In middle school, I struggled academically and found solace in tutoring sessions with the exceptional Miss Leila.

We were an inseparable trio: Vivian, Mark, and myself.

Mark, Vivian's son, always hung out with us after tutoring, becoming a role model for Vivian and me. He introduced us to our first drinks, smoking attempts, and even our first party experiences.

At that time, my parents were unaware of Mark's influence, and Jake, preoccupied with his father, didn't know him well.

Mark epitomized coolness and kindness, someone we admired deeply.

All our memorable first experiences, including my first kiss, were with him. It happened in his room one day when Vivian was absent.

The next day, I confessed everything to Vivian, who then revealed her feelings for Mark.

Stunned, I remained silent as she left my house.

Days later, I assured Vivian I wouldn't repeat such a mistake, and she accepted my apology with a smile.

Vivian eventually confessed her feelings to Mark, and they began dating. I often found myself as the third wheel, as it would have been socially awkward for a middle school girl to be alone with a high school boy.

I observed them holding hands, hugging, kissing, and doing things that I couldn't participate in.

Despite feeling excluded, I didn't hold any resentment towards Vivian. My feelings towards Mark were not romantic; he was simply a passing interest to me.

However, their relationship eventually hit rough patches and they broke up. Vivian advised me not to pry into the details, as I was dealing with my own challenges at the time. She only disclosed that things didn't work out between them, and they chose to remain friends. Respecting her wishes, I refrained from probing further when I noticed her discomfort.

The last I heard, Mark dropped out of high school and relocated.

That is until today.

I cracked open two beers, handing one each to Mark and Vivian in the living room. Mark and Jake engaged in conversation, while Vivian laughed at their banter.

Eugene kept glancing between me and Mark.

"You've both grown," Mark remarked, casting an approving glance at me. "Nice legs," he added, smirking at my mini shorts.

I rolled my eyes. "Shut up!"

Eugene approached me, wrapping his arm around my waist and exchanging a tense look with Mark.

"This is my boyfriend, Eugene," I introduced, hoping to defuse any tension.

"Mark," he responded, shaking Eugene's hand. "Jade's first kiss."

The statement caught me off guard. Eugene swiftly countered, "Long forgotten," and I shot him a grateful look.

Mark's tendency for jokes didn't surprise me, but I never expected such a remark, especially after introducing Eugene as my boyfriend.

I retreated to the bedroom, pondering the unexpected encounter. A few minutes later, I hear Eugene's voice as I sit up to face him.

"Did you actually kiss that guy?" he asks.

"He was a good friend and I had a crush on him," I reply with a shrug.

Eugene walks closer to me. "You need to choose better men," he remarks.

I look at him and nod. "I certainly do, don't I?" I say, meeting his gaze.

He joins me on the bed, sitting beside me.

"At least that douchebag got you to finally look at me," I teased.

"I apologize for avoiding you. I'm not looking for anything serious between us, Jones, yet for some reason, I find myself unable to stay away from you," he says, resting his palm on my face and gently caressing it with his thumb, locking eyes with me.

"Then don't," I reply, gazing into his captivating eyes, feeling myself lost in their mystery. We remain in silence for a while, caught in a trance, gazing into each other's eyes.

Then, we hear Vivian call out to me from the other room, breaking us away from our daze; prompting him to withdraw his hand. Already missing the warmth of his palm against my skin, I watch as he exits the room.

I wake Matty and Rose as dinner time approaches, using the opportunity to avoid everyone and conceal my flushed face. They sluggishly follow me to the kitchen, Mark waits until dinner, sharing the story of why he dropped out of high school and ended up here.

As the evening progresses, the kids retreat to the bedroom, bickering over which movie to watch before finally settling on "Marvels" chosen by Jake. Vivian and Mark take a stroll together, presumably to reminisce about their time together. This time, I refrain from being the third wheel, though I can't deny feeling a bit left out. However, my feelings shift when I feel Eugene's arm wrap around me from behind as I gaze out at the ocean.

Unable to suppress my smile, I remark, "How can you hold someone you're pretending with so casually?"

He shrugs nonchalantly. "Well, you are my girlfriend, whether I pretend or not. If we don't show affection when we're alone, who will believe us when we're in public?"

"You mentioned you can't be serious with me, yet you can't seem to keep away. What does that mean?" I inquire, disregarding his previous response as I turn to face him.

He meets my gaze with a serious expression, sighing heavily. I observe his every move, attempting to decipher his thoughts, but find no clear answers.

"I don't know," he admits, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear. Eugene leans in and plants a kiss on my cheek. Quickly hiding my flushed face, I feel a rush of warmth, realizing I'm beginning to fall for Eugene.