Drake's P.O.V

The morning air felt lighter than usual as I walked to school, headphones in, music blasting to drown out the chaos in my head. My mom’s date last night had gone well too well. She’d come home with a spring in her step and a goofy smile plastered on her face, humming a tune I didn’t recognize. 

It wasn’t that I was upset about her dating; I was happy for her. Truly. But seeing her so giddy, like a teenager, made me feel like the parent for the first time in our lives. Was this what growing up felt like? Watching your mom move on while you stayed stuck in the same place? 

Zack met me at the school gates, holding two coffees one for him, one for me. He handed it over without a word, his way of saying 'I know you’re overthinking, but I’m here anyway.'

“Thanks,” I muttered, taking a sip. 

“Anytime, Smoothie Boy.” 

“Don’t start,” I warned, and he just smirked. 

We were halfway to first period when the buzz of gossip caught my attention. Whispers, pointed looks, stifled laughter all directed toward the main hallway where a crowd had gathered. 

“Another vending machine incident?” Zack asked, grinning. 

“I doubt it,” I said, craning my neck to see over the sea of heads. 

At the center of the commotion stood Emma Hayes, her posture as rigid as a marble statue. Ethan was next to her, looking like he’d rather be anywhere else. And between them was a piece of paper taped to the locker they shared, a poster, actually. 

It was Emma’s face, edited onto some ridiculous caricature, with the words: 'Queen Emma, Ruler of Drama Island.'

I couldn’t help it. A laugh escaped before I could stop myself. 

Big mistake. 

Emma’s gaze snapped to mine, her icy blue eyes narrowing with the force of a thousand daggers. If looks could kill, I’d have been six feet under. 

“Who did this?” she demanded, her voice slicing through the murmurs. 

Nobody answered. 

Zack leaned in close. “Do we tell her it’s probably some freshman with a death wish or let her figure it out?” 

“Let’s just walk away,” I whispered back, tugging at his sleeve. 

But it was too late. Ethan caught sight of me and smirked, his lazy confidence shining through even in the middle of his sister’s rage. 

“Morning, Smoothie Boy,” he said, loud enough for everyone to hear. 

And just like that, all eyes were on me. 

“Drake Finn,” Emma said, crossing her arms. “Why am I not surprised?” 

“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” I said, holding up my hands. “I had nothing to do with this!” 

She raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying it. 

“Emma, come on,” Ethan chimed in, still grinning. “Drake’s too much of a goody-two-shoes to pull something like this off.” 

I shot him a surprised look. “Thanks, man. Really appreciate the vote of confidence.”

Emma turned her glare on her brother. “And you’re just going to stand there? Aren’t you supposed to be the responsible one?” 

“Since when?” Ethan asked, his tone dripping with sarcasm. 

Before their argument could escalate, the bell rang, cutting through the tension. Emma ripped the poster off the locker, crumpled it into a ball, and stormed off without another word. 

Ethan lingered, his eyes meeting mine for a brief moment. There was something in his gaze...amusement, sure, but also something softer, like he was seeing me for the first time. 

“See you in chemistry, Finn,” he said, winking before sauntering off. 

By lunchtime, the poster incident had been overshadowed by a new scandal, someone had spray-painted 'Prom is a Scam' across the gymnasium doors. 

“Who even does that?” I asked as Zack and I walked past the mess. 

“Probably someone who got rejected,” he replied, biting into an apple. 

“Still,” I said, shaking my head. “It’s kind of sad.” 

“What’s sad,” Zack said, “is that you’re still thinking about Emma and Ethan.” 

“I’m not,” I lied. 

“You are,” he insisted. “And honestly? I get it. They’re like walking soap operas—drama, intrigue, unresolved sexual tension.” 

“Zack!” I hissed, smacking his arm. 

He just laughed. “Relax, dude. I’m kidding. Sort of.” 

We found our usual table near the back of the cafeteria, but my appetite was non-existent. My thoughts kept drifting to the Hayes siblings, Emma’s anger, Ethan’s smirk, the way they seemed to command the room without even trying. 

“You’re doing it again,” Zack said, snapping his fingers in front of my face. 

“Doing what?” 

“Brooding.” 

“I’m not brooding.” 

“You totally are.” 

Before I could argue, a familiar voice interrupted. 

“Mind if I sit here?” 

I looked up to see Ethan standing there, his tray balanced effortlessly in one hand. 

“Uh… sure,” I said, scooting over to make room. 

Zack gave me a look that screamed 'What is happening right now?' but wisely kept his mouth shut. 

Ethan sat down, his presence immediately shifting the dynamic at the table. 

“So,” he said, popping a fry into his mouth. “What’s the deal with you and my sister?” 

I choked on my drink. “What?” 

“You heard me,” he said, smirking. “You and Emma. What’s the deal?” 

“There’s no deal,” I said quickly. 

“Uh-huh,” he said, clearly unconvinced. 

Zack, of course, couldn’t resist jumping in. “Drake’s had a crush on Emma since, like, third grade.” 

“Zack!” 

“What?” he said innocently. “It’s true.” 

Ethan’s smirk widened. “Interesting.” 

I glared at Zack, who was now fully enjoying my humiliation. 

“Relax, Smoothie Boy,” Ethan said, leaning back in his chair. “I’m just messing with you.” 

“It’s absolutely not true,” I muttered, my face burning. 

Ethan’s gaze lingered on me for a moment longer than necessary before he stood up. 

“See you in chemistry,” he said, his tone lighter than usual. 

As soon as he was out of earshot, Zack turned to me, his eyes wide with disbelief. 

“What the hell just happened?” 

“I have no idea,” I admitted.

We sat there for a moment, staring at each other in confusion, the weight of the embarrassment hanging thick in the air. Ethan’s smile lingered, his eyes glinting with something I couldn’t quite place. Was it amusement? Was he playing me? I couldn’t tell.

Before I could overthink it, we both turned and headed into class, the bell ringing just as we crossed the threshold. The tension didn't exactly evaporate, but it simmered in the background, like a storm cloud waiting to break.

Chemistry was a blur of awkward glances and stolen moments. Ethan sat next to me again, his arm brushing mine every time he moved.

Chemistry was a blur of awkward glances and stolen moments. Ethan sat next to me again, his arm brushing mine every time he moved, sending my heart into overdrive.

“Hey,” he whispered halfway through the lecture.

“What?” I whispered back, trying to focus on the notes in front of me but failing miserably.

“Do you want to come over this weekend?”

The question hit me like a ton of bricks. “Uh… why?”

He shrugged casually, as if it were the most normal thing in the world. “We’re throwing a party. Thought you might want to come.”

“Me?”

“Yeah, you. Don’t overthink it.”

I blinked, my thoughts spiraling. A party?

I’d never been to one before—not a real one, anyway. Sure, there were the occasional group hangouts in the park or at a friend’s house, but this was different. This was Ethan Hayes throwing a party. And I had no idea how to handle that. What if I embarrassed myself? What if I didn’t fit in? What if everyone just stared at me like I was some kind of alien?

I could practically hear the internal monologue screaming at me: This is your chance. Don't be the kid who always backs out.

I swallowed hard. “Sure,” I said, my voice surprisingly steady considering the chaos in my head. “I’ll come.”

Ethan grinned, looking far too pleased with himself. “Cool. Don’t worry about it. Just show up, and you’ll figure it out.”

As he turned his attention back to the front of the class, I couldn’t help but replay the conversation in my head. A party. A real party. The thought sent a nervous flutter through my stomach. Was I ready for this? Would I even belong?

I had never been the type to go to parties. The idea of being around a bunch of people, drinking, and pretending I knew what to do made me feel like I was out of my depth. I’d seen movies and heard stories, but experiencing it firsthand was a whole different monster. What if I wasn’t “cool” enough? What if I couldn’t even talk to anyone without embarrassing myself?

For the rest of the period, I couldn’t focus on anything but the way his smile made my chest feel tight and light all at once.

That night, I told my mom about the party. She was sitting on the couch, her legs tucked under her as she scrolled through her phone. 

“A party at the Hayes’ house?” she said, raising an eyebrow. 

“Yeah. Ethan invited me.” 

“Ethan Hayes?” 

“Is there another Ethan I don’t know about?” 

She laughed. “No, I guess not. Just… be careful, okay? Their family’s kind of… intense.” 

“Tell me about it,” I muttered. 

She reached out to ruffle my hair, a rare display of affection that caught me off guard. 

“You’ll be fine,” she said. “Just don’t do anything stupid.” 

“No promises,” I said, earning a laugh. 

As I headed upstairs, I couldn’t shake the feeling that the party was going to change everything. For better or worse, I had no idea.

I quickly messaged Zack.

Ethan invited me to a party this weekend.

A few seconds later, his reply popped up.

Wait, what? Ethan Hayes invited you?

Yeah, he said I should come.

Dude, you're going?

I think so…

Bro, don’t think. Just go. I’m there. We’re a package deal. You’re 'Buy One, Get One Free'!

I laughed.

You’re seriously just going to show up with me?

Hell yeah. We’re not missing this party. Plus, I’ll make sure you don’t do anything embarrassing.

Thanks for the support i guess.

Anyway, You can’t get rid of me now.

I smiled, shaking my head.

Fine, we’re both in.

That’s what I like to hear.

I stared at the screen, feeling a little less nervous. With Zack by my side, this party might actually be bearable.