

"I am hanging up now," I declared, though I couldn't help the laugh that escaped me.

"Love you, too!" she called out just before I ended the call, her laughter ringing in my ears long after the line went dead.

Her teasing, though relentless, always held an undeniable truth. I hated admitting it, but she wasn't wrong. Levi Carson-the bane of my existence and the source of so many infuriating memories-was also, somehow, the reason my chest felt a little lighter these days.

The idea unsettled me. Levi wasn't supposed to be this...important. He was supposed to be the guy I argued with, the one who always had the last word. Not the one whose smirks stayed with me long after he was gone, or whose voice I found myself waiting to hear.

I sighed and tossed my phone onto the couch, staring up at the ceiling. "You're in deep, Cora" I muttered to myself.