Page 51 of Fighting Fate

As Miles hesitates, I recognize that look—a mix of internal struggle and reluctance. It's a look I've seen before, one that tells me there's more beneath the surface he's not ready to share. "Nothing to worry about, just personal stuff," he finally says, but the silence that follows tells me Luke isn't entirely convinced.

"Alright, but you know you can always talk to me, or Milli, right?" Luke's offer hits me unexpectedly hard.

What was I thinking, flirting with Miles like that? I'm supposed to be his steadfast friend, not someone blurring lines in a risky game.

Good luck keeping that boundary, Milli, my mind mocks me.

Miles acknowledges Luke's offer with his usual confident grin. "Thanks, man. Appreciate it."

Luke leaves, and we're alone again.

"Sorry about that," Miles says, a hint of sheepishness in his voice.

I force a casual shrug. "It's okay. Luke's my brother, after all. I'm used to it." But as he absentmindedly scratches his head, his muscles flexing, I find myself momentarily distracted.

Stay focused, Milli. Just . . . focus.

Miles' voice breaks through my thoughts, uncertain. "Guess I should let you go?"

I'm suddenly aware of the intensity of our earlier interaction, and I start pacing, phone in hand. "Yeah, we should probably end this call. And, uh, keep this between us, right?" I laugh nervously.

As my cheeks flush with embarrassment, I accidentally drop my phone. From the floor, Miles' voice floats up. "Mills, uh, you do realize I can see quite the view from here..."

I freeze, mortified.

Miles chuckles, trying to lighten the mood. "Relax, baby."

Baby? Since when did he drop Sutton?

My heart races as I pick up the phone, my voice barely a whisper. "I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me."

Miles' face softens on the screen. "Hey, it's okay. We were just having a bit of fun, right? Nothing wrong with that. We're adults."

But can it really just be "fun"?

"Thanks," I say, trying to sound reassured. "I just don't want things to get weird between us."

He nods, his eyes warm and understanding. "It won't get weird, Mills. We're friends."

I force a smile, agreeing, "Friends."

But as I hang up and collapse onto my bed, my mind is a whirlpool of uncertainty. How do we go back to being just friends after something like this? How do I just pretend I didn't nearly expose myself to my best friend?

Milli, the goal is simple: stay casual, no entanglements, no drama. Just two friends engaging in ordinary conversation about the day-to-day.

It should be straightforward, right?

Miles

Yes, Mom, I'm here. Though it's more like I've been strong-armed into it. And yeah, I'll fill you in on what the doc says.

My thumbs fly across the screen, conveying my annoyance at being here, yet acknowledging her concern—all the while trying to mask the unease twisting in my gut about what my doctor might say. Being here, year after year, feels like a never-ending cycle. But, if something were wrong, I'd know, wouldn't I?

Miles, you've been feeling off, remember?

Ignoring that nagging thought, my phone pings with another message from my mom.

Mother Dear

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