52

It's been more than a month since Levi and I had that fight about my overthinking and insecurities. Things felt so tense back then, but a lot has changed since Mia talked to me. She's become a good friend, and surprisingly, it's been easy to let her and her boyfriend into our group now that everything is sorted between us. She is such a good sport, I feel proud of myself for not letting overthinking and insecurity ruin it all.

We've gone out for movie nights, tried new restaurants, and even had a chaotic karaoke session where Levi hilariously tried to sing Taylor Swift—and failed miserably. It's been nice to have them around, and it's made me realize that not everyone is out to compete with me.

As for Levi and me, we've been spending more time together. We've started going on dates—nothing fancy, just coffee runs, walks in the park, or grabbing ramen after a long day. But those moments have been special.

He makes me laugh in ways I didn't think I could, and slowly, I've been letting my guard down around him. It feels like we're finally finding our rhythm, and for the first time in a while, I feel like I'm not holding onto so much doubt. Things aren't perfect, but they're better, and that's enough for now.

Currently all of us were present in Ethan's place, just hanging around including Mia and Nathan. Mia is such an amazing person, no doubt Levi wanted to help her. She deserves all the happiness in the world and knowing that she is slowly and slowly getting there, makes me glad that Levi didn't give up on her.

Levi who had stood beside me, leaned in close until his lips were near my ear. A shiver ran through my body. His voice was low, teasing, as he murmured, "You know, sweetheart, blushing suits you. Makes me wonder how much more I can do to keep it there."

Before I could respond—or recover—he pulled back with a smirk and walked away, leaving me red-faced and speechless.

That stupid smirk of his was still imprinted in my mind and unfortunately, Mia and Spencer had noticed my flustered state the second Levi left the room.

Mia's voice broke my thoughts. "So, Cora.", she started, a sly grin creeping onto her face, "what exactly did Levi say to make you blush like that? Because I swear, I saw actual pink. Pink, Cora."

Spencer leaned in, catching on immediately. "Oh, this is going to be good. Did he drop one of his infamous smirks with a side of cheesy lines? Or was it something actually charming?"

"I—I don't know what you're talking about." I waved them off, trying to sound unaffected, though I could feel the heat creeping back up my neck. "He didn't say anything special. He's just... annoying."

"Right." Mia teased, her tone dripping with mock seriousness. "That's why your face looks like a tomato. Annoyance. Makes perfect sense."

I groaned. "You guys are impossible."

Mia didn't stop there. "I'm just saying, you better keep him on his toes, Cora. I've got dibs on being the flower girl at the wedding."

I nearly choked on my coffee. "Wedding?! Mia, what are you—?"

Spencer, never one to miss an opportunity, cut in with a smirk. "Flower girl? You'll be, like, thirty by then. Isn't that a bit too old to toss petals down the aisle?"

Mia gasped dramatically, clutching her chest. "Excuse me, rude! I'm young at heart. And besides, who better to support the lovebirds than me?"

Spencer raised an eyebrow and grinned. "Well, in that case, I'll be the bridesmaid, so it works perfectly. You can toss your petals, and I'll be there to look fabulous."

I rolled my eyes, but I couldn't help the small laugh that escaped. "You guys are the worst."

"Oh, come on," Nathan chimed in from the couch, amused by the chaos. "You're not exactly hiding the sparks, Cora. Or the smirks, for that matter. Pun fully intended."

I threw a pillow in his direction, but he dodged it effortlessly. "Not you too, Nathan!"

Spencer leaned back with a satisfied grin. "Face it, Cora. We're just calling it like we see it. Levi's got you, and we all know it."

I crossed my arms, determined not to give them the satisfaction of a reaction, but the warmth on my cheeks betrayed me yet again. It wasn't fair. Between Levi's relentless charm and my friends' constant teasing, how was I supposed to keep my composure?

Mia leaned closer, her voice softening just a touch. "In all seriousness, though, you seem happy around him, Cora. That's what matters."

Her sincerity caught me off guard, and for a moment, I didn't know what to say. But before I could reply, Spencer ruined the moment by adding, "Yeah, happy—and blushing. Don't forget the blushing."

Just as I was about to throw another pillow at Spencer, the door opened, and Levi and Ethan walked in, carrying pizza boxes.

"Dinner is here, people.", Ethan announced, setting the boxes on the coffee table.

Levi, however, had other plans. Without hesitation, he plopped down next to me, wrapped an arm around my waist, and pulled me flush against him, completely unaware of the chaos he was walking into.

"Miss me?", he asked, his tone dripping with that signature cocky charm.

Before I could even respond, Mia let out a laugh, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Wow, Cora, he didn't waste any time, huh? He's already staking his claim."

"Mia." I hissed, my face heating up again.

"Oh, don't mind us, Levi." Spencer added, smirking as she exchanged a look with Mia. "We were just discussing your wedding plans. Mia called dibs on being the flower girl."

Levi raised an eyebrow, looking amused. "Flower girl? Isn't that usually reserved for little kids?"

"Exactly what I said!" Spencer chimed in, pointing at Mia.

Mia shot her a glare but turned back to Levi with a dramatic pout. "Fine, I'll settle for a VIP guest seat. But only if you promise to make Cora blush like this every day."

Levi's gaze flicked to me, and a slow grin spread across his face. "Oh, that won't be a problem."

Ethan, who had been quietly enjoying the scene, finally spoke up. "Hey, if we're planning a wedding here, can I at least be the one to officiate? I mean, I'm basically a professional observer at this point."

The room erupted into laughter, and I groaned, burying my face in my hands. "You're all impossible."

Spencer leaned back, still grinning. "Told you, Cora. Sparks and smirks—just like I said."

Levi glanced around at everyone, finally catching on. "Okay, what exactly did I miss?"

"Nothing!" I said quickly, glaring at Spencer, Ethan, Mia, and Nathan, who were all practically dying of laughter.

Levi's arm around me tightened slightly as he smirked. "Somehow, I don't believe you."