This damn journal !

by MoonJlt

Summary:

When Lara discovers Megan’s secret feelings for Daniela—her straight bandmate—everything begins to shift. As Megan struggles to keep her heart quiet, and Daniela clings to certainty, tension rises.

All because of a fucking journal.

Idk what this is guys but enjoy

Notes:

Honestly this is just me projecting.

Chapter 1

The KATSEYE house always buzzed with something—music from the kitchen speakers, the shuffling of socks across polished floors, the rise and fall of laughter through open doors. But in the quiet moments—just before breakfast, just after practice—it was a place of scattered silences. That’s when Megan usually wrote.

She sat cross-legged on her bed, sunlight bleeding through the curtains as she tapped her pen on the corner of her black journal. Lara’s side of the room was still a mess of pillows and a hoodie halfway off the nightstand. Megan glanced at it with a small smirk. Typical.

But her mind wasn’t on Lara. It rarely was anymore.

Her pen finally moved.

"I don’t know why I keep doing this. Writing about her like it’ll go away. Daniela. Again. Just saying her name makes me feel like I’m thirteen. It’s pathetic. She’s said it, like, a thousand times—she likes guys. Straight, straight, straight. I get it. I do. But then she smiles at me like she sees something in me. Or maybe I’m just stupid."

Megan swallowed and closed the book halfway, thumb resting on the spine. Her chest was tight in that annoying way it always got when she thought too hard about what couldn’t be. She wasn’t dramatic—just sensitive. At least, that’s what Sophia always said.

Voices filtered down the hallway.

“Ten minutes to breakfast!” came Manon’s shout.

“Tell that to Yoonchae, she’s still asleep on the beanbag,” Sophia added, laughing.

Megan stood quickly, tossing the journal onto her bed, half-covered by her pillow. It had been a long week of dance rehearsals and press. She didn’t want to be late and get roasted by Dani again for being the last one downstairs. The thought made her heart tighten—she hated how even criticism from Daniela made her feel seen.

She rushed out, socks slipping slightly on the wood as she shouted down the hall, “I’m coming, don’t eat the last pancake without me!”

The door creaked open half an hour later.

Lara strolled in, holding a bottle of water, hair still damp from the quick shower she took after breakfast. She looked around lazily—Megan’s side of the room was neater than usual.

Then she saw it.

The journal. Left wide open.

Her eyes lit up.

“Oh, Megs…” she grinned to herself, tiptoeing closer like it was some kind of treasure map.

She reached for it with no real intention of reading—just to mess with Megan, hide it behind the radiator or something equally annoying. But as she slid it off the bed, a few lines jumped out at her.

And then… the name.

DANIELA. Bold. Underlined. Centered in Megan’s loopy handwriting.

Lara’s smirk faltered.

A part of her told her to shut it and drop the journal. But her eyes were already moving.

“She’s got that look when she’s focused, like nothing else in the world matters. Sometimes I think about what it would be like if she looked at me like that—really looked. But she never will.”

Lara blinked.

She sat down slowly on Megan’s bed, the journal open in her lap.

“Well… shit.”

Chapter 2

The journal was gone.

Megan didn’t notice it at first—not right after the team dance review, not even after the long shower where she let herself think too much again. It was only when she dropped her towel onto her chair and looked at her bed—bare, too bare—that her heart caught.

The pillow was crooked.

Her journal was missing.

She turned in slow, dread-heavy steps. Her dresser. Nothing. Under the blanket? Empty. She knelt and checked under the bed. Panic was blooming now, full-force, and her breath caught short in her throat.

Then—click.

The door opened behind her.

Lara.

Megan stood too quickly, her head spinning with the rush of blood. She saw it instantly—the book in Lara’s hand. Dark cover. Faint crease in the middle from how often Megan opened it.

No.

Lara looked unsure of herself, a rare expression on a face that was usually built for smirks and chaos.

“Megs,” she started softly, “can we talk?”

“Why do you have that?” Megan’s voice was sharp, way too loud for the quiet room.

Lara took a breath and stepped in, closing the door behind her. “Look, I wasn’t trying to read it, okay? I was just messing with you—like always—and then... I saw your handwriting. And then I saw—” Her eyes flicked down. “Her name.”

Megan froze.

It was like her spine locked into place. Her mouth opened but nothing came out, and all she could hear was her own pulse pounding behind her ears.

“You read it?” she said finally. But her voice cracked on the word read.

Lara looked away, guilty. “Not all of it. Just... enough.”

The silence that followed was brutal. Megan didn’t speak. She couldn’t. Everything was rushing through her all at once—shame, fear, betrayal, years of keeping things buried suddenly dragged out into the open.

“Give it back,” she whispered.

Lara stepped forward slowly, offering the journal like a fragile thing. “Megan, I didn’t mean—”

“I said give it back!” Megan snapped, grabbing it from her hands and hugging it to her chest like it could shield her from everything Lara now knew.

Lara’s expression crumpled, but she didn’t try to stop her. She just stayed there, standing by the closet with her hands at her sides.

“I wasn’t going to say anything,” she said after a beat. “I’m not going to tell anyone. Especially not Daniela.”

At that name—Daniela—Megan’s throat tightened so much it hurt.

“You had no right,” she said quietly, venom laced through every syllable. “It’s not a joke. That journal—it’s the only place I let myself say things I can’t even admit out loud.”

“I know,” Lara said softly. “That’s why I’m not laughing. I’m not judging you. I just—Megan, you’ve been holding this in for how long?”

“Too long,” Megan said bitterly. “And now it’s ruined.”

Lara shook her head. “It’s not. I swear, it’s not.”

“You think it’s not ruined because you found out. What happens when someone else does? What if Dani finds out? She’ll hate me. She’ll think I’ve been lying to her—like I’m some creep who’s been staring at her behind her back.”

“She won’t think that,” Lara insisted, stepping closer. “She wouldn’t—”

“She’s straight, Lara.” Megan’s voice cracked on the word. “She’s said it, like, a hundred times. You think I don’t hear it every time she flirts with some random guy during rehearsals? I’ve seen the way she rolls her eyes when Manon makes a gay joke. You think I’d risk everything just for a crush?”

The word crush felt like an insult to what she was feeling. It was more than that. It had always been more.

Lara was quiet for a while.

“I’m sorry,” she said finally, her voice so soft it barely reached. “I should never have touched your stuff. I was just being stupid. I didn’t know how personal it was. But Megan—what I read? It wasn’t pathetic. It was beautiful. And... painful. And so you.”

Megan blinked, caught off guard by the sincerity.

“I’m not gonna push you,” Lara continued. “And I’m definitely not gonna tell her. But I think... maybe someday, you deserve to say those things out loud. Even if not to her.”

Megan sat down slowly on the edge of the bed, still holding the journal close. Her hands were shaking.

She didn’t say thank you. She couldn’t—not yet.

But when Lara reached down and gently squeezed her shoulder, Megan didn’t pull away.

Down the hall, laughter echoed faintly.

Daniela was in the kitchen with Manon, rinsing fruit and singing the wrong lyrics to a Dua Lipa song. She was wearing one of Megan’s old hoodies, totally unaware.

She tossed a strawberry at Manon’s head and laughed as it bounced off.

“So, who’s your type again?” Manon asked casually.

Daniela didn’t hesitate. “Tall, probably a soccer player. I don’t know. A guy with nice hands.”

She smiled like it was a fact.

She didn’t notice the way her stomach dropped for no reason after saying it. Not yet.

Chapter 3

Lara wasn’t used to guilt.

Not the real kind—not the kind that curled under her ribs and sat there like something heavy and breathing.

She wasn’t a villain. Mischief, sure. Teasing? A personality trait. But secrets? Real secrets?

She kept glancing at Megan, who hadn’t said more than ten words since this morning. And even then, they were whispered, half-hearted things: yeah, okay, sure, fine, I’m tired. And I’m fine, which was the biggest lie of them all.

Megan hadn’t even looked her in the eye. Not once. Not since that night.

Lara could still hear her voice, raw and angry: You had no right.

Now the whole house smelled like garlic, burnt toast, and too many emotions. Dinner prep with six people who were all tired, touchy, and dancing around something they couldn’t name? Recipe for disaster.

“Megan, can you cut the tomatoes?” Yoonchae asked sweetly from across the counter.

Megan, already holding the knife, blinked like she’d forgotten she was even in the room. “Yeah,” she muttered, and started slicing without a second glance.

Lara stood by the stove, stirring the rice with too much force.

Daniela was near the sink, peeling cucumbers like her life depended on it. Manon kept stealing raw mushrooms from the cutting board and throwing them at Sophia, who kept pretending not to notice.

It should’ve been funny. It usually was. But not today.

Lara tried to join in. “Manon, I swear—if you throw one more mushroom, I’m putting wasabi in your water bottle.”

Manon grinned, clearly unbothered. “Do it. Maybe I’ll finally feel something.”

Sophia rolled her eyes but smiled. “You’re so dramatic.”

“Learned from the best,” Manon shot back, flicking a mushroom at her forehead.

Laughter followed. Light. Easy.

Lara glanced at Megan again. No reaction.

Even Daniela was smiling a little, glancing up from the cucumbers to see where the mushroom landed.

But Megan didn’t even flinch. Her eyes were on the tomatoes, her face unreadable. She looked like someone trying to disappear through a task.

Lara’s chest tightened.

She knew what it was. Defense. Distance. The quiet kind of shutting down that came when you didn’t trust the room with your insides. Megan had always been a little guarded—but this was different. This was retreat.

Lara caught Daniela watching, too.

Just for a second.

Then Daniela looked away, brows pinched in a faint line. She didn’t say anything. But Lara knew the look: confused, slightly annoyed, and—underneath it—something a little like hurt.

She feels it, Lara realized. She just doesn’t understand it.

And Megan was too deep in her head to notice Daniela watching her at all.

The journal’s words echoed back in Lara’s mind.
I just want her to see me without it ruining everything.
I’d rather be quiet forever than scare her away.
She’s so close and still feels a million miles away.

The water started boiling over.
“Shit,” Lara muttered, quickly turning the heat down on the rice.

“You good?” Sophia asked from across the room.

“Yeah, yeah. Rice drama,” Lara said, waving her hand.

Daniela turned slightly. “Want help?”

Lara paused, the irony not lost on her.
I know something you don’t, she thought.
Something about the girl behind you that would blow your mind.

But she just forced a smile. “I got it. You focus on those cucumbers.”

Daniela rolled her eyes but turned back around.

Dinner prep continued. A little too quiet. A little too careful. Megan still hadn’t laughed. And she still wasn’t looking at either of them—Lara or Daniela.

That’s what hurt most, actually.

Lara hadn’t expected Megan to forgive her overnight—but the cold shoulder stung in a way she didn’t know how to process. She didn’t want her friend to suffer alone. But now she was the reason Megan was shutting down even harder.

So Lara did the only thing she could think to do.

She made things louder.

“Alright,” she said, “this kitchen is emotionally constipated. I’m putting on Dua Lipa and if no one starts dancing I’m declaring war.”

Sophia snorted. “You’ve already declared war five times today.”

“Exactly. You’re all on notice.”

The beat kicked in—something upbeat and glittery, from the group’s “kitchen safe” playlist. Lara started dramatically shoulder-shimmying in Manon’s direction. Manon responded by moonwalking with a baguette. Yoonchae covered her face, laughing.

Even Daniela cracked a real smile.

But Megan?

She didn’t move. Didn’t smile. Didn’t even react to the music change. She just kept chopping, slower now, like the motion had become too heavy.

Lara’s heart twisted.
She’s breaking in front of us and none of them can see it.
Only she could see the exact reason why.

She couldn’t take it anymore.

Lara dropped the spoon, wiped her hands, and crossed the room. Quietly, carefully. She stopped beside Megan at the counter, far enough not to crowd her.

“Hey,” she said softly, just for her. “You okay?”

Megan paused. Her jaw tightened.

“I’m fine.”

“You’re not.”

Megan’s eyes finally lifted—and met hers. Just for a second. There was so much pain there, Lara almost stepped back.

“Don’t,” Megan whispered. “Not now.”

Lara nodded, once. She wouldn’t push. She couldn’t fix it in one conversation. But she wasn’t going to disappear, either.

“You don’t have to talk,” Lara said gently. “But... I’m here. Even if you’re mad at me.”

Megan blinked fast—too fast—and then looked away.

But she didn’t tell her to go.

It was a start.

By the time they sat down to eat, everything looked almost normal.

Salad, rice, bread. Laughter returned in bits and pieces. Manon made a dramatic toast with sparkling water. Sophia argued about the correct cheese-to-pasta ratio. Yoonchae stole a breadstick off Daniela’s plate. Normal, normal, normal.

But underneath it?

Lara could still feel it.

Megan, quiet and withdrawn, barely touching her food.
Daniela, sneaking glances, frowning more than she should’ve.
And her—sitting between two people stuck in their own emotional orbit, holding a secret that didn’t belong to her but had now become her burden too.

It would unravel eventually. Lara knew that.

But not yet.

For now, she would sit in the middle of the tension, pretending everything was fine.

She owed Megan that much.

Notes:

I don't know if it's any good but thanks for reading.

Chapter 4

Summary:

Megan has a breakdown but Dani's here to hold her.

She didn’t mean to leave like that.
Not really.
But the laughter was too loud. The voices, too layered. The kitchen lights, too bright. Her skin felt too tight, her smile fake, and her chest—aching in a way she didn’t have words for. So when everyone’s attention turned to Manon’s ridiculous story about mixing shampoo with face cream, Megan slipped away.
Just like that.
No one noticed.
Except Lara. Of course.
And… Daniela?
Megan didn’t dare look back. She just moved. Quiet and quick, padding down the hallway with careful steps, holding her breath like that could stop the flood behind her eyes.
When she closed the bedroom door, she finally exhaled.
The room was dark, only a bit of moonlight spilling across the floor through the half-open curtain. Her side of the room was messier than usual—her notebook lying open on the bed, her hoodie tossed over the chair, water bottle half-full on the nightstand.
She dropped onto the bed.
The silence hit first. Then the loneliness. Then, the weight.
The ache that had followed her all day finally sank its claws in.
It wasn’t just the journal.
It was Daniela’s smile at dinner. The way she laughed with Manon, the soft tone she used with Yoonchae. The small touches—playful, innocent, meaningless. To her.
But not to Megan.
To Megan, every glance meant look away. Every laugh meant you’ll never be that close. Every kind word sounded like don’t ruin this.
Her throat burned.
She grabbed her pillow and pulled it to her chest, hugging it tightly, as if it could hold her together. And just like that—quietly, finally—she broke.
Tears slipped down her cheeks without resistance.
No sobs. No sound. Just tears and breathless gasps. It hurt too much to cry the way she wanted to. She’d held it in all day—all week—and now it poured out like something old and heavy.
Megan didn’t hear the knock.
She didn’t see the door creak open, soft and careful. She didn’t see the figure standing in the doorway, hesitant, quiet.
Daniela had never walked softer in her life.
Daniela didn’t know what made her follow.
Maybe it was the silence Megan left behind. Or the stiffness in her shoulders. Or the fact that, lately, Megan wouldn’t look her in the eye.
Maybe it was Lara—who stood halfway out of her seat to follow too, but sat back down when Daniela stood up.
Maybe Daniela didn’t want to name it. That was easier.
The hallway was quiet. Megan’s door was cracked slightly. She was about to knock again, but… something stopped her.
She heard the softest sound.
Not loud. Not wailing. Just… fragile.
Daniela opened the door.
She didn’t mean to intrude. But what she saw froze her in place.
Megan, curled up on the bed, hugging a pillow like it was life support, shoulders trembling.
Daniela’s heart dropped.
No one else saw this, she realized. No one else knows she’s breaking.
Without thinking, she stepped inside and gently closed the door.
Megan only noticed the shift when the mattress dipped beside her.
She gasped, turning—eyes wide, face blotchy, mouth already forming a “what the hell—”
And then she saw who it was.
Daniela.
“Megan,” Daniela said gently, her voice almost a whisper. “It’s just me.”
Megan blinked, confused and overwhelmed and… embarrassed. “What—what are you doing in here?”
“I saw you leave,” Daniela said. “You looked like… like you couldn’t breathe.”
Megan wiped at her cheeks roughly. “I’m fine.”
Daniela didn’t move closer. She didn’t touch her. She just sat there, looking at her with that quiet, open expression Megan always hated and loved at the same time.
“You’re not,” she said softly. “And it’s okay.”
Megan laughed bitterly, still hiding behind her pillow. “What, you’re a therapist now?”
“No,” Daniela replied. “I’m your friend.”
Megan winced. That word. That stupid, sharp word.
“You don’t have to do this,” she whispered. “I don’t need you to fix anything.”
“I’m not trying to fix it,” Daniela said. “I just… didn’t want you to be alone.”
That silence again. Thick. Heavy.
Megan’s breath hitched.
“I didn’t want you to see me like this,” she admitted, so quietly she wasn’t even sure the words came out.
Daniela’s face softened.
“But I did,” she said. “And I’m still here.”
Megan squeezed her eyes shut. “Don’t say that. Don’t—don’t pretend you get it.”
“I’m not pretending anything,” Daniela said. “I don’t know what’s going on with you. But… I care.”
Megan turned her face away, trying to stop the tears that kept coming anyway. “I’m just tired,” she said. “That’s all.”
Daniela shifted a little closer—but still didn’t touch her. “Do you want me to leave?”
Megan didn’t answer.
Not with words.
She didn’t move. She didn’t say yes. And that was enough.
Daniela took a slow breath and reached out, gently pulling the pillow away and setting it aside.
Then she opened her arms.
Megan hesitated.
Then she folded forward.
And for the first time in what felt like forever, she let herself fall into someone’s arms.
Daniela was warm. Steady. Gentle. She didn’t say anything. Didn’t ask anything. She just held Megan like she was allowed to break.
Megan pressed her face into Daniela’s shoulder and cried.
Not silently this time. Real, shaking sobs.
Daniela’s hand moved slowly over her back, up and down, again and again, anchoring her like waves to the shore.
“You’re okay,” she murmured, “you’re okay.”
Megan wanted to say I’m not.
But the way Daniela held her made her feel like maybe—just maybe—someday she could be.
They stayed like that a long time.
No questions. No confessions. Just warmth in the middle of the storm.
When Megan’s breathing evened out, she felt Daniela shift slightly.
“You don’t have to talk,” she said. “But if you ever want to… I’ll listen.”
Megan nodded against her shoulder.
And then, quieter: “I’m sorry.”
Daniela pulled back just enough to look at her.
“For what?”
Megan gave a weak, teary smile. “For being so dramatic.”
Daniela shook her head with a small smile. “You’re not dramatic.”
“You’d be the first to say that.”
Daniela tilted her head. “You just… feel a lot. That’s not a bad thing.”
Megan stared at her. “Why are you being so nice?”
“Because you matter,” Daniela said simply.
And Megan felt her heart crack again—but in a different way this time.
Later, after Daniela had helped her wash her face and tucked her into bed, Megan laid in the dark with one hand on her journal.
She didn’t write tonight.
She didn’t need to.
For the first time in days, she didn’t feel alone.
And even though she knew the ache wasn’t gone, it felt… quieter.
Because Daniela had seen her cry.
And stayed.

Chapter 5

Summary:

The girls notices and Lara tries her best to not be suspicious.

Dinner had been chaos—in the good way.

Pots clanged, someone spilled rice (probably Manon), and for a solid three minutes, Sophia and Lara had argued over whether garlic went before or after onions in the pan. Megan had stayed mostly quiet, helping where needed, and Daniela was her usual calm self. Everything felt almost normal.

But now, with everyone seated, the table full of steaming food, and laughter echoing off the walls, something wasn’t right.

Yoonchae blinked across the table.

“Wait... where’s Megan?”

Everyone looked up. Lara froze mid-bite.

“And Dani’s not here either,” Yoonchae added, glancing around with growing confusion. “Weren’t they here, like, five minutes ago?”

Sophia looked up from her soup. “They were in the kitchen. Megan left early, I think.”

Manon shrugged. “Maybe she went to her room.”

“And Dani?” Yoonchae tilted her head.

That’s when she saw it: Lara’s face.

Just for a second—barely a twitch—Lara’s expression changed. Not panic, not guilt. Just… knowledge. Yoonchae squinted.

“Lara?”

“Hm?” Lara said, all innocence.

“Why’d you make that face?”

Lara blinked. “What face?”

“You definitely made a face,” Sophia chimed in, raising an eyebrow. “When Yoonchae said Megan and Daniela are missing.”

Manon leaned forward, eyes narrowing with interest. “Oh my God. Wait. You know something.”

“I really don’t,” Lara said, way too quickly.

Yoonchae exchanged a glance with Sophia, who was already grinning like she was ready to start a full-on investigation.

“Spill,” Manon said, leaning over the table. “Are they hooking up?”

Lara choked on her drink. “What?! No! God, no—”

“Okay, that was a suspicious reaction,” Manon declared.

Sophia, now totally invested, set down her spoon and folded her hands on the table. “You’re hiding something, Lara. That’s your I-know-something-but-I’m-being-loyal-to-my-bestie face.”

“I don’t have that face,” Lara said flatly.

Yoonchae shrugged. “You totally do.”

Lara was trying so hard to keep it together.

She’d promised Megan—well, not in words, but in intention—that she wouldn’t say a thing. But now three girls were staring at her like she was the final clue in a murder mystery, and she was cracking under pressure.

She didn’t even mean to react like that. It was just instinct. Of course she noticed when Megan slipped away after dinner, her eyes red but her mouth set like steel. Of course she saw Daniela get up just moments later, looking strangely focused, like someone on a mission.

And yeah, maybe Lara lingered in the hallway on purpose. Maybe she heard the soft click of the bedroom door. Maybe she smiled to herself.

But it was none of their business.

Still, it was getting harder to deflect.

“Okay,” she said slowly, “first of all, nothing’s happening.”

Sophia raised an eyebrow. “So there is something.”

Lara groaned.

“Not like that! I mean—look, Megan’s been having a rough day. She just needed space. Daniela noticed. That’s it.”

“Daniela noticed?'Sophia echoed. “That girl couldn’t notice if her own shoelaces were untied.”

“She’s attentive sometimes,” Lara said, immediately regretting it.

“Ohhhh,” Manon sang. “You’re covering for something. I knew it.”

“Guys,” Lara sighed, rubbing her temples. “Just let them be. It’s not a big deal.”

“Then why are you defending it like you’re on trial?” Sophia asked sweetly.

Yoonchae leaned back in her chair, processing.

Megan had seemed off lately. Quieter. Not distant exactly, but… less present. And Daniela—well, Daniela was always Daniela. Confident, chill, effortlessly cool. But she had been a little quieter too. Not in a noticeable way, but if you knew them well enough, you’d see it.

Which they did.

They’d all been living together for months. Sharing a house, rehearsals, late-night cravings, dumb arguments, post-show meltdowns. There were no secrets in KATSEYE.

Except, apparently, this one.

“Okay,” Yoonchae said, her tone shifting to serious. “Is Megan okay?”

Lara paused. “Yeah. I think so. She just… needed a moment.”

“She’s been needing a lot of ‘moments’ lately,” Manon muttered.

Sophia reached across and squeezed Yoonchae’s hand. “We can give her space. But if something’s wrong, we should know.”

Lara softened a little. “It’s not my story to tell. But she’s not alone. And that’s what matters.”

Yoonchae nodded, though the curiosity still burned in her chest. “And Dani?”

Lara hesitated.

“She’s… trying,i think. In her own way.”

Back in the bedroom, Megan lay curled up under her blanket, eyes puffy, heart still sore. Daniela hadn’t said much after holding her. She’d helped her clean up, stayed a little while, then quietly left the room—no pressure, no questions.

And yet… her presence lingered.

Her scent. Her warmth. The echo of her voice saying, You matter.

Megan pressed her fingers into her pillow.

She wasn’t ready to face the others. Not yet.

Especially not with how obvious Lara was being.

She loved her roommate—really, she did—but Lara couldn’t lie to save her life. It was only a matter of time before the girls connected the dots.

And then what?

Would Daniela pull away?

Would they treat Megan differently?

Would the bubble pop?

Downstairs, the interrogation fizzled into quiet conversation. The vibe mellowed. Lara passed around dessert to change the topic, and Sophia expertly redirected everyone into a debate about their next performance outfits.

But Yoonchae kept watching Lara.

And Lara, for all her calm, kept glancing toward the hallway.

Manon noticed it too. And Sophia—always sharp—was already piecing together a theory.

The silence between Megan and Daniela wasn’t unnoticed.

And now, the others had a reason to start looking closer.

Chapter 6

The morning light filtered in through the curtains like a whisper—gentle, golden, and much too early.

Megan lay still, eyes open, body heavy beneath the duvet. The room was quiet, save for Lara’s soft breathing from the other bed. It was the kind of silence that felt suspended, like the world was holding its breath.

She hadn’t slept much. After Daniela left the room last night, Megan had stared at the ceiling for hours. Her eyes stung, her chest ached, and her thoughts kept folding over themselves like waves. But even in the exhaustion, something inside her had shifted.

It wasn’t relief. Not exactly. But it was something close.

Her hand reached absently for her journal—but it wasn’t where she left it.

Panic flared in her chest.

Then she remembered. Lara. The confrontation. The soft apology that didn’t quite erase the betrayal.

Megan exhaled shakily.

She couldn’t deal with that right now. Not on top of everything else.

She sat up slowly, careful not to wake Lara, and slid out of bed. Her feet touched the cold floor. Her reflection in the mirror looked as worn out as she felt—pale, puffy-eyed, hair tangled from restless tossing.

Still, she pulled on a hoodie and tiptoed toward the door.

Downstairs, the house was mostly quiet.

Except for faint clinking—someone in the kitchen.

She froze at the foot of the stairs, heart thudding.

It was Daniela.

Back to the doorway, hoodie slouched over one shoulder, her long hair pulled into a low bun. She was reaching for a mug from the cabinet, moving like she belonged here.

Of course she did. They all did.

Megan almost turned around. She didn’t know what to say—if she should say anything at all. But then Daniela looked over her shoulder, sensing her presence without needing to hear her.

Their eyes met.

Megan froze.

“Hey,” Daniela said, quiet but steady. Her voice didn’t carry judgment or pity. Just softness.

“Hey,” Megan replied, almost a whisper.

“You sleep okay?”

Megan gave a slow shrug. “I’ve had better nights.”

Daniela nodded. “Same.”

An awkward pause settled between them—not uncomfortable, but charged.

“I made coffee,” Daniela offered, tilting her chin toward the pot. “If you want.”

Megan hesitated, then nodded, stepping further into the room. She took the mug Daniela handed her, their fingers brushing just slightly. A tiny spark lit up in her stomach. She told herself not to think about it.

They drank in silence. Daniela leaned against the counter, Megan sitting on the edge of the kitchen table. The quiet wasn’t awkward—it was familiar, grounding.

But every second stretched thin with the weight of unspoken things.

Lara came downstairs twenty minutes later, hair a mess, hoodie halfway zipped, yawning like the world owed her three more hours of sleep.

She stopped in her tracks when she saw the two of them.

Megan felt her stomach twist.

“Morning,” Lara said cautiously, eyes flitting between them.

“Morning,” Megan replied, guarded.

Daniela just nodded.

Lara grabbed a banana, muttered something about “avoiding another food-fight breakfast,” and retreated back upstairs.

Megan stared into her coffee.

“She’s being weird,” she mumbled.

Daniela snorted. “When is she not?”

Megan smiled faintly, but it faded as fast as it came.

She set the mug down, fingers tightening around the ceramic. “About last night…”

Daniela looked at her, waiting.

“I didn’t mean to fall apart on you.”

“You didn’t,” Daniela said gently. “You just… felt something. That’s not the same.”

Megan swallowed. “Still. You didn’t have to stay.”

Daniela tilted her head, eyes thoughtful.

“I know,” she said. “But I wanted to.”

Later that morning, the others trickled into the kitchen one by one—Sophia first, groaning about a dream she couldn’t remember. Then Yoonchae, suspiciously alert for someone so young. Manon last, dragging her blanket behind her like a cape.

No one said anything about Megan and Daniela both already being there.

But they noticed.

Yoonchae’s eyes narrowed slightly. Sophia caught Lara’s gaze and raised an eyebrow. Lara shook her head in warning.

Manon just looked at everyone and said, “Okay, why do I feel like something’s going on?”

Megan tensed, but Lara swooped in with a distraction about someone leaving the stove on the night before, and the energy shifted.

Still, Megan could feel Daniela’s presence beside her.

Quiet. Calm. Consistent.

Like nothing had changed.

Except that everything had.

The rest of the day blurred.

Practice was routine—harmonies, choreography, notes to adjust. Megan kept her head down, focusing, but her voice caught once during a solo line. She saw Daniela glance over, subtle concern in her eyes, but she didn’t say anything.

Later, Lara cornered her in the hallway.

“You okay?”

Megan gave a short nod. “I’m fine.”

“You’re lying.”

Megan didn’t answer.

Lara stepped closer, voice softening. “I didn’t say anything. About the journal. I won’t. I swear.”

Megan looked away. “Thanks.”

Lara hesitated, then added, “But if you ever want to talk about it... I’m here. You don’t have to keep everything inside.”

“I do,” Megan whispered. “Because if I don’t, it’s going to break me.”

Lara didn’t push. Just pulled her into a brief hug and let go like nothing had happened.

That night, Megan stood in front of the mirror, brushing her hair out slowly. The house was quieter than usual—everyone worn out from rehearsal, scattered across rooms.

She opened her drawer and pulled out her journal.

It was back where it belonged. Lara must’ve returned it.

Megan opened to a blank page.

She stared at it for a long time before she finally wrote:

“Last night she held me like I wasn’t too much.
I don’t know what to do with that.”

She closed the book, slipped it under her pillow, and climbed into bed.

She didn’t hear Daniela’s voice again that night.

But she felt it—You matter—echoing in her chest, where it refused to leave.

Notes:

the next few chapters will focus more on Dani

Chapter 7

Daniela woke up confused.

The dream slipped from her like water, bits of it clinging stubbornly to her chest. Megan’s voice. A soft laugh. The feel of fingers brushing her hand—gentle, familiar. There had been music, too, faint in the background. Something about it had felt warm. Safe.

And now she was wide awake, staring at the ceiling, heart pounding like she’d just run a mile.

She sat up in bed slowly, rubbing her face. The room was dim, lit only by soft morning light sneaking through the blinds. Manon still slept soundly across from her, a blanket half-kicked off.

It was just a dream.
It didn’t mean anything.
People dream weird things all the time.

But even as she told herself that, Daniela’s hands trembled a little when she reached for her phone.

She scrolled aimlessly through her messages, through photos, through anything to distract her from the weird ache in her chest. A flush still sat on her cheeks, and no matter how many times she told herself to calm down, her heart wouldn’t listen.

She didn’t even remember what Megan had said in the dream. Just the feeling—like something inside her had opened.

And she hated it.

Later that morning, she found herself standing in the kitchen, blankly staring at a loaf of bread. Megan passed behind her, brushing past without a word. Not ignoring her—just moving through the space like she didn’t want to be noticed.

And for some reason, that hurt.

Daniela blinked at the bread again, trying to remember why she was even holding it. Her stomach tightened.

“Are you okay?” Lara’s voice startled her.

“Yeah,” Daniela said quickly. “Just tired.”

Lara didn’t look convinced but didn’t press.

Across the room, Megan stood at the stove with Yoonchae, helping stir something. Her hoodie sleeves were pushed up, hair tied back in a messy bun. She looked tired, but calm. Focused.

Daniela looked away before she could think too hard about it.

Rehearsal was a mess.

Sophia kept forgetting lyrics. Manon tripped twice during the dance set. Megan’s voice cracked during a high note and she immediately apologized, even though no one said anything.

Daniela didn’t usually pay attention to these small things. Not like this. But now it was like her brain was tuned to every little Megan-frequency.

The sound of her voice.
The way she kept her distance, even when she didn’t need to.
The way her eyes dropped every time Daniela looked at her for more than a second.

It was driving her insane.

She tried to shake it off. She focused on, her footwork, her breath.

It didn’t help.

That afternoon, the house finally settled. Most of the girls drifted into their rooms to rest before dinner. Daniela headed to the living room, hoping a little peace would clear her head.

But Manon was already there, lying upside down on the couch with her legs flung over the back and her phone in her hand.

“Hey,” she said without looking up.

“Hey.”

Daniela sat down on the floor, back against the coffee table, and started quietly scrolling on her phone.

Manon glanced up. Smirked.

“You’ve been weird lately.”

Daniela blinked. “What?”

Manon swung upright, grinning now. “You know. All soft eyes and gentle voice around a certain someone.”

Daniela’s heart stuttered. “What are you talking about?”

“Oh, come on.” Manon stretched like a cat. “You act different around Megan. It’s obvious. Even Yoonchae noticed.”

Daniela snorted. “That’s not true.”

“It is true. And you get all jumpy when people mention her.”

“I do not.”

“You do.”

Daniela huffed, setting her phone aside. “She’s my friend. That’s all.”

Manon raised an eyebrow. “I never said it was anything else.”

Daniela opened her mouth, then closed it.

There was a long pause.

Manon tilted her head. “Unless you’re thinking it might be something else?”

“I’m straight,” Daniela blurted, too fast. “I’ve always been.”

Manon held her gaze. “Okay.”

“I mean—I've dated boys. I liked them. I just… I don’t know. Megan’s been going through a lot. I’m just trying to be there for her.”

“Right.” Manon leaned back. “Totally normal to think about someone every second of the day because you’re just a supportive roommate.”

Daniela flushed. “It’s not like that.”

Manon didn’t push further. Just stood up, gave her a soft pat on the head, and left the room humming a love song under her breath.

Daniela sat there for a long time after she was gone.

She thought about high school. Her first boyfriend. How she’d told her friends he made her heart race—because that’s what they expected her to say. How she’d kissed him and felt... nothing. But smiled anyway.

She thought about all the times she’d brushed it off, every time she told herself she just hadn’t found the right guy.

And now Megan.

Megan, who barely spoke lately but said everything with her eyes. Megan, who wrote in that journal every night like it was a lifeline. Megan, who had broken in front of her and still found a way to smile the next morning.

Daniela didn’t know what to do with any of this.

That night, she tried to sleep early.

She couldn’t.

She kept tossing, her chest tight, her thoughts racing. Every time she closed her eyes, her mind conjured pieces of that dream again. Megan’s voice, soft and close. The way she’d reached out.

It wasn’t even romantic.

It was worse.

It was intimate.

It was real.

She sat up abruptly, staring into the dark.

This wasn’t a crush.

This was something she wasn’t ready to name.

She pressed the heel of her hands to her eyes, breathing hard.

I’m not gay.

But the words felt brittle.

Like maybe they were starting to crack.

Chapter 8

Summary:

The girls,have a day off
They go to a pub,Dani flirts with random guys
Megan is jealous.

KATSEYE didn’t get many full days off, and when they did, the six of them made it count.

By late morning, they were already gathered around a café table tucked in the corner of a sunlit terrace. Megan sat between Yoonchae and Lara, head down over her iced coffee, still visibly tired despite the brightness of the day. It was one of those lazy, quiet mornings where nobody felt like talking too loud—except maybe Manon, who was dramatically narrating the menu like it was a Shakespearean tragedy.

“I’m telling you,” she said, flipping the page with flair, “if I have to eat one more dry vegan patty I might combust.”

Sophia rolled her eyes, chewing the straw of her smoothie. “You say that and yet you ordered the same thing last week.”

Lara smiled, eyes flitting across the table. She’d been watching Megan all morning, keeping her distance, not quite sure how to approach it—until now.

“Hey,” she said softly, nudging Megan’s arm, “Can we go grab napkins or something?”

Megan blinked. “Uh… yeah. Sure.”

She followed Lara into the little café interior, where it was quieter. They stood by the napkin stand, neither reaching for anything. It was Lara who broke the silence.

“I’m sorry,” she said, voice low but steady. “For reading your journal.”

Megan didn’t answer right away. Her arms folded tightly across her chest, like she had to physically keep herself from closing off completely.

“I didn’t mean to,” Lara added. “But I did. And I saw enough to know I screwed up.”

Megan exhaled, shaky. “It wasn’t just the reading, Lara. You didn’t even talk to me. You just… treated me like I was made of glass.”

“I was scared I’d make it worse.”

“You did.”

That landed like a slap. Lara winced but nodded. “Okay. I deserved that.”

Megan rubbed her eyes. “I just… I already feel like a freak most days. I didn’t need you looking at me like I was broken.”

“You’re not broken,” Lara said firmly. “You’re one of the strongest people I know. I just got caught in my own guilt. But I miss you, Mei.”

It was quiet for a long beat. Then Megan whispered, “I miss you too.”

The ice melted between them in that moment, subtle but real. When they walked back to the table, Lara cracked a stupid joke and Megan actually laughed, and for the first time in days, something felt normal again.

The pub later that evening was loud and alive with neon signs and sticky floors. Manon had dragged them there on a whim, promising “real beer and fake flirting.” Megan had half-expected everyone to come, but Sophia and Yoonchae(not like Yoonchae could go anyway) had begged off, already in pajamas by sunset.

So it was just the four of them: Manon, Lara, Megan, and Daniela.

Daniela, who had dressed a little sharper than usual—her hair pulled into a sleek ponytail, a silver ring on each finger, black eyeliner just a touch more dramatic than normal.

Megan noticed. Of course she did. She tried not to.

They sat in a booth at the back, drinks in hand, half-yelling over the music.

“This playlist is giving 2015 Tumblr energy,” Lara yelled. “And I’m not mad about it.”

Megan smiled faintly, sipping her drink. It was strong. She didn’t mind.

That’s when she noticed Daniela wasn’t at the table.

She turned—and there she was. Near the bar. Surrounded.

Three guys, maybe four, standing close and laughing at something she said. Daniela tossed her hair over her shoulder, smiling, a drink in her hand she hadn’t bought for herself. One of the guys leaned in, murmured something in her ear.

And she laughed.

Megan felt it like a sting.

It shouldn’t hurt. Daniela was straight. She’d always said so—loudly, casually, offhandedly, like it was obvious. This wasn’t anything new.

But seeing it felt different now. Maybe because Megan had finally let herself hope a little, even if she hadn't meant to. Maybe because the way Daniela had looked at her lately felt different. Or maybe because deep down, she still hadn’t figured out how to stop caring.

She looked away, forcing her attention back to her glass.

Across from her, Lara was watching too, her mouth pulled tight.

“She’s overdoing it,” Manon said quietly.

“What?” Megan asked, pretending not to understand.

Manon didn’t repeat herself.

But Megan knew what she meant.

Daniela wasn’t just flirting. She was performing.

And Megan hated how well she recognized it.

_______

Meanwhile, across the pub, Daniela laughed too loudly at another guy’s joke. Her heart wasn’t in it, but she smiled anyway. She kept glancing back at the booth, checking if anyone was watching.

They were.

She didn’t know what she was doing, exactly. The flirting came easy—she’d been doing it forever. Compliments, eye contact, that flirty shoulder touch she’d perfected in high school. Boys liked her. It was simple.

And yet it felt hollow tonight.

The guy closest to her leaned in again, clearly hoping to move things somewhere more private. Daniela smiled politely, but her eyes drifted back to the booth.

Megan wasn’t looking.

Lara was. Manon too.

Suddenly she felt transparent, like they all knew. Like they could see through her performance to the confusion underneath.

You’re straight, she reminded herself.
You’ve always been.

But the words didn’t stick as well as they used to.

_________

Back at the booth, Megan excused herself to the bathroom.

She needed a moment.

Inside the dim, graffiti-covered stall, she pressed her hands to her cheeks, trying to will the heat away. She wasn’t jealous. She had no right to be. Daniela had never promised her anything. Never even hinted.

Still, the image of Daniela smiling up at that guy clung to her vision like smoke.

Stop it, she told herself. You’re being ridiculous.

But the ache didn’t listen.

By the time she returned, Daniela was back at the table, cheeks flushed and drink half-gone.

Manon raised an eyebrow. “Make some new friends?”

Daniela laughed. “Something like that.”

Megan sat down quietly.

The tension hung invisible but heavy.

Later, when they stepped outside into the cool night, Daniela shivered slightly and pulled her jacket tighter.

Megan walked a little ahead with Lara, silent, lost in thought.

Behind them, Manon bumped shoulders with Daniela. “So,” she said casually, “did the flirting help?”

Daniela blinked. “What do you mean?”

“You seemed… tense. Before.”

Daniela laughed, but it came out shaky. “I just needed a distraction.”

“From?”

She didn’t answer.

But when she looked toward Megan, who was walking just a few feet ahead—shoulders hunched, eyes fixed on the sidewalk—it was enough of one.

Notes:

What did u think of it ?

Chapter 9

Summary:

Marz starts a plan to get Megan and Dani to talk.

Lara hadn’t meant to end up alone with Manon.

It wasn’t suspicious at first — just the two of them sitting outside in the late afternoon sun, nursing cans of peach soda and letting the hum of summer settle in. The others were inside, half-laughing, half-yelling over something Yoonchae had done in a group game, and for once, Lara didn’t feel like playing. She needed air. Silence. Less pressure.

And somehow, that led to this.

“You’re gonna have to talk eventually,” Manon said, biting into a chip. “Or I’ll start guessing. And you know how unfiltered I get.”

Lara gave her a side glance. “Don’t you always guess wrong on purpose just to get a reaction?”

Manon shrugged, playful. “It’s more fun when people squirm. Especially you.”

She turned her body toward Lara, legs crossed and posture open — that relaxed kind of confrontation that was her specialty.

“But seriously,” Manon said. “Something’s up with Megan and Daniela, and you’re acting like you know more than you should.”

Lara didn’t answer right away. The can in her hand felt colder suddenly, heavier. She thought about the journal. About the way she’d cracked it open just a little. Enough to see one of her best friend spelled out in bold, exposed ink. Enough to regret it ever since.

“I promised I wouldn’t tell anyone,” Lara said quietly.

Manon didn’t blink. “Let me guess. Megan’s got it bad.”

The silence that followed said everything.

“Oh my God,” Manon gasped, mouth half-open. “It’s true.”

Lara groaned, putting her head in her hands. “You didn’t hear it from me.”

“I didn’t hear anything,” Manon said, giddy now. “I intuited it with my incredible gaydar.”

Lara cracked a reluctant smile.

“I’m serious though,” Manon went on. “That girl is spiraling. And Daniela’s walking around all flirty with any guy who breathes too close. If I didn’t know better, I’d think she was trying to win a gold medal in Denial Olympics.”

Lara looked at her sharply. “You… think she’s not straight?”

“I think she’s not aware she’s not straight,like she's living in comphet hell,” Manon said, matter-of-fact. “And I think Megan’s crush scares the shit out of her.”

That hit a little too hard.

Lara looked down at the condensation sliding down her can. “It’s not like Megan was planning on doing anything. She knows Daniela's… well, she thinks Daniela’s straight. She’s been trying to suppress it for months.”

Manon leaned back, expression softening. “Poor Meg. No wonder she’s been so distant lately.”

“She’s not mad at me, I think,” Lara added, voice lower. “Just… hurt. She’s still hurting. And now she’s avoiding both of us, even if she doesn’t realize she’s doing it.”

“I knew something was up,” Manon said. “I mean, the way she looked when Daniela was flirting at the pub the other night… you don’t look like that unless you care too much.”

Lara hesitated. “I wasn’t supposed to read the journal. I just saw her name… I didn’t mean to break her trust.”

“You were curious,” Manon said, more gently. “And now you know. And now we help her. And maybe—just maybe—we help Daniela help herself too.”

Lara raised an eyebrow. “You’re thinking of matchmaking?”

“I’m thinking of intervening,” Manon grinned.

“Subtly.”

“Subtly,” Manon echoed, in a tone that made Lara deeply suspicious.

 

Manon was nothing if not an instigator — but she preferred the term catalyst. There was a difference.

She wasn’t going to push Megan and Daniela together like some deranged romcom side character. But she was going to adjust the stage lighting. Maybe move a prop or two. Nudge them closer with things like chore pairings and movie night seatings. All the gentle architecture of fate.

The hard part was timing.

She watched the way Megan carried herself the next morning — shoulders tight, eyes distant. She was talking more now, but her smile wasn’t real. Not the one Manon remembered from when they first debuted, all easy jokes and midnight fridge raids. Now it was strained. Controlled.

And Daniela?

Well, she was trying too hard in the opposite way.

At breakfast, she practically leaned into a dumb pun from Sophia just so she could touch Megan’s arm. Then she pulled back too fast, pretending it hadn’t happened. She laughed a little too hard when Yoonchae spilled cereal on herself. Her energy was off — and not in the “she’s a little tired” kind of way.

In the “she’s chasing noise to drown her own brain” kind of way.

Manon gave Lara a look across the table. Lara nodded, barely.

Time to begin.

 

Their first mission was small: pair Megan and Daniela up for the living room cleaning rotation.

No one questioned it. Yoonchae was too busy trying to out-sass Sophia in some obscure debate about music theory, and the rest just shrugged at the plan like it was normal.

Except Megan, who hesitated.

Her eyes flicked toward Daniela and then to Lara — just for a second.

But she didn’t say no.

Lara saw it in that moment — the heartbreak sitting just beneath her friend’s skin. Megan didn’t want to be in pain. She didn’t want to keep avoiding things. She was just scared. Still raw.

Daniela… was harder to read. She’d smiled, nodded, said “cool” like it was nothing.

But her hand had been clenched on the edge of the table the whole time.

 

Later that afternoon, Manon caught Daniela in the hallway. She was wearing her usual lazy hoodie and athletic shorts combo, hair tied in a low bun — casual, comfortable, safe.

Manon leaned against the wall, casual as ever.

“So,” she said. “Flirted with any emotionally unavailable men today?”

Daniela rolled her eyes. “Funny.”

Manon grinned. “I mean, statistically, your batting average is impressive.”

“You’re annoying.”

“I’m observant.”

Daniela paused. “What do you think you’re observing?”

Manon tilted her head. “You tell me. Unless you’d rather keep pretending you don’t notice the way Megan looks at you. Or the way you look at her when she’s not watching.”

Silence.

A flash of panic crossed Daniela’s face — brief, but telling.

“I don’t—” she started, but Manon raised a hand.

“It’s okay,” she said, gentler now. “You don’t have to know everything yet. You don’t even have to say anything. But maybe… stop running so hard in the opposite direction.”

Daniela stared at her, unmoving. Something fragile flickered behind her eyes — not quite recognition, not quite fear. A mix.

Manon pushed off the wall and smiled.

“Just something to think about.”

And then she walked away.

 

That night, Lara found Megan curled up in the corner of the couch, knees to her chest, watching the group movie night but not really watching it.

Daniela wasn’t in the room.

It felt like the calm before a storm.

She sat next to Megan, not too close. Gave her space.

“You okay?” she asked.

Megan didn’t answer right away.

Then: “I will be.”

Lara swallowed, her heart aching.

“Hey,” she said softly. “Whatever happens, I’m on your side. Always.”

Megan didn’t speak, but her fingers found Lara’s under the blanket.

A small, quiet anchor.

Chapter 10

The house still smelled faintly like yesterday’s curry and whatever candle Manon had decided to light before leaving for the café with Lara.

Megan stood at the edge of the living room, sleeves rolled to her elbows, sponge in one hand and a trash bag in the other.

She could feel the storm behind her eyes before the sky even had a chance to turn.

Daniela was already there, fluffing the throw pillows on the couch like it was a contest.

Her eyes flicked to Megan and then quickly away, back to the pillow, back to her own hands.

Megan’s stomach twisted.

Neither of them said anything.

“Um,” Megan finally muttered, voice low. “I’ll start with the table.”

Daniela nodded without looking at her.

The silence stretched long and sharp between them as Megan began clearing the half-finished coffee cups, empty snack wrappers, and the remnants of someone’s attempt at nail art from the coffee table.

Her hands moved on autopilot, but her brain was anything but quiet.

She had been avoiding this moment all day. She’d volunteered to vacuum the hallway. She’d retreated to the balcony with Lara until the others dragged her inside.

She even offered to fold laundry—Sophia’s laundry. That’s how desperate she’d been.

But now it was just them.

Megan glanced at Daniela again. She was wiping down the TV stand now, shoulders stiff like she was trying too hard not to look bothered.

Her hair was pulled back messily, and Megan hated how beautiful she still looked when she was clearly stressed.

It hurt.

It hurt because Megan knew — knew — that she had made things weird, and even if it wasn’t on purpose, even if her heart had tried so hard to be quiet, it had spoken too loudly.

And now Daniela was uncomfortable. Awkward. Distant.

It was the exact thing Megan had feared would happen, and it had come true anyway.

She dumped the trash into the bag too forcefully, cringing as the sharp crack of a broken mug echoed too loudly.

Daniela flinched.

“Shit. Sorry,” Megan whispered.

“It’s fine,” Daniela said, still not meeting her eyes.

The distance between them wasn’t physical.

They were standing barely six feet apart. But it felt like a chasm.

Megan swallowed the ache in her throat and forced her hands to stay busy, her focus on a stubborn stain on the coffee table even though it had already been scrubbed clean.

She remembered the night before, how she’d broken down in her room when everything had finally caught up with her — the fear, the longing, the impossible truth.

And then Daniela had come in, soft and quiet, and Megan had felt something shift.

It wasn’t a confession, but it was close. It was comfort. Closeness.

Then what happened? Megan thought bitterly. Where did that girl go?

Because this version of Daniela — the careful, avoidant, guarded one — was killing her slowly.

“Hey, uh…” Daniela finally spoke, voice tight. “Did you want me to vacuum or…?”

“No, I can do it,” Megan answered too quickly.

Their eyes met for a second, and Megan thought maybe she saw something in Daniela’s expression — regret? Uncertainty? — but it disappeared too fast to catch.

They worked in silence again.

Occasionally, their hands reached for the same object — a crumpled sock under the couch, a charger left hanging from the wall — and both would retreat like they’d touched fire.

Megan forced a smile once.

Daniela didn’t return.

Megan’s lungs ached.

The walls of the house felt like they were closing in.

When the room was finally clean enough to pass Manon’s standards, Daniela straightened up and looked around. “Looks good.”

“Yeah,” Megan mumbled.

Daniela lingered by the couch, hands fidgeting with the hem of her shirt. “Okay, I’m… I’m gonna go shower.”

Megan nodded, not trusting herself to speak.

The moment the bathroom door clicked shut, Megan exhaled so shakily she nearly dropped the vacuum handle. She stood there in the middle of the spotless room, surrounded by absence, and felt the tears prick at the edges of her vision.

She went straight to her bedroom, ignoring the tight knot building in her chest. Lara wasn’t there — thank god — so she didn’t have to pretend.

She closed the door softly behind her and let her knees give out as she sat on the edge of the bed.

For a moment, she just breathed. In. Out. Shallow. Fragile.

Then she reached under her pillow and pulled out the journal.

It was getting fuller each week, pages dog-eared and ink bleeding through in some places.

She opened to the newest blank page and stared at it.

The pen hovered above it for too long.

There was so much to say, too much, but the words were tangled in her throat.

Dear me,
She paused.
I think I messed up.
Her handwriting was shakier than usual.

I didn’t mean to. I didn’t even do anything, not really. But everything is different now. And I think she knows.

Her hand trembled as she wrote the next line.

She’s acting like she’s scared of me. Like I’m something she wants to avoid.

The words blurred for a second. Megan blinked back the tears but one slid down her cheek anyway, hitting the page in a smudge of water.

I wish I could go back. Not even to fix anything. Just to feel normal again.

She wiped at her face with the sleeve of her hoodie, taking a shaky breath.

Her chest felt too tight. Her heartbeat too loud.

I miss when things were easy. I miss her laugh when we watched dumb reality TV. I miss hearing her hum in the kitchen. I miss her being near me without it feeling like a countdown.

She swallowed the lump in her throat and continued.

I don’t think I’ll ever say it out loud. Not unless I want to lose her for good. And maybe I already have.

There was a knock at the door.

Megan froze, her hand still gripping the pen. She quickly wiped at her face again, panicked. “Yeah?”

No one answered.

Her brows furrowed, and she stood to open the door — slowly, carefully.

No one in the hallway.
Except—there it was.

A small folded note on the floor, no name, just her own handwriting on the back: "You’re not a burden."

She stared at it, confused, then remembered: it was a page she had ripped from the journal weeks ago after a particularly bad night and shoved into her pocket.

She must’ve dropped it.

She picked it up.

Her fingers were trembling again.

There was something about the way the air felt outside her room, like someone had just walked away.

Like the hallway still carried Daniela’s scent — a subtle trace of her shampoo, the warmth of her presence lingering.

Megan closed the door slowly.
She crawled back into bed, placed the note inside the journal like a bookmark, and tucked both under her pillow.

And for the first time since the breakdown, she let the silence hold her instead of crush her.

Even if Daniela never said a word, even if Megan never found the courage — there was still this.

A quiet truth. Something unspoken. Something that lived in glances and half-finished conversations and rooms too quiet after the other walked away.

She didn’t know what would happen next.

But tonight, Megan wrote until the tears dried and the pages stopped trembling.

Notes:

I don't know if i like this chapter that much but i am writing the next and its my fave

Chapter 11

Summary:

Manon's got a new plan,Lara think she is crazy and Dani is spirraling.

If there was one thing Manon had learned from living in a house with five other girls, it was that silence never meant peace.

It meant tension. It meant avoidance. And most importantly, it meant she had work to do.

“I’m just saying,” she announced to Lara as they lounged in their shared room the next morning, “our brilliant little matchmaking plot was an epic failure.”

Lara didn’t look up from her phone.
“It was your brilliant little matchmaking plot.”

Manon rolled her eyes.
“You helped. That makes you complicit. You’re accessory to emotional sabotage.”

She paused, watching the way Lara’s thumbs slowed.

The girl was obviously still worried.

Megan had barely spoken to her since the journal incident, and while they had made some progress, the distance still lingered in Megan’s stiff shoulders and in the way she avoided sitting beside Daniela during dinner.

“Okay,” Manon sat up straighter, a spark in her eyes. “New plan.”

“No,” Lara said immediately, putting her phone down. “No new plans. The last one almost killed the vibe and the living room lamp.”

“First of all, the lamp had it coming,” Manon grinned.

“Second, this one isn’t about Megan. It’s about Daniela."

Lara gave her a long look. “What about her?”

Manon smirked. “She’s not straight."

Lara rolled her eyes “We're not even sure about that”

“She’s not,” Manon said confidently, legs crossed like she was leading a TED Talk. “She’s just in denial. And you and I both know she won’t let herself see it.

So…” She paused for dramatic effect. “I’m going to help her. With science.”

“Manon, what the hell are you talking about?”

“Not science like test tubes. Like algorithm science.” She leaned closer. “We’re going to hack her brain.”

“…Please stop talking.”

But Manon had already stood up and started pacing.
“You know how everyone says your phone listens to you? That the algorithm targets you based on what you say around it?”

Lara narrowed her eyes.
“…Yes?”

“Well, I’m going to make sure Daniela’s phone hears all the right things.”

The opportunity came that afternoon, and Manon did not hesitate.

The moment Daniela disappeared into the bathroom for a shower, Manon pounced like a cat stalking a prey.

Lara watched from the couch, horrified and fascinated.

“She left her phone on the armrest,” Manon whispered like she was in a spy thriller. “Unlocked.”

“She always leaves it unlocked. She thinks face recognition is a government scam.”

Manon snatched it and ducked behind the kitchen counter like she was avoiding sniper fire.

Lara dragged a hand over her face. “This is a terrible idea.”
Manon cleared her throat.

“Am I gay quiz. Lesbian crush signs. How to know if you’re queer. Compulsory heterosexuality explained. Help, I think I like my best friend. Gay panic TikTok. What is comphet. Soft girls smiling. Realizing you're not straight montage. Emotional gay awakening music playlist.”

She paused to breathe, then glanced up.

Lara looked like she was witnessing a crime scene.

“Did you really just say ‘emotional gay awakening music playlist’?”

“I’m covering all my bases."

She continued, whispering more absurd phrases into the mic with increasing speed:

“Am I just jealous or do I like her. Queer longing. Friends to lovers but make it sapphic. Intense eye contact with a girl. Gay quizzes Buzzfeed. Unspoken tension gay edition. Slow burn lesbian tension.”

 

Footsteps were heard.

Manon shrieked and tossed the phone back onto the couch just as Daniela arrived, hair wrapped in a towel and humming softly.

“Why are you two so quiet?”

Daniela asked, walking past them without suspicion.

Lara blinked at Manon. Manon beamed.

“Just manifesting gay thoughts,” she whispered.

Later that evening, Daniela flopped onto her bed, freshly showered and scrolling through her phone like usual.

Except… it wasn’t usual.

The first video on her feed was titled: “You’re not as straight as you think: let’s unpack that.”

She frowned. Scrolled again.

“Signs you’re experiencing compulsive heterosexuality.”
Scroll.

“Gay girl realizes she’s been in love with her best friend for three years — the TikTok storytime.”

Her thumb froze mid-swipe.
“…What the hell?.

She stared at the screen for a few seconds too long.
Then locked her phone, tossed it aside, and buried her face in her pillow.

Manon was having the time of her life.

“She looked like she saw the ghost of gay past,” she whispered to Lara the next morning as they watched Daniela move around the kitchen, pointedly avoiding her phone like it was possessed.

“She’s freaked out,” Lara said, biting her lip. “This might backfire.”

Manon smirked. “Or…it might open her mind. A crack. A little lesbian crack in the walls of denial.”

Lara groaned. “Stop saying lesbian crack. Please.”

Over the next two days, the algorithm worked overtime.

Daniela, to her mounting horror, couldn’t escape it.

Even when she opened Pinterest, it showed soft couples holding hands in the rain.

YouTube offered her queer love stories.

Spotify recommended “Heartstopper soundtrack.”

She tried to ignore it.

She tried to scroll past, to brush off the way her stomach turned when she saw a thumbnail of two girls hugging too tightly.

But the videos kept appearing.

Worse—she started watching them.

Not for long. Just a few seconds. A minute, maybe. But long enough for something to settle in her chest.
Something confusing and heavy.

The final straw came one night,

She couldn’t take it anymore. It was getting ridiculous. TikTok kept serving her “gay awakening” videos every time she scrolled.

YouTube had started recommending Heartstopper essays.

Pinterest had turned against her, full of quotes like “You don’t hate her, you want her” or “You’re not confused, you’re in denial.”

She stared at her phone like it had personally betrayed her.

Sighing, she opened Safari and typed, “Am I gay quiz.”

Her heart stuttered as the results loaded.

The first link was from a sketchy-looking site called “The Ultimate Lesbian Quiz – Find Out Now!” with a glaring pink background and rainbow borders.

She stared at it for a solid minute. Then she clicked.

Question 1: “Have you ever had a crush on a girl?”

 

Daniela blinked. What even counts as a real crush?
She hovered between “Yes” and “Maybe” for too long, then tapped “Maybe.”

Question 2: “Do you ever imagine kissing girls?”

 

Her breath hitched. I dreamt about Megan. That counts, doesn’t it?

“Sometimes,” she selected, reluctantly.

Question 3: “Do you care more about what girls think of you than boys?”

 

Yes, her brain whispered before she could shut it up. She tapped it.

Question 4: “Have you ever convinced yourself you liked a boy just because you were supposed to?”

 

That one punched her in the gut.
She didn’t answer right away.

Question 5: “Do you think you might just be scared to admit the truth to yourself?”

 

She froze. Jaw clenched. Her thumb hovered over the screen.

This is stupid. It’s just a dumb quiz. It doesn’t mean anything.
And yet.

Her thumb moved. Yes.

The results loaded slowly, dragging out the moment like a suspense scene in a horror film.

She could practically hear dramatic music in the back of her head.

“You might not be 100% straight... and that’s okay 💖🌈”

Daniela stared at the screen, heart pounding. Something twisted in her chest — fear, confusion, something more fragile than both.

Her thumb trembled as she locked the phone and tossed it face-down onto the bed.

She didn’t move for a long moment.

Then she lay down, pulled the blanket over her head, and shut her eyes tight.

 

That night, she dreamed of Megan.

It wasn’t strange at first. They were walking down a street, the sun golden and warm, and Megan was laughing at something Daniela said.

Her hair was wind-tousled, and her smile too wide.

Then they were at the beach.

Then Megan’s hand was in hers.

Then—Megan leaned in. Close enough that Daniela could feel the breath between them, warm and achingly gentle.

She woke up gasping.

The next morning, Manon found Daniela sitting alone at the kitchen table, staring into a bowl of cereal like it had just proposed marriage.

“Hey, sleepy gay,” Manon greeted brightly.

Daniela blinked. “What?”

“Nothing,” Manon sang, taking a seat and stealing her spoon.

“You look pale. Nightmares?”

Daniela didn’t answer.
She just grabbed her phone, glanced at it like it had betrayed her, and stood up to leave.

Manon smirked.

Lara slid into the seat next to her. “That look on your face is terrifying.”

“Something is shifting,” Manon whispered dramatically.

“The Dream Gay Awakening arc has begun.”

“You’re evil,” Lara muttered.

“I’m helpful,” Manon corrected.
“There’s a difference.”

That evening, Daniela finally snapped.

She cornered Manon in the hallway.

“Did you touch my phone?"

Manon blinked, completely innocent. “Touch your phone? Babe, I don’t even touch my own phone. Germs.”

“Why is my entire feed suddenly about being gay?” Daniela hissed.

Manon shrugged. “The algorithm works in mysterious ways.”

Daniela narrowed her eyes.

“I didn’t do anything,” Manon said, smiling sweetly.

“But maybe… the universe is trying to tell you something.

Daniela stood still for a long beat. Then stormed off.

As soon as she was gone, Lara peeked out from behind the corner.

“That was risky.”

Manon grinned. “She’s spiraling. It’s working.”

Notes:

So i loved writing this chapter do you like it?

Chapter 12

Summary:

Daniela goes on a date.
She finally figures thing out.

Daniela stared at her reflection in the mirror, tilting her head. Lip gloss, just enough blush to look effortlessly flushed, hair half-up like she'd seen in that Pinterest post about “first date looks.”

“You look hot,” she whispered to herself. “Totally into boys. So straight. Peak heterosexuality.”

She almost believed it. Almost.

Truth was, she hadn’t even liked the guy that much.

Ben—someone she vaguely remembered from a mutual friend's party—had slid into her DMs last week, and while she’d usually ignore a message that started with “you up?” at 4PM, something about the mess inside her head had made her say yes when he asked her out.

Not because she wanted to. But because she needed to prove something.

To herself. To the universe. Mostly, to the pink quiz results still haunting her browser history.

Her phone buzzed.

Ben: here 🚗

Daniela took one last breath, grabbed her purse, and headed out.

The date started off… fine.

Ben took her to a trendy café with live music and overpriced drinks, the kind that had neon signs saying things like “You glow, girl!” and “Espresso Yourself.” He talked a lot—mostly about gym routines, crypto investments, and a podcast called Alpha Male Mastery that made her want to crawl into a hole.

She laughed when she was supposed to. Smiled when he complimented her dress. Pretended to be impressed when he showed her his follower count on Instagram.

But every time he leaned in too close, or let his hand graze her thigh under the table, her body stiffened like she’d been dunked in ice water.

At one point, he leaned forward and murmured, “You have such soft eyes. They’re kinda… hypnotizing.”

Daniela blinked.

All she could think was Megan has soft eyes.

And that was when it all started to crumble.

“Are you cold?” Ben asked, noticing her shoulders tense.

“I’m fine,” Daniela replied too quickly, sipping her drink to avoid answering.

She hated this. The way her skin itched under his gaze. The way her smile felt fake, plastic. The way every flirty comment made her think of someone else.

Someone with pink highlights, oversized hoodies, and a soft voice that only grew softer when she whispered Daniela’s name.

She shoved the thought away.

“You’re really pretty,” Ben said again, like he thought repetition would help.

She nodded. “Thanks.”

“You’re kinda quiet though.”

“I’m just—processing.”

“Processing what?”

My entire sexuality, maybe. You wouldn’t understand.

“Life,” she said instead.

Ben reached out and placed a hand on hers. It felt… wrong. Too warm. Too heavy.

Like a glove that didn’t fit.

“You know,” he said, voice dropping into what he probably thought was sexy, “we could get out of here.”

Her throat tightened.

“Actually, I think I’m gonna call it a night,” she said, standing up too quickly. Her chair scraped loudly.

Ben blinked, clearly caught off guard. “Wait—what? You okay?”

“I’m fine. Just—tired. Really tired.”

She was already halfway to the door before he could say anything else.

Daniela stood outside the café, heart pounding, staring at her reflection in the glass window.

She felt like she was splitting in two.

One version of her was still clinging desperately to the image she’d curated for so long: the flirty, confident, boy-crazy girl. The other—the version she was now terrified to name—was crumbling that image from the inside.

The wind picked up, and she hugged her jacket closer.

Her phone buzzed again.

Megan: hey just checking in. u okay?

Daniela’s fingers hovered over the screen.

She wanted to respond. She wanted to say No. I’m not okay. I went on a date to prove I don’t like you and it made me realize I only ever want to talk to you.

But instead she typed:
yeah. home soon. all good.

She didn’t send it.

Instead, she opened her camera by mistake and caught her own face.

She didn’t look straight. Whatever that was supposed to mean.

She looked like a girl trying too hard not to cry.

When she got back to the house, the living room was dimly lit and half-empty. Sophia and Yoonchae were watching a movie, wrapped in blankets. Megan wasn’t there.

Daniela exhaled.

Good.

Except—it wasn’t. Because now she wanted Megan to be there, to ask her how the date went, to care enough to hate the answer.

She climbed the stairs to her room, flopped onto her bed fully dressed, and screamed silently into her pillow.Then looked to Manon's bed but the girl wasn't here thankfullly.

What the hell was wrong with her?

Was it because she was just lonely? Was she confusing admiration for attraction?

She didn’t want to feel like this. She didn’t want to keep catching herself watching Megan when she laughed, or feeling this tight pull in her chest every time their hands brushed by accident.

She didn’t want her dreams to be filled with Megan’s smile. Megan’s voice. Megan’s lips—

Nope. She bolted upright.

“Absolutely not.”

She needed to reset. She needed a distraction. Music, maybe.

She grabbed her phone.

TikTok greeted her with a lesbian couples dancing challenge.

“You have got to be kidding me.”

She scrolled. Another video: “Why that one girl from your friend group makes you nervous 😳 (it’s because you’re gay).”

She screamed internally and closed the app.

The next morning was worse.

She woke up late, hungover on shame and self-doubt. When she came downstairs, everyone was gathered in the kitchen. Megan was laughing at something Manon had said, standing by the toaster with bedhead and sleepy eyes.

She looked up as Daniela entered.

“Hey,” she said softly.

Daniela’s heart flipped.

“Hey,” she croaked, grabbing a mug to distract herself.

Lara offered her a quiet smile.

Manon was suspiciously silent. Too silent.

Then she leaned toward Daniela with a smirk. “Sooo… how was the date?”

Daniela flinched. “Fine.”

“Did he sweep you off your feet?”

“Totally. I’m actually marrying him next week.”

“Hot,” Manon said. “Love that for you.”

Megan glanced between them, and then—just for a second—her smile faltered.

Daniela saw it.

Felt it.

Felt too much.

Later that day, when she was alone in the bathroom, she stared at her reflection again.

Same girl.

But now her eyes looked different. Softer. Like they were finally asking the questions she’d been running from.

Do you even like boys? Or do you just like being liked?

Do you miss Megan… or do you miss the version of yourself that didn’t feel this scared?

She splashed water on her face and tried to breathe.

That night, Daniela had retreated to her room early, claiming a headache. She’d climbed the stairs ahead of the others, quiet and distant, and curled up on her bed with a pillow clutched to her chest. The soft amber light from their bedside lamp barely reached the far corners of the room.

A few minutes later, Manon entered. She placed her phone on her nightstand and gave Daniela a side glance.

“Should I use headphones?” she asked gently.

Daniela shook her head. “You can stay.”

Silence hung between them like fog.

Then, Daniela spoke—barely a whisper. “Manon…”

Manon looked over. “Yeah?”

“I’m not okay.”

She didn’t elaborate. She didn’t have to—not yet. Manon slowly sat on the edge of Daniela’s bed, waiting.

Daniela took a shaky breath. “I think I messed up. With that guy. I went out with him to prove something. That I was… normal. That I could still be like before.”

Her voice cracked at the end. Manon’s gaze stayed soft.

“But it felt wrong the whole time,” Daniela continued, her eyes burning. “And when he touched me, all I could think about was Megan.”

The words left her like broken glass—sharp and hard to admit.

“And the worst part?” she added. “I can’t stop thinking about her. Not just what she does. How she laughs. The way she says my name. How I feel when she looks at me. I’ve never felt that way with a guy. Not once.”

She dropped her gaze, like she was ashamed of it.

“I think something’s wrong with me.”

Manon didn’t speak right away. She just scooted closer and wrapped an arm around Daniela’s shoulders, gently pulling her in.

“There’s nothing wrong with you,” she said quietly. “You’ve just got a heart. That’s all.”

Daniela exhaled a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding, her whole body tight with emotion.

“Wanna know what I think?” Manon added.

Daniela nodded.

“I think it’s brave as hell that you said all this out loud. Even just to me. I think you’re figuring yourself out, and yeah—it’s messy. But you’re allowed to love whoever you want. And especially? You’re allowed to love Megan.”

Daniela’s eyes closed. The words settled into her chest like something warm and aching at once.

Manon gave her a soft squeeze.

“Wanna hear a secret?”

Daniela blinked up at her.

“I figured it out last week,” Manon said with a small smile. “But I was waiting for you to be ready.”

Daniela let out a short, broken laugh—half relief, half exhaustion.

“I’m tired of fighting it,” she whispered.

“Then stop fighting,” Manon said. “Just start being.”

And that night, for the first time in weeks. She didn’t overthink or hide behind a mask. She just let herself feel—held gently in the quiet, without fear.

Chapter 13

Notes:

ITS FINALLY HERE.

Im so sorry for the long wait,my big sister got sick,my brain only focused on this,had to make sure she was okay(and she is thankfully),and i had a hard time writing but its here,i hope youre gonna like it.

The day after Dani talked to Manon, she woke up feeling lighter.

Of course, she didn't have everything figured out, but there was one thing she knew for sure: no more hiding, and no more lying to herself.

Also she had to talk to Megan and she tried -all morning..but the girl seemed to avoid her,every time she'd enter the same room as her, Megan would stop whatever she was doing and just..walk out..at first she though it was a coincidence, but then she entered the kitchen where Megan who was cutting something turn her head at the sound, and when she met Daniela's gaze she immediatly dropped the knife almost cutting her finger in the process and left the room, muttering something about important phone calls?

Daniela didn't really understand what she could have done wrong,i mean yes she did avoid her at some point too,but she didn't though it was that bad.

Daniela didn't know what to do,so she went to ask Manon for help,she found her on the couch talking with Lara 'Perfect!' she though.

She walk slowly stoping in front of the couch,the two girls look up,Lara arched a brow and Manon smiled at her.

"What's up?"

"Megan's avoiding me."She says as she sits on the floor in front of the couch.

Lara frowned"Isn't she always avoiding  you lately ?"

Daniela nodded "Well- yes... but not like this,she pratically ran out of any room every time i came in.."she paused,and sighed "i don't know what to do..."

Manon sat up straighter on the couch "It's alright we'll help you! Right Lara ?" she said as she elbowed Lara.

"Huh? Oh no i am not doing this again,i don't want to meddle in Megan's buisness anymore,she only started to be normal with me again."

"Oh come on Lara! We both know that it will be better for the whole group if they talked."

Lara crossed her arms,looking at Manon's mischievous smile and then at Dani who kept her head low,and Lara didn't want to cave she really didn't --but then Dani looked up with those pleading eyes-- and Lara raised both her hands in defeat "Okay,you got me but it's the last time,okay ?"

Dani nodded and Manon clapped her hands"I knew that would work,so what do we do ?"

So the girls started to list some ideas before Yoonchae came in the living room eyeing the three girl's suspiciously as they all stopped talking,before speaking "Sophia told me to tell you that tonight was movie night,and we watch whatever you guys want." the girls all nodded as Yoonchae left the living room.

"OH i know!"Manon says loudly"what if we lock them in one of the room and pretend we lost the key for, like, 30 minutes ?"

Both of the girls shook their head.

"That's basically kidnapping !" Exclaimed Dani.

"I beg you not to do this."said Lara.

Manon rolled her eyes and then Lara's eyes widened "I have an idea!" both of the girls looked at her expectandly "right"she continued"since it's movie night and we have two couches you, Daniela,will take the two persons couch while all of us will take the other so Megan would have no choice but to sit next to you and you could finally talk to her,it's simple and easy."

Daniala nodded in agreement while Manon protested "I liked my idea better."

"You're not gonna lock us in a room to force her to talk to me! It won't work,she'll get mad at all of us,Lara's idea is perfect,it's simple."

'Let's just hope she'll want to talk.'she thought while hightfiving Manon and Lara.

___________

The day had passed calmly,the girls were setting up for movie night.

Yoonchae was in the kitchen,by the microwave,waiting for the popcorn to be ready.

Sophia, ever the caring one, was putting out some blankets, she knew that some of the girls were gonna fall asleep,it was always like this.

Dani and Manon were fighting over something stupid and Lara was watching them,laughing.

As for Megan,well,she was up in her room she said she had an headache,and the girls told her to go lay down for a bit, that's what she did.

Yoonchae came in the living room putting down the popcorns bowl's on the coffee table.

Sophia spoke up "Dani,could you go get Mei ?"

Daniela immediatly stopped talking."Uh, can't Lara go ?" she said looking at Lara who shook her head no.

"Ugh fine.." Dani got up,climbing the stairs very slowly,she stopped in front of Megan's room,knocking hesitantly on the door.

A few seconds passed before Megan's groggy voice was heard "who is it ?"

"It's Dani,are you commig down to watch the movie ?"

No answers,Dani waited a few minutes and was about to speak again,when the door open to a tired looking Megan,eyes half open.

"Shit,were you sleeping ?" Daniela asked,mentally cursing herself  for waking up the girl.

"Yeah..it's okay tho..i wanted to watch the movie." She said as she walks down the stairs followed close by Dani.

Once they reached the living room the other four girls were already sitting on the couch,living only the smaller one.

Megan's eyes widened at the realization looking at Lara who smiles softly at her.

"Come onnn,sit! I wanna watch the movie!" Yoonchae says impatiently.

Megan sat down stiffly, her shoulder just barely brushing Daniela's. She didn't move closer -- but she didn't pull away either.

The girls had decided to watch a movie called "Lost and Delirious" it's Manon who suggessed it and the girls all agreed.

__________

It was about 30 minutes into the movie when Daniela started talking to Megan,whispering.
"Megan,can we talk? I know its not the best time,but you've been avoiding me all day..."

Megan turned her head to look at her."huh..i- i wasn't avoiding you-" she stammered.

Dani frowned."Don't lie to me,you almost cut yourself this morning to not be in the same room as me,and i know damn well that you don't do phone calls."

Megan looked away muttering a barely audible "I'm sorry.."

"Did i do somethin wrong ? Are you mad at me ?"

Megan slowly shakes her head no,she couldnt talk,didn't want the girls to hear her.

But she felt awful.

She wanted the couch to swallow her.

"So why are you acting like you're scared of me ?" asked Daniela voice trembling.

Megan didn't answer and looked away with glossy eyes.

Dani took a deep breath,sank back into the couch. She focused her attention back on the movie, feeling like she just hit a wall.

_____________

The movie had just ended,Yoonchae was fast asleep,Sophia was putting a blanket over her,deciding on not waking her up.

Lara was cursing at Manon for making them watch such a sad movie.

Megan was crying her eyes out like litteral sobs,and Daniela was watching,not sure of what to do.

Sophia who was watching the scene,made a hug gesture to Dani,who took the hint and slowly wrapped her arms around the sobbing girl,who immediatly nesstled her head in the crook of Dani's neck.

Daniela didn't say anything,she just rubbed Megan's back in a comforting gesture,she had a feeling that the crying was not only because of the movie,because,yes,the movie was sad,Daniela had cried a little too,but it wasn't sobbing material,she was scared that the crying was her fault.

The three other girls watched worriedly,but decided to all go up to their room,leaving the two of them alone.

Notes:

Next chapter will be their conversation.

Chapter 14

About 10 minutes had passed and Megan's sobs were finally quieting down,Dani had not let go of her,holding her like she was fragile.

When she fully calmed down,Megan pulled away from Daniela's embrace.

Her eyes were puffy and red,dried tears on her cheeks,her lips were slightly trembling,and she avoided any eye contact with Daniela.

They sat for a few minutes,Daniela still rubbing Megan's back,heavy silence between them,that no one seemed to want to break.

But Daniela spoke up first, breaking the silence "Are you okay Mei ?'' She asked the girl with genuine worry in her voice.

Megan turned her head slowly, looking at Daniela and nodding. "Yeah... I'm okay," she said, her voice low and unconvincing, like she barely believed it herself.

Daniela looked at her like she could read her entire mind. "You don't have to petend with me..,you know that right ?"

Megan mentally cursed at herself for being so obvious, and also at the latina for knowing her so much. "Yes..,i just don't know how to act around you anymore.." she said barely audible,toying with the sleeve of her hoodie.

But Daniela heard it,and she felt as if her heart was burning,she had done this to Megan and to herself,pretending like everything was fine,going on dates with random boys and bragging about it.

This was her fault. Every awkward silence, every glance avoided — she had let it happen. She had pushed Megan away without even realizing it,but tonight she was determined to fix it.

The room was quiet again except for the ticking clock in the kitchen. Megan's hands were clenched in her lap, her thumb rubbing over her knuckles again and again.

"I'm sorry Megan...for all of it. For making you feel like I didn't care." whispered Daniela,Megan looked at her,eyes full of doubt.She wanted to believe her. She really did. But part of her still hurt. Daniela continued to speak,"The truth is i care a lot,but i was scared and i didn't know what to do,i hate that i made you cry and i hate that i pushed you away...and-" Her voice broke on the last word. Megan, who had been staring at her hands, looked up --eyes wide. Her heart sank at the sight: tears were falling down Dani's cheeks.

"Oh Dani..." Without thinking, Megan raised a hand to Daniela's face, gently wiping away her tears. "..please don't cry..i'm not mad at you... i promise.." Her hand stayed on Daniela's cheek,who instinctively leaned in the touch.

Once Daniela had calmed down a little,she spoke up again. "You know yesterday,when i was on my date.."Megan tensed at the mention,was she really going to talk about her date right now ??

But Daniela didn't seem to notice as she continued speaking,if she didn't say it right now she's afraid she'll never say it at all "i kept thinking about you" Megan opened her mouth to speak but she was cut off "please let me finish,if i don't say it now,i'm afraid i'll never do."
Megan closed her mouth,waiting for Dani to continue.

But Dani suddenly felt self conscious "Vamos Daniela, no seas una maldita cobarde*."she muttered to herself.

"i- uh well i kept thinking about you..and your smile,and literally...when he held my hand i wished it was you,and then i came back home,acted like the date was good but it wasn't,cause all i thougt about was you..i don't even know what i'm saying right now...what i am trying to say is that it is when i realised that i maybe kind of like you.."

Daniela took a deep breath,and looked at Megan who was staring at her with wide eyes.

Suddenly bad thought went crashing into her mind,what if she didn't like her,had she just made a fool of herself ?

As if Megan could see her spiralling,she grabbed one of her hands,"Do you really mean it..?"she asks,soft eyes looking into Daniela's.

"Of course!" Daniela says loudly,too loudly apparently because Yoonchae,who they kind of forgot was sleeping on the couch,muttered a little "Shut up", making Megan giggle.

Daniela was scratching the back of her neck,waiting for Megan to
speak.

Megan had a grin plastered on her face." I'm sorry,i don't know what to say,i never thought this would ever happen outside of my dreams..wait this sounds so corny..anyways i- uh- like you too Daniela"

A huge smile appeared on Dani's face."You do ? Oh god,why did you stare at me like that,i was scared."

"Because i was shocked,i though you were straight! Wait, am i actually dreaming ??" Megan asks pinching her forearm.

Daniela laughed,Megan join her,soon they found themselves forhead to forhead lost in eachothers eyes,they don't kiss not yet,even if Daniela really wants to.

Megan pulls away first,cuddling into Dani's side on the small couch.

Daniela started to play with her hair,gently brushing her fingers through it,soon she'll hear Megan's breathing go slow and steady,realizing she fell asleep.

And in the silence of the night and soft rhythm of Megan’s breathing, she’ll finally let herself smile — a real, quiet, unguarded smile — the kind she hadn’t felt in weeks.

For the first time in what felt like forever, she didn’t feel confused. She didn’t feel like she had to run away from what she was feeling or pretend to be someone she wasn’t.

Megan’s warmth curled into her side, her fingers still loosely holding onto Daniela’s hoodie like she didn’t want her to leave. And god, Daniela didn’t want to leave. Not ever again.

She looked down at Megan’s peaceful face, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.

“I like you so much it’s kind of stupid,” she whispered softly, almost to herself.

Megan didn’t stir, but a small smile tugged at her lips in her sleep, like she’d heard her anyway.

And as the house stayed still around them, the night wrapped gently around their little bubble - safe, quiet, and just theirs - Daniela let her eyes close too, holding Megan like she’d never let her go again.

----------------------

Notes:

So here it is guys i dont know how i feel about this one,i feel like their conversation is a liitle sloppy,but like always share your thought on this.

*Vamos Daniela, no seas una maldita cobarde.= Come on Daniela, don't be a fucking coward. (im not fluent so it might not be correct.)

Chapter 15

The next morning, Sophia woke up first like most of the time. She walked down the stairs, walking by the couch where Yoonchae was still asleep, and then she stopped right in front of the smaller couch, eyes widening at the sight.

There on the couch, curled up into each other, legs tangled, lay Megan and Dani sleeping soundly.
Megan had her hand tightly clenching Daniela's hoodie like she was scared the girl would disappear, her head rested on her chest, while the latter had her arms wrapped around the younger girl.

They looked so peaceful. Sophia quietly took out her phone, opening the camera app, making sure the flash was off before snapping a picture of the two girls, grinning.
She then put her phone back inside her pocket and walked to the kitchen, planning on making some breakfast.

——————

About 30 minutes later, Dani woke up, feeling a weight on her chest. She slowly opened her eyes, confused at first, then she looked down and was met with soft brown eyes looking right at her.
She froze, memories of last night flooding her brain—the messy and awkward confessions, the tears, the fact that Megan said she liked her too, the way she had wanted to kiss her so bad but didn’t, the way she still wanted to—and—and the way Megan was looking at her right now wasn’t helping at all.

"Hi." Dani’s thoughts were cut off by Megan’s soft voice. The girl was smiling at her.

"Hi," Dani mimicked, and suddenly she felt way too aware of everything—the way Megan’s face was still on her chest, the fact that Megan was holding onto her hoodie—she hadn’t realized that before.

She felt heat creeping up her neck, her ears started to burn, and suddenly any physical contact with the younger girl felt too much.

She wanted to run.

She needed to get away.
"Mei, I need to pee—" she said quickly. 'Smooth, real smooth, Dani,' she thought to herself. She, in fact, did NOT need to pee, but that was the first thing she came up with.

Megan immediately pulled away, muttering a "sorry" and got off of the couch. Dani would be lying if she said that the sudden loss of contact didn’t make her heart ache, but she had no time to think about it. She got off the couch and climbed the stairs so fast she almost fell.

Once upstairs, she ran to her room, opening the door, almost crashing into Manon.
"Shit, I’m sorry—"

Manon looked at her suspiciously. "Damn, what’s wrong with you?"

Dani sat down on her bed. "What do you mean? Nothing is wrong!" Her voice was uncharacteristically high-pitched.

Manon let out a small laugh. "Girl, you look as red as a tomato right now," she smirked.

"Urghh," Daniela groaned, hiding her face in her hands.

Manon sat down next to her. "Seriously, what’s up?"

"I talked to Megan last night…" she said, looking up, "told her I kinda liked her."

"OH MY GOD," Manon squealed, "tell me everything!"

So Dani did—from the moment the others left the room, to Megan admitting she liked her too, to the awkward panic this morning.

Manon was frowning. "So you didn’t kiss?" Dani shook her head no.
"But you wanted to?" Dani nodded.
Manon let out a dramatic sigh. "And you thought running away from her this morning was a good idea??"

"I panicked..." Daniela said sheepishly.

"I’m telling you this because I love you," Manon said, calm but firm. "You have got to stop letting your fear control you. Because this girl? She’s not going to wait forever."

Daniela looked down. "I didn’t mean to..."

"I know," Manon said, voice softer. "But you still did."

_____________________

 

Meanwhile, downstairs, Megan was sitting stiffly on the couch, staring at the black screen of the TV. Daniela had been gone for maybe twenty minutes.

Everyone was awake and downstairs except for Dani and Manon.

Megan was lost in her thoughts. Dani had said she needed to pee, but… Megan wasn’t stupid. She knew it was a lie. The way she ran upstairs, practically tripping over herself...

What if this was too much?

Sure, it was just cuddling—but what if Dani had been uncomfortable? What if Megan holding onto her hoodie, laying on top of her, made her feel weird? What if she regretted everything they said last night?

The couch dipped beside her. Someone had sat down. Megan turned, part of her secretly hoping it was Daniela.

But it wasn’t.

It was Sophia.

"Hey, Megan. You okay?" she asked gently.

"Uh... yeah. Why wouldn’t I be?" Megan replied quickly, trying way too hard to sound casual.

Sophia tilted her head. "You’ve been sitting here for a while. I was just worried." She paused. "Where’s Dani?"

Megan frowned, "I don’t know, she woke up, said she had to pee and ran upstairs…"

Sophia nodded. "So that is why you’ve been sitting here looking like a kicked puppy."

Megan awkwardly scratched the back of her neck. "Maybe…"

"I wanna show you something," Sophia told her, taking her phone, fiddling with it before putting it in front of her face.

Megan’s eyes widened, face immediately turning red. She looked at Sophia, who was smiling, proud of herself.

"Sophia, why would you take a picture?" Megan stuttered, cheeks burning.

Sophia shrugged. "You both looked so peaceful, I wanted to capture the moment."

"Whatever you do, please do not show it to anyone, especially not Lara."
And as if she was summoned, Lara popped up behind the couch.

"Too late, she already showed me!" she said, smirking.

"Betrayal," Megan muttered.

And then Manon and Dani finally came down. "Hi guys," said Manon brightly.

Everyone turned to them and the girls all fell into easy conversations.

_________________________
It was about 6 p.m. when the girls finished with rehearsals and got back home. They were all exhausted. They all took showers, and then Yoonchae immediately went to her room, while Sophia had some paperwork to do. Manon and Lara were in Manon’s room, probably gossiping.

Dani and Megan were in charge of picking up dinner. Everyone was too tired to cook, so they decided on ordering from the girls’ favorite Korean place downtown.

The ride there was… quiet.

Not in an angry or cold way, just… heavy. Like there was too much left unsaid and neither of them knew where to start. Megan was staring out the passenger window, fiddling with the string of her hoodie. Dani was gripping the steering wheel like it had personally offended her.

She wanted to say something. Anything. But every time she opened her mouth, her throat closed up.

Megan finally broke the silence.
"You really didn’t need to run away this morning," she said, voice low but not angry.

Dani flinched, then laughed awkwardly. "Yeah, I know. That was… not my best moment."

"Did I make you uncomfortable?"

Dani slammed the brakes a little harder than necessary at a red light. "What? No! No, not at all. It’s not you, it’s—"
She hesitated, hands tightening on the wheel.
"I was just overwhelmed. I wanted to kiss you so bad, and it freaked me out."

Megan turned toward her slowly. "You did?"

Dani glanced at her, cheeks bright pink. "Yeah."

Silence again. Not awkward this time — charged.

The light turned green. They kept driving.

_____________________
By the time they reached the restaurant, Megan’s heart was beating out of her chest. They walked in, grabbed the order, and walked back out.

Still quiet.

They reached the car, Dani unlocking it with a beep, but instead of getting in, Megan stopped and turned to her.

"Can we… talk? Before we go back."

Dani nodded, immediately nervous again. "Yeah, of course."

They leaned against the car, bags of food resting between them. The sun was setting, casting everything in a warm, soft light. It made Megan’s hair glow golden.

"I didn’t think you liked me," Megan said quietly. "Not really. Not like that."

"I didn’t think I was allowed to," Dani confessed. "I mean—I tried to push it away, date boys, be normal, but none of it felt right. I kept pretending. But last night, holding you… it was the first time I didn’t want to pretend anymore."

Megan’s lips parted, and her voice came out shaky. "Then why did you run this morning?"

Dani looked away, ashamed. "Because I felt everything too much. I’m scared of messing this up. I didn’t want to ruin the first good thing in my life that actually feels real."

Megan stepped closer. Her voice dropped to a whisper. "You won’t ruin it."

Dani turned her head slowly, their faces just inches apart now. "What if I already did?"

"You didn’t."

For a moment, neither of them moved. Just staring, eyes locked, breaths shallow.

And then Megan leaned in.

Just enough that Dani could close the distance.

And she did.

Their lips met, soft and hesitant at first—like testing the waters, like asking "is this okay?" without words. Megan’s hands slid up, cupping Dani’s cheeks, and Dani’s arms wrapped around her waist instinctively, pulling her closer.

It wasn’t a desperate kiss. It wasn’t rushed or messy. It was gentle, slow, full of every unsaid thing between them. The months of tension, the near-misses, the quiet longing—all of it poured into that one moment.

When they finally pulled apart, foreheads pressed together, neither of them spoke right away.

Until Megan whispered, smiling,
"That was… worth the wait."

Dani laughed softly, eyes still closed. "I think I forgot how to breathe."

Megan pulled back, just enough to look at her properly. "You okay?"

"I’m great," Dani said, beaming. "Like… really great."

Megan reached down, grabbing the food bags. "Come on. Let’s bring them their dinner before they riot."

Dani opened the car door for her, grinning. "They’re going to know."

"They already do," Megan said, sliding into the seat. "Sophia has proof."

"Of course she does."

As they drove off, their fingers found each other over the gear shift — and this time, neither of them let go.

Notes:

hope you enjoyed.

Chapter 16

It's been a week since Dani and Megan had confessed and shared their first kiss. Let's just say things had been... weird.

But not bad weird, just different.

They didn't want to tell the others just yet, preferring to keep this just to themselves. Truthfully, they didn't really know what they even were. Of course, they weren't only friends — that much they were sure about.

Anyway, not telling the others meant being sneaky. And right now, while Lara and Sophia were out on grocery duty, Yoonchae was downstairs watching a movie, and Manon was upstairs in her room, Dani and Megan were in Megan's room, taking advantage of the fact that Lara was gone for at least another hour, or so they thought.

Megan sat cross-legged on her bed, nervously tugging at the hem of her oversized hoodie, while Daniela lay sprawled beside her, scrolling through her phone like she had all the time in the world. Every so often, Dani's hand would brush against Megan's, and every single time Megan's heart leapt like it was the first touch.

"You're staring at me again," Daniela said suddenly, smirking without even looking up.

Megan's cheeks burned. "I'm not."

"You are," Dani teased, finally turning her head. Their eyes met, and Megan's breath caught in her throat. For a moment, the silence stretched, heavy but not uncomfortable, before Daniela slid closer, her phone forgotten, and pressed the softest kiss against Megan's lips.

When she pulled away, Megan was smiling so hard she had to hide her face in her hands. Daniela laughed, pulling her hands down and kissing her again, longer this time.

"I like this," Megan admitted quietly, her voice barely above a whisper.

Daniela tilted her head, playful. "What? Kissing me?"

Megan rolled her eyes but nodded, cheeks pink. "Yeah. Kissing you. Being with you. All of it."

Daniela's grin softened, and she tucked a strand of hair behind Megan's ear. "Good. Because I don't plan on stopping anytime soon."

And just as she leaned in again—

The bedroom door swung open.

"Hey, I'm back—" Lara froze in the doorway, wide-eyed, taking in the sight of her two friends practically tangled together on the bed.

For a split second, no one moved. Megan and Daniela sat frozen, guilt painted all over their faces like kids caught stealing cookies. Then Lara dropped the grocery bag she had in her hand and let out the loudest squeal the house had ever heard.

"OH. MY. GOD."

"Lara—"vMegan started, her voice panicked, but it was too late. Lara bolted out of the room like a messenger of chaos, yelling at the top of her lungs.

''EVERYONE! MEGAN AND DANIELA ARE FINALLY KISSING!!!"

From downstairs came Sophia's startled "WHAT?!" followed by Manon's "FINALLY!!" and Yoonchae's muffled "I knew it!!"

Meanwhile, Megan buried her face in her hands, groaning into her palms, while Daniela just flopped back on the bed with an exasperated laugh.

"Well," Daniela muttered, "so much for keeping it a secret."

____________________

About 15 minutes later, Dani and Megan went downstairs; they were immediately met with Manon and Lara's teasing.

"Dani and Megan sitting in a tree k-i-s-s-i-n-g!" they sang in unison, cackling like two children.

"What the heck, dude? Are y'all 5 years old?" Megan groaned, tugging at her hoodie like she wanted to crawl inside it and disappear.

Daniela, on the other hand, looked almost amused, fighting a smile that betrayed she didn't mind as much.

"You two are unbelievable," Megan muttered, glaring at Lara and Manon, who were practically doubled over laughing at their own chant.

They all migrated to the kitchen, where Sophia was, with a bag of chips in hand, raising an eyebrow. "Honestly, I'm just surprised it took this long."

Yoonchae, pouring herself a glass of water, asked innocently, "So, does that mean you're girlfriends now?"

"Yes!"

"NO!"

Daniela's eyes widened. "What do you mean no?" she asked, looking at Megan, a glint of hurt visible in her eyes.

Megan was taken aback; she didn't expect Dani to say yes. "Uh, I mean—fuck..." she muttered.

All the girls had gone quiet, watching all of this unfold.

"You don't want to?" Daniela asked, vulnerability in her voice.

Megan immediately reacted, grabbing one of Dani's hands. "Of course I want to! I just didn't know what you wanted..."

"Megs, I've been kissing you every chance I got for the past week, and you think I wouldn't want to be your girlfriend?"

Megan slightly blushed at that. "I don't know..." she muttered.

"Okay," Sophia clapped her hands, "as much as I love you, and I'm so glad you're finally girlfriends, I have a dinner to prepare so I need all of you out of my kitchen!" she said, shooing them away.

All of the girls laughed, leaving the kitchen.

____________________

Daniela was sitting on her bed, toying with her hoodie sleeves, Manon sat beside her.

"What's wrong ?" She asked.

Daniela frowned, "nothing is wrong.."

"You play with your sleeves when you're stressed. " Manon pointed out.

"Ugh how do you always know ?"

"Because you're basically my sister," Manon said matter of factly, "spill."

Daniela sights. "I want to ask Megan on a date."

Manon raised a brow. "Oooh, my baby's all grown up." She smirked.

Daniela threw a pillow at her, "Shut up."

"But why are you stressed ? You literally just established that you were girlfriend, so she's not gonna turn you down or something." Manon said confused.

"Yeah no, I know..i just don't know where to take her." She muttered

"Girl, she's obsessed with you, she'll be happy with whatever as long as you are with her."

"Maybe..but still can you help me ?"

Manon's only answer was a nod.

"So I was thinking somewhere not too crowded, or too loud..." Daniela started.

"Oh you know, she keeps telling me about wanting to try out that one new café by the park," Manon said, leaning back casually. "The one with the fairy lights outside? She saw it on TikTok and wouldn’t shut up about how 'cute' it looked."

Daniela blinked. "Wait, really? She never told me that."

Manon gave her a pointed look. "That’s because you’ve been too busy staring at her like a lovesick girl to actually listen when she talks to the rest of us."

Daniela rolled her eyes but couldn’t help the little smile tugging at her lips. "Whatever. Okay… a café date could work. Not too loud, not too crowded… and it’s cute."

"Exactly," Manon nodded, satisfied. "And you know Megan — she doesn’t need anything fancy. As long as you show up and make her feel special, she’s gonna be over the moon."

Daniela chewed her lip nervously, fiddling with her sleeves again. "Yeah, but… what if I mess it up? What if I make it awkward?"

Manon reached over, swatting her arm lightly. "Dani, you could trip over the chair, spill coffee all over yourself, and Megan would still think you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to her. Trust me."

Daniela groaned, covering her face with both hands. "You’re making me sound like I’m in some rom-com."

Manon smirked. "Newsflash: you are. And I’m your supportive best friend character, so obviously you’re gonna get the girl. Actually, you already have the girl. You’re just being a disaster lesbian about it."

Daniela froze, blinking at her. "...Lesbian?"

Manon raised an eyebrow. "Uh, yeah? What else would you call it? You’re literally in love with Megan."

For a second, Dani opened her mouth like she wanted to argue, but then she stopped. Her eyes softened, like the word was settling inside her, fitting better than she expected. She let out a slow breath.

"...Yeah," she admitted quietly. "I guess… I am." A little smile tugged at her lips, nervous but real. "Wow. Okay. Huh."

Manon grinned, eyes lighting up. "See? Acceptance unlocked. Congratulations, you’ve officially joined the club. Now we are winning 4 against 2..for now."

Daniela laughed, burying her red face in her hands. "You’re ridiculous."

"And you’re gay," Manon shot back with a smirk, clearly enjoying herself.

That earned another laugh out of Daniela, softer this time, but lighter too — like a weight had been lifted without her even realizing it.

"Okay, fine," she said, peeking through her fingers. "Café it is."

"Good," Manon said, standing up dramatically. "My work here is done." She pointed at her like a superhero delivering a mission. "Now go be the hopelessly in love disaster lesbian you were born to be."

"Manon!" Daniela threw the pillow at her again, but this time she was laughing, cheeks flushed and eyes sparkling in a way that told Manon everything she needed to know.

Chapter 17

Daniela had spent the rest of the day trying to find the courage to go ask Megan. It was only after dinner, around 9PM, that she finally did.

She had just finished loading the dishwasher and was heading upstairs when she reached Megan and Lara's room. The door was already cracked open, so she didn't bother knocking. When she stepped inside, she saw Megan alone. Lara was probably in the bathroom.

Megan was sitting on her bed, writing in her journal, and didn't notice Dani right away. The older girl walked closer, and that's when Megan finally looked up. Her eyes widened, and she immediately slammed the journal shut, shoving it under her pillow like she'd been caught.

Dani raised a brow. 'Weird', she thought.

"Hi, Dani. Didn't see you there," Megan said awkwardly, forcing a little smile.

"Hi, Mei..." Daniela smiled back, teasing lightly. "What were you writing?"

"Oh..nothing important..was just writing about my day..boring stuff really.." She stammered.

Dani smirked "Right."

"Anyways.." Megan started, changing the subject, "what are you doing here ?"

"Can't a girl just want to see her gilfriend ?" Daniela answered playfully.

Megan's heart swelled at hearing Dani call her her girlfriend. The word rolled through her like warmth, soft and dizzying all at once. She had to suppress a squeal but couldn't stop the shy smile tugging at her lips, her cheeks heating up as she ducked her head.

Daniela grinned at her reaction, then shifted her weight nervously. "I did want to ask you something, though."

"Ah! Knew it. What's up?" Megan asked, still trying to sound casual despite her racing heart.

Dani hesitated for a beat, fiddling with the hem of her sweater. Her usual confidence seemed to falter as her eyes flicked between Megan and the floor. "Well... I was wondering if maybe... you'd like to, um..." She trailed off, biting her lip.

Megan tilted her head, curious. "Like to what?"

Daniela exhaled sharply, almost laughing at herself. "Go out with me. Properly. Like, not just hanging around the house, or movie nights with everyone. I mean... an actual date."

The words hung in the air, heavy and thrilling. Megan's breath caught, her chest tightening with a mix of joy and disbelief. A date. Daniela wanted to take her on a date.

Her lips parted, but no sound came out.

"Unless that's dumb," Dani rushed, waving her hands. "I just thought—since we're, you know, girlfriends, we could..." She trailed off again, cheeks pink.

Megan blinked, still processing, then finally let out a small laugh—half nerves, half wonder. "Dani... that's not dumb at all." She smiled so wide it nearly hurt. "I'd love to."

Daniela's relief was instant, her face lighting up in a way that made Megan's chest flutter all over again.

________________________

We are now a week later and finally their date day has arrived, Megan was currently in her room emptying her whole closet because she couldn't find anything cute enough for a café date, Lara was watching her, laughing.

"Lara, girl, stop laughing! I'm having a crisis right now, and you're not helping!" Megan whined, holding up a shirt before immediately throwing it down with disgust.

"Sorry, babe," Lara chuckled, flopping back onto the pillows, "but you know you could wear a trash bag and Dani would still melt."

Megan turned to glare at her, cheeks pink. "That's not funny! This is our first real date. It has to be perfect."

"You're literally acting like you're meeting the Queen."

"Worse," Megan sighed, collapsing onto the heap of clothes. "The Queen wouldn't make me nervous. Dani does."

Lara laughed so hard she nearly fell off the bed. She reached over, picking a random oversized sweater off the pile and holding it up. "Wear this. Trust me, she'll probably faint on the spot."

Megan groaned into her hands. "You are the worst."

"And yet, I'm still the best wingwoman you've got." Lara smirked, tossing the sweater onto Megan's lap.

_____________________

Megan sat in the passenger seat, sunlight streaming through the window, warming her cheeks. She fiddled with the hem of her sweater, twisting the fabric between her fingers. Her stomach was doing somersaults, and every bump of the car made her heart skip faster.

Daniela glanced over as she adjusted the mirrors, her sunglasses perched on top of her head. "You good, Mei? You look like you're about to go to a job interview."

Megan laughed nervously, eyes darting to the window. "Feels kind of like it."

Dani smirked. "Wow. Harsh. I thought I'd be more fun than paperwork."

"You are!" Megan rushed to say, her voice a little too high-pitched. "That's... actually the problem."

Daniela raised a brow, amused. "The problem?"

Megan turned back to face her, cheeks pink. "Yeah. You're... distracting. Way too distracting. It's impossible to act normal around you."

That earned a laugh from Dani, rich and warm. She tapped her fingers lightly against the wheel as they stopped at a light. "Good thing I don't want you to act normal then."

Megan blinked at her, caught off guard. "What do you mean?"

"I mean," Dani said simply, glancing at her with a grin, "I'd rather have the real you. Even if that means nervous rambling and sweater-fidgeting."

Megan's chest tightened in the best way possible, and she couldn't help the smile tugging at her lips. She ducked her head, trying to hide it.

The car rolled forward again, sunlight spilling through the windshield, and for the first time since she'd gotten in, Megan felt her nerves start to melt into excitement.

____________________

Now they just got out of the car and were about to enter the little café, when Daniela grabbed Megan's hand.

Megan's eyes widened, then she froze for a minute, blushed, smiled widely and proceeded to keep walking, while intertwining their fingers.

They entered the café, the lighting was soft, there was not a lot of people inside, Dani and Megan sat at a corner table, and started looking at the drink Menu, Megan frowned it was written in weird fonts, the letters were all loopy and Megan was struggling, she did not want to say anything, but obviously Daniela noticed.

"Hey Mei, what's wrong ?" She asked.

Megan looked up from her menu,"oh, it's nothing."

"Are you sure ? You've been frowning at that menu for a minute." She says, unconvinced.

Megan sighs,."It's just..the letters are all in weird fonts and.. you know, my dyslexia is making it hard for me to read.." She says, usually Megan doesn't care about her dyslexia, making jokes about it, but right now in front of Dani she's feeling embarrassed.

But Daniela doesn't say anything she simply starts to read the menu out loud, from the coffee names to the ingredients in each of them, and Megan smiles widely.

_______________

Their order came about 15 minutes later, Dani had simply ordered an iced latte, but Megan had choosed a lavender iced latte, and a cupcake with a ridiculously large amount of frosting.

So when she took a bite, some frosting got on her nose, and Daniela had found her so stupidly cute and couldn't help but to take a picture.

"Ooh I wanna see, show me, show me!"

Daniela turned her phone to show Megan, the latter giggled and just when Dani was about to turn her phone around a text notification appeared.

Ben:
Hey Dani, I liked our date last time, are you up for a second one ?

Megan froze, her laugh dying in her throat has she frowned, Daniela raised a brow finally turning her phone and realised why the sudden change when she saw the text.

"Oh, I forgot to block him last time, i'm gonna do it right now" she says typing on her phone. "Done." Daniela put her phone face down on the table and leaned forward, resting her chin in her hand as she studied Megan’s expression.

"Mei," she said softly, her voice careful, "hey… don’t frown like that."

Megan shook her head quickly, forcing out a laugh that didn’t quite reach her eyes. "I’m not. I’m fine. Really."

Daniela tilted her head, unconvinced. "You think I can’t tell when you’re lying?"

Megan’s cheeks warmed. She looked down at her cupcake, poking at the frosting with her fork like it had suddenly become very interesting. "It’s just… you said it was nothing, but—he called it a date." Her voice faltered, the word catching. "So maybe I’m—maybe I’m not the only one?"

Her insecurity bled into every syllable, and Dani’s chest squeezed at the thought that Megan could even doubt her. Without hesitation, she reached across the table, gently taking Megan’s hand.

''Listen to me," Dani said firmly. "That guy was nothing. He was me trying to convince myself I wanted something I didn’t. That’s over. Done." She squeezed Megan’s hand for emphasis. "You’re the only date I want. The only one I’ll ever want."

Megan’s throat tightened, her eyes flicking up to meet Daniela’s. There was no teasing grin, no playful smirk—just raw honesty in Dani’s gaze.

The tension in Megan’s shoulders slowly eased, replaced by a shy, shaky smile. "You mean that?"

Dani nodded instantly. "With everything I’ve got." Then, trying to lighten the moment, she added with a crooked smile, "Besides, no guy has ever managed to look half as cute as you do with frosting on your nose."

Megan let out a soft laugh, finally, and Dani reached over with a napkin to gently wipe the frosting away. The touch was tender, lingering a second too long, and Megan felt her heart stumble over itself in her chest.

"Better," Daniela whispered.

Megan ducked her head, but her grin was unstoppable.

________________

The rest of their date went well they decided to take a walk in the little park near the café, and Dani insisted on holding Megan's hand the whole time, making the younger girl smile widely.

___________________

They had arrived home a few minutes ago and Megan had rushed in her bedroom, currently she was ranting about how well their dates went, and how much she liked Daniela.

"I swear Lara, I think I've never liked someone half as much as i like her !" Megan exclaimed, her smile never leaving her lips.

Lara just listened to her, happy for her best friend.

_______________

On Dani's side it was a different mood, she was kinda afraid that Ben's text had ruined the date, even tho Megan didn't talk about it after and seemed to have enjoyed the date.

She was currently in the living room, telling Manon and Yoonchae about it, Sophia was not home.

"Dani, I don't think it ruined it, I've seen her smile when y'all came back, she loved it I'm sure." Manon tried to reassure her.

"Yes, I agree with Manon, but maybe talk to her if you're scared, communication is key." Yoonchae joined in.

Dani let out a tiny laugh, "Since when have you become the wise one ?"

Yoonchae only shrugged her shoulder, and Daniela knew she was right, she should talk to Megan.

So she did just that about 10 minutes later when Lara came downstairs, Daniela went to see Megan.

Right now they were cuddling in Megan’s bed, Dani was playing with Megan’s hair while the younger was tracing little shapes against her arm, absentminded and content. The soft glow from the bedside lamp made everything feel warm and safe, like the world outside didn’t exist.

But Dani’s chest was still tight, the words she needed to say pressing at her throat. She didn’t want to ruin this perfect moment, but she couldn’t let the silence stretch forever.

"Mei?" she murmured, her fingers slowing in Megan’s hair.

Megan hummed in response, tilting her head up slightly to meet Dani’s eyes. "Hm?"

Dani swallowed. ''About earlier. At the café."

Instantly, Megan stiffened just a little, her hand stilling against Dani’s arm. "Oh," she said softly, almost carefully.

Daniela sighed, shifting so she could look directly at her. "I just… I don’t want you to think for even one second that you’re competing with anyone. That guy—Ben—it was nothing. A mistake, honestly. I was trying so hard to be someone I’m not." She paused, her voice faltering. "And then i realised I wanted you, and suddenly I didn’t want to pretend anymore."

Megan’s lips parted, her eyes wide and shining in the dim light. She opened her mouth to respond, but Dani rushed on, afraid she’d lose her courage.

"You’re not second choice, Mei. You’ve never been. You’re the only choice I want to make. Always."

For a long beat, Megan just stared at her, her throat bobbing as she tried to swallow the lump of emotion rising inside her. Then, slowly, she leaned in, pressing her forehead against Dani’s.

"You didn’t ruin anything," Megan whispered, her voice trembling with sincerity. "You just… made me fall harder."

Dani’s chest ached, but in the best way possible. She let out a shaky laugh, relief flooding her as she closed the small distance and kissed her—soft, unhurried, the kind of kiss that didn’t need to prove anything.

When they pulled back, Megan giggled, her cheeks burning red. "Wow. You’re really good at reassurance, you know that?"

Dani grinned, brushing her thumb over Megan’s cheek. “Only when it’s about you.”

Megan buried her face against Dani’s shoulder, hiding her smile, while Dani held her tighter, silently promising herself she’d never let Megan doubt her again.

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When Lara came back in her room she saw Megan and Dani fast asleep, all cuddled up, limbs tangled, so naturally she took a picture and send it to the group chat.

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