Chapter 1: The First Frame

The late afternoon sunlight filtered through the blinds in Lila’s bedroom, casting a warm glow over the cluttered space. Fairy lights twinkled above her bed, and posters of pop stars lined the walls. Lila lounged on her bed, her dark hair pulled into a messy bun, scrolling through Instagram on her phone. At just 5’4”, she had a natural elegance about her, though her playful smirk and the way she kicked her legs in the air gave her a carefree, almost mischievous vibe.

Ethan sat cross-legged on the floor, hunched over his tablet as he tapped away at a mobile game. He was the same height as Lila but lanky, with a boyish face that still held traces of childhood innocence. His sandy blond hair fell into his eyes, and his oversized hoodie made him look even less imposing than he already was.

“Check this out,” Lila said, tilting her phone toward Ethan without looking up. “Tessa just posted a selfie with Ryan. Isn’t he, like, way out of her league?”

Ethan glanced up, squinting at the screen. “I don’t know. I guess? He’s probably just being nice.”

“Nice?” Lila rolled her eyes, her tone dripping with sarcasm. “Did you see the caption? ‘Best night ever!’ She’s totally trying to make it a thing.”

“Maybe. I don’t really pay attention to that stuff.” He shrugged, his attention already drifting back to his game.

“Of course you don’t, Mr. ‘I’d rather play games than talk to girls.’” Lila smirked, kicking a pillow in his direction.

Ethan dodged it clumsily, his cheeks turning pink. “Hey, I talk to you, don’t I?”

“Yeah, because I don’t give you a choice. You’d probably hide in your room all day if I didn’t drag you out.”

Ethan chuckled nervously, his fingers still tapping at the screen. Lila set her phone down and propped herself up on her elbows, studying him with a mischievous glint in her eye.

“Okay, I’m bored. Let’s do something fun.”

“What kind of fun?” Ethan asked, his voice tinged with suspicion.

“I don’t know. Let’s do a TikTok challenge or something.”

Ethan groaned, throwing his head back dramatically. “Not another TikTok challenge. Last time you made me do that dance, and it was so cringe.”

Lila burst out laughing, her eyes sparkling with amusement. “It was hilarious! You looked like a robot having a seizure. Come on, it’ll be fun.”

“Fine. But nothing embarrassing this time.”

“No promises.” Grinning, Lila grabbed her phone and opened the TikTok app, scrolling through recent challenges. After a moment, she handed the phone to Ethan. “Okay, watch this. It’s the ‘Catch the Beat’ challenge. You just have to time the jump perfectly with the music.”

Ethan squinted at the screen, still skeptical. “That’s it? That doesn’t sound too bad.”

“Yeah, but you have to record it in slo-mo. Everyone messes up in slo-mo.”

Ethan sighed but stood up, brushing himself off and preparing to do the challenge. Lila positioned herself to film, her excitement obvious as she held the phone steady.

“Okay, ready? Go!”

Ethan jumped awkwardly, trying to time it with the music, but he stumbled slightly, his gangly limbs flailing. Lila burst out laughing, pausing the recording.

“Oh my God, Ethan, that was amazing. You looked like you were trying to fight off an invisible bee!”

Ethan’s face turned bright red, and he ran a hand through his hair. “It’s harder than it looks!”

“Your turn to film me. I’ll show you how it’s done.”

Ethan took the phone reluctantly and started recording as Lila performed the challenge flawlessly. Her movements were smooth and effortless, her confidence obvious as she nailed the timing.

“Okay, yeah, that was ... pretty good,” Ethan admitted, his tone grudging but admiring.

“Pretty good? I nailed it. You’re just jealous,” Lila said, her voice teasing as she tilted her head, her dark hair spilling over her shoulder. Ethan’s gaze lingered on her for a moment longer than necessary, his cheeks flushing as he looked away.

“Maybe a little,” he admitted, laughing as he handed the phone back to her.

Lila flopped back onto her bed, scrolling through the videos they’d just recorded. “I’m posting these. You’re going viral, Ethan.”

“What? No way! Delete that!”

Lila laughed, holding her phone out of reach as Ethan tried to grab it. Their laughter filled the room, a mix of playfulness and genuine friendship, as the golden sunlight of the late afternoon streamed through the windows.

Ethan sat at the table, his lanky frame dwarfed by the chair. It wasn’t unusual for him to stay for dinner—his dad’s frequent business trips and his mom’s night shifts as a nurse often left him alone at home. Lila’s family had practically become his second family over the years, and tonight was no different.

Across from him, Lila twirled her fork in her pasta, her dark hair falling over her shoulders as she leaned forward. At fourteen, she was already strikingly beautiful, her sharp jawline and expressive eyes bearing a striking resemblance to her father’s.

Lila’s mom, sitting to her dad’s left, was the picture of warmth and comfort. Despite being in her late thirties, she carried herself with a quiet grace, her smile soft and genuine. Her brown hair was pulled into a loose ponytail, and she wore a simple sweater that added to her unassuming demeanor.

“So, how was school today?” Lila’s mom asked, her voice light and conversational as she passed the bread basket to Ethan.

“Eh, it’s been fine,” Lila said with a shrug, glancing at Ethan. “First week’s just figuring out where everything is. Kinda boring, honestly.”

Lila’s dad cleared his throat, his deep voice cutting through the casual chatter. “First week, huh? New school, new schedule ... new dynamics, I imagine.” His tone was measured, but there was an edge to it that made Lila pause mid-bite.

She glanced up, catching her father’s gaze. “Yeah, Dad. It’s high school, not a spy mission. We’re still figuring things out.”

Ethan chuckled awkwardly, his eyes fixed on his plate. “It’s been a little overwhelming, but ... we’ll get used to it.”

Lila’s dad leaned back in his chair, his arms crossed. His eyes lingered on Ethan for a moment, then shifted to Lila. “You two have been spending a lot of time together lately. More than usual.”

Lila frowned, her fork clinking against her plate. “We’re friends, Dad. That’s kind of what friends do.”

“Of course,” her dad replied, his voice smooth but laced with something heavier. “Just seems like you’ve been ... closer lately. Closer than usual.” He paused, his gaze sharpening. “You’re growing up fast, Lila. People notice things.”

Lila’s mom glanced between them, her brow furrowing slightly. “Grayson, they’ve known each other for years. What’s the big deal?”

“No big deal,” he said, his voice steady but dismissive, as he reached for his glass. “Just something to keep in mind.”

Lila exchanged a quick glance with Ethan, who looked as uneasy as she felt. The air at the table felt heavier now, the unspoken tension stretching the silence thin.

After dinner, Lila and Ethan escaped to the living room, both exhaling in relief as they left the dining room behind.

“Your dad’s kind of ... intense sometimes,” Ethan whispered as they sat on the couch, his voice barely audible over the soft hum of the TV.

Lila shrugged, though her stomach twisted with unease. “He’s always been overprotective. Don’t worry about it.”

Ethan nodded, but he didn’t look convinced.

The late afternoon sunlight had faded, leaving Lila’s bedroom bathed in the soft glow of her fairy lights. She lounged on the floor, her dark hair pulled into a messy bun, scrolling through TikTok on her phone. Ethan sat beside her, his lanky frame hunched over his tablet as he tapped away at a mobile game.

“Okay, Ethan, we’re doing this,” Lila said, her voice full of excitement as she paused on a video.

Ethan looked up, wary. “What is it now?”

“The Mirror Challenge. You have to mimic everything I do, like, exactly.”

Ethan groaned. “Do I have to?”

“Come on, it’ll be fun. Just follow my lead.”

Lila positioned herself in front of him, her face serious as she began the challenge. She started with simple gestures—waving her hands, tilting her head—but quickly escalated to more exaggerated movements, like blowing a kiss or pretending to poke his nose.

Ethan tried to keep up, but his awkwardness made him fumble, and Lila burst out laughing.

“You’re so bad at this!” she teased, leaning in closer.

Ethan blushed, his voice faltering. “It’s harder than it looks!”

Lila grinned, her eyes sparkling. “Okay, one last one. Close your eyes.”

Ethan hesitated but complied, his cheeks turning red. Lila leaned in, her face inches from his, before pulling back at the last second and tapping his nose.

“Gotcha,” she whispered, her voice teasing.

Ethan opened his eyes, his heart racing. “You’re evil.”

Lila laughed, leaning back on her hands. “You’re just too easy to mess with.”