"Pen's down," the invigilator announces, and a collective sigh echoes through the exam hall. The sound of papers rustling, and the shuffle of chairs signal the end of a gruelling three-hour ever. I gather my belongings, my mind already drifting away from the now-finished exam.

As I step out of the hall, the afternoon sun warms my face, and I feel a sense of relief. Pulling out my phone, I check for messages and my face lights up when I see one from Finn.

'Pick you up at 8pm, Butterfly'- Finn <3

I can't help but feel a flutter of excitement in my stomach at Finn's message. The nickname "Butterfly" never fails to make me grin. It's funny how such a simple thing can carry so much warmth and affection. With a quick reply of "Can't wait! xx ", I tuck my phone back into my pocket and head towards the café.

Lost in my thoughts, I suddenly bump into someone. Looking up, I realize it's Nate. His expression hardens the moment our eyes meet.

"Hi, Nate," I say hesitantly. He doesn't respond, turning to walk away.

"Nate, please, can we talk?" I plead. He stops, not turning around but not walking away either.

"Please," I repeat, my voice softer. After a long pause, he finally nods, albeit reluctantly.

We find a small table in the corner of the café, away from prying eyes and ears. The tension between us is palpable as we sit down. I take a deep breath, knowing this conversation won't be easy.

"I'm sorry, Nate," I begin, my voice trembling. "I'm really sorry for cheating on you."

Nate's jaw tightens, his eyes piercing into mine with a mix of hurt and anger.

"Sorry? You think a simple sorry will fix everything?" he snaps, his voice low but filled with emotion.

"You left me for Finn, Lily. I was nothing but good to you, treated you well, respected you, and you threw it all away. For what? Why did you even date me if you had feelings for him?"

He shakes his head, looking away. "I thought I was over you, over this but- " he sighs

My heart aches at his words. "I didn't want to hurt you"

"Well, that was a very funny way of not trying to hurt me"

Nate stands up abruptly, clearly done with the conversation and sighs.

"Look Lily, I'm sorry for the way I acted at the party," he says. "But I have to go, I have a class."

"Can we at least go back to being friends?" I ask, my voice small and hopeful.

He pauses for a moment, then shakes his head. "I need time."

"You know," he stops for a second, "I really did love you, I hope you're happy"

With that, he walks away, leaving me sitting alone at the table, feeling the weight of my actions settle heavily on my shoulders.

*************

I drag myself back to my room, the weight of the conversation with Nate still heavy on my mind. Pushing the door open, I find Kam and Jen lounging on couch, chatting away. They both look up as I enter, their expressions shifting to concern when they see my face.

"What happened?" Kam asks, sitting up immediately. "Was the exam that bad?"

"It's not that"

I drop my bag on the floor and flop onto the bed next to them. "I bumped into Nate at the café," I say, my voice heavy. "We talked. Well, kind of."

Jen's eyes widen. "Yikes, how did that go?"

I sigh, rubbing my temples. "I apologized for cheating on him, told him how sorry I was. But he was still upset. He said he hopes I'm happy and asked why I even dated him if I had feelings for Finn."

"Not saying the way he treated you at the party was right," she paused "still pisses me off, but what did you expect?" she shrugs

"Kam!" Jen says sternly, narrowing her eyes at Kam.

Kam shrugs, "tough love babe" she laughs "You cheated, and I warned you not to get into the relationship unless you were sure"

Though Kam's very outspoken and doesn't shy from speaking her mind at times, she sure knows how to kick someone when they're down. But I can't blame her, I deserve it.

Jen claps her hands together, "Okay, enough of that." Glaring at Kam "We need to get Lil ready for her date with Finn."

"What are you going to wear?"

"I have no idea," I admit. "I asked Finn, and he said to go for something cute, comfy, and dressy. Whatever that means."

Kam snorts. "Typical guy. That's as vague as it gets."

We all head to my room and Jen heading to my closet. "Let's see what we've got here. Cute, comfy, and dressy... we can work with that."

Kam joins her, and they start pulling out various outfits. "How about this?" Kam holds up a floral sundress.

I shake my head. "Too casual."

Jen pulls out a sleek black dress. "This one?"

"Too formal," I say, biting my lip.

Kam pulls out a pair of dark skinny jeans and a flowy blouse. "How about this? You can dress it up with some nice jewellery and heels, but it's still comfy."

I consider it for a moment, then nod. "That could work."

Jen adds, "And maybe a light jacket, just in case it gets chilly."

As I change into the outfit, the anxiety from earlier starts to fade. Kam and Jen fuss over the final details, adding a delicate necklace and some sparkly earrings. When I'm finally ready, I glance in the mirror, and I look good.

"You look amazing," Jen says, beaming at me.

Kam nods in agreement. "Finn's not going to know what hit him."

*********

Stepping out of my building, my eyes instantly find Finn's car parked by the curb. He's leaning against the door, looking effortlessly magnetic in a casual blazer over a white t-shirt and dark jeans, like he just strolled off a magazine cover. His face lights up the moment he spots me, and a smile tugs at my lips.

"Hey, Butterfly," he greets, opening the passenger door with that easy charm of his. "You look stunning."

"Thanks, Finn," I murmur, feeling warmth creep up my cheeks. "You don't look so bad yourself," I add, doing a not-so-subtle once-over, which he notices with a smirk.

Once I'm buckled in, Finn slides into the driver's seat and revs the engine. "So," he says, casting me a sidelong look full of mischief, "I've got a little surprise planned tonight."

I narrow my eyes playfully. "A surprise? Should I be worried?"

"Only if you hate great food, fairy lights, and charming company," he teases, eyes glancing over at me like he's savoring the moment.

The drive through the city is bathed in the golden haze of sunset, making the world look a little softer, a little more magical. Eventually, we pull up to a cozy bistro, its patio decorated with delicate twinkling fairy lights that dance in the evening breeze.

"This place is adorable," I say as we get out, taking it all in. "How'd you find it?"

"A friend mentioned it," he says with a nonchalant shrug, leading me to the entrance. "But it's only perfect because you're here."

As we step inside, the host greets us with a warm smile—perhaps a bit too warm, his gaze lingering on me a second too long. I'm about to ignore it, but Finn subtly shifts beside me, his jaw clenching ever so slightly.

Normally, I would politely brush off any advances from a guy, but Finn's subtle tensing beside me causes me to suppress a giggle.

"Now that you're done gawking at my girlfriend, we have a reservation for two." Finn snaps.

The host flinches, cheeks colouring as he quickly guides us to our table, muttering apologies.

I smirk, leaning back and raising an eyebrow. "Jealousy's healthy—keeps things interesting."

Finn chuckles, leaning in close. "Then I guess I'm already in the green."

Our banter is interrupted by the arrival of our waitress, who seems suspiciously invested in Finn's attention, angling her body toward him and batting her lashes like she's auditioning for a mascara commercial. I snap my menu closed, a hint of annoyance creeping in.

"Can I take your order?" she asks, her voice syrupy sweet, but only directed at Finn.

"I'll have the steak," he says, casting me a knowing glance as if he's aware of my every thought.

I set down my menu with a decisive snap. "And I'll have the salmon," I say, my tone curt. "That'll be all."

The waitress shoots me a quick glare before swaying her hips dramatically as she walks away, leaving a trail of tension in her wake.

Finn reaches across the table, his hand finding mine and giving it a gentle squeeze. "Hey, remember what you said about jealousy keeping the spark alive?" he chuckles, his thumb tracing circles over my knuckles.

"Finn," I warn, trying not to smile.

He raises an eyebrow, laughing softly. "Alright, alright. But, for the record, you don't have to worry, Butterfly. You're the only one I see."

His gaze is unwavering, soft and intense in a way that makes my heart skip a beat. My earlier annoyance dissolves, replaced by warmth as I lean in, pressing a soft kiss to his lips. Pulling back, I spot the waitress discreetly watching us from across the room, her expression turning sour as she catches our little moment. With a small, victorious smile, I glance her way, daring her to try again.

Yeah, that's right. Back off.

Finn chuckles, catching my expression. "Now, now, play nice, Butterfly," he whispers, his tone amused.

"Fine, but only because you asked." I smirk, glancing at the waitress one last time, just to make my point. "Wouldn't want her to pop a vein, after all."