I opened my eyes to the sound of knocking on my door.

"Who is it?" Jake's groggy voice called out from beside me.

He didn't realize I was already awake. I stayed still, not making a sound.

"Jake?" Nora's voice came through the door, puzzled and somewhat incredulous.

"That's my name," Jake replied, his tone a mix of irritation and confusion.

I heard the door creak open and then a sharp intake of breath. Nora's gasp was unmistakable.

"What are you doing here?" Nora asked, her voice rising with shock.

"Trying to sleep," Jake responded, clearly annoyed.

"With Wren?!" Nora's voice shot up in disbelief.

"Shut it, she's sleeping," Jake said sharply, his irritation evident. "And not like that, Nora."

"Well, it looks to me like you're in bed with my best friend," Nora retorted.

"As you can clearly see, we are both fully clothed," Jake said, his tone defensive.

"So you didn't kiss her?" Nora asked, pressing for details.

"No," Jake replied firmly.

"And you didn't touch her?"

"Nora, no! I've told you. Yeah, I laid down with her, and she fell asleep in my arms. Big deal. Yeah, I slept in the same bed as her, but we didn't do anything."

"Do you like her?" Nora pressed, her curiosity peaking.

"Yes, I like my birdie," Jake admitted.

"No. Do you like-like her?" Nora's voice was insistent.

"And what if I do?" Jake shot back.

"You like my best friend?" Nora's tone was a mix of surprise and accusation.

"Okay, I do. So what?" Jake's voice grew defensive.

"Oh, nothing," Nora said with an edge of mischief.

"Nora, I swear, you cannot tell her," Jake pleaded, his voice dropping to a whisper.

"I won't. You have my word," Nora said with a hint of insincerity.

"That's a lie," I muttered, having inadvertently spoken out loud.

Jake cursed softly under his breath, and Nora's stifled laughter became more pronounced. I could almost picture her struggling to contain her amusement.

I slowly opened my eyes and saw Nora, nearly on the floor from laughing so hard. Her laughter filled the room, and Jake's face turned a deep shade of red as he tried to avoid looking at me.

"HAHA! OH MY GOD, JAKE!" Nora wheezed, her laughter echoing through the room. "SHE WASN'T ASLEEP! OH MY GOD!"

I rolled over to face Jake, who was now averting his gaze, his cheeks tinged pink with embarrassment.

"Nora, you can leave now," Jake said, his voice barely concealing his frustration.

Nora was still laughing as she stood up, wiping tears from her eyes. "Okay, okay! I'm going! But this is priceless!" She finally managed to say before she left the room, still chuckling.

Once the door shut behind Nora, I turned back to Jake, grabbing his face gently and making him look at me.

"So?" I asked, a teasing glint in my eyes. "Your confession was true?"

"So what if it is?" Jake's voice was low but steady.

"If it is," I said, my grip on his chin tightening playfully, "then I can do this."

Before he could respond, I leaned in, our faces inches apart, and whispered, "Roof date at 7:30?"

Jake's eyes softened, and a genuine smile spread across his face. "Definitely," he said, his voice warm and filled with anticipation.

With that, we both lay back down, the playful tension between us easing as we settled into a comfortable silence. The playful exchange had made our feelings clear, and as the room filled with a newfound warmth, I couldn't help but look forward to what the evening might bring