A Quiet Storm

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It had been a few days since the encounter at lunch, and things between Lily and Mia had been… tense. Mia was still haunted by the image of Lily and Noah together. She couldn't stop thinking about it, and every glance at them in the hallway felt like a dagger to her heart.

The chemistry between Lily and Noah was undeniable, and it made Mia's stomach twist in a way she wasn't ready to admit. Noah, always so carefree and charming, had been spending more time with Lily. He joked with her, laughed with her, and Mia couldn't help but feel like she was slowly being pushed aside. The worst part? Lily didn't seem to notice. She was blissfully unaware of Mia's growing resentment.

It was a Friday afternoon, and the school day was almost over. Mia had been trying to focus on her history homework, but her mind kept drifting to Lily and Noah. She glanced across the room and found Noah leaning against the wall, laughing with Lily. His fingers brushed her arm, and the simple touch sent a surge of anger through Mia.

Lily caught Mia's gaze from across the room, and for a moment, their eyes locked. There was a flicker of something between them, but Mia quickly turned away, biting her lip to suppress the emotions threatening to spill over.

"You okay?" Emma, Mia's best friend, asked softly, sensing the tension.

Mia didn't answer immediately. She couldn't. The lump in her throat made it impossible to speak. Instead, she gave a tight smile and nodded, though it was far from convincing.

"I think you should talk to her," Emma said, leaning in. "This isn't good for you, Mia."

But Mia wasn't ready to talk. Not yet. Not when she was so unsure of her own feelings. Instead, she watched from the corner of her eye as Lily and Noah shared another laugh. The way they were so comfortable with each other made Mia's heart ache.

As the bell rang to signal the end of the school day, Mia stood up quickly, gathering her things. She avoided looking at Lily, knowing that if she did, her emotions might spill out uncontrollably.

Noah, however, seemed to have other plans. As Mia walked toward the door, he caught up with her.

"Hey, Mia," Noah said with a casual grin. "Are you coming to the study group later? Lily and I were thinking of—"

"Maybe," Mia interrupted, her voice cold. "I have stuff to do."

Noah raised an eyebrow but didn't push further. "Everything okay?"

Mia hesitated, biting her lip, but then forced a smile. "Yeah, I'm fine. I just… I have some things to handle."

She could feel the weight of his gaze, but she didn't turn around. Instead, she walked out the door, leaving him standing there with a confused expression.

Later that evening, Mia lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. She couldn't shake the feeling that Lily and Noah were slowly slipping further away from her. The jealousy burned like a fire in her chest, consuming her thoughts, her every waking moment.

She had never felt this way before, and it terrified her. What if this feeling she couldn't control was something deeper? What if it was something she couldn't walk away from?

But if there was one thing Mia knew for sure, it was this: she couldn't lose Lily. Not again.

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The days that followed seemed to stretch on forever. Mia couldn't stop herself from noticing the little things: the way Noah would smile at Lily, or the way her laughter seemed so effortless with him. It wasn't just during lunch or the study sessions anymore—he would text her, drop by her locker, and even walk her to class. Mia watched it all from the sidelines, her heart sinking a little more each time.

It wasn't just jealousy—it was a mix of frustration, confusion, and fear. Fear that she might lose Lily, the girl she had come to depend on. The girl she had started to feel more for than she was willing to admit. But every time she thought about telling Lily the truth, a wave of doubt washed over her. What if it changed everything? What if Lily didn't feel the same way?

At lunch on Monday, Mia found herself walking toward their usual table. She hesitated for a moment when she saw Lily and Noah already sitting together, talking in low voices, their heads close. Noah's hand rested on the edge of the table, dangerously close to Lily's. She bit her lip, fighting the urge to storm off.

Instead, Mia sat down, her back stiff, trying to keep her face neutral. Lily looked up, her face lighting up with a smile.

"Hey, Mia!" she greeted, too cheerfully.

Noah glanced at her, his expression unreadable. He didn't say anything at first, but the silence between them was thick. Mia could feel the tension hanging in the air.

"So," Noah broke the silence, his tone casual but sharp, "Are you coming to the game this Friday? Lily and I are planning to go."

Mia stiffened. "I don't know," she said, trying to hide the irritation in her voice. "I might be busy."

Noah raised an eyebrow but didn't push further. Lily, on the other hand, seemed oblivious, laughing at something Noah had said. Mia felt a knot form in her stomach as she watched them. Every laugh, every small touch between them felt like it was chipping away at her.

As the conversation continued, Mia found it harder to keep her composure. She picked at her food, not really tasting it.

"You're awfully quiet today," Lily observed, her tone light. "What's up with you?"

Mia's gaze flickered up to meet Lily's, and for a split second, she saw something in her eyes—something vulnerable, something that Mia had missed before. But it was gone before she could even process it. Instead of responding, Mia shrugged, forcing a smile.

"Just tired, I guess."

The words felt hollow even to her. She knew it wasn't just tiredness. It was everything that had been building up inside her. The jealousy. The frustration. The fear that Noah was slowly taking Lily away from her.

After lunch, Mia couldn't bear to be near them any longer. She grabbed her things and quickly left the cafeteria, trying to push away the overwhelming wave of emotions threatening to pull her under.

Later that night, Mia sat at her desk, staring blankly at her phone. She had texted Lily a few times over the past week, but it was always short, impersonal replies. She hadn't gotten any deeper than that. And Noah—Noah seemed to be everywhere. It was like Mia couldn't escape him, no matter how hard she tried.

Mia ran a hand through her hair, frustration bubbling up. Why was this so hard? Why couldn't she just tell Lily how she felt?

The phone buzzed in her hand, and she saw a message from Lily.

Hey, you okay? You seemed off today.

Mia's heart skipped a beat. This was it. She could say something. She could tell Lily how she felt, how this jealousy was suffocating her. But the fear of rejection, of pushing Lily away forever, stopped her from typing anything. She stared at the message for a long time before replying.

I'm fine. Just tired. Nothing to worry about.

Mia hit send before she could rethink it, feeling a pang of guilt.

She tossed her phone aside and let out a deep breath, closing her eyes. She couldn't keep pretending. Something had to give. She couldn't keep hiding this jealousy, these feelings, much longer. It was eating her alive, and if she didn't do something soon, she feared it would tear them apart for good.

That night, Mia couldn't sleep. The darkness in her room only seemed to amplify her emotions, making everything feel heavier, more intense. Her jealousy had grown like a wildfire, and now, it was threatening to consume her completely.

By the time the sun rose, Mia knew what she had to do.

---

The next day at school, Mia was determined. She had spent all night thinking, weighing the possibilities. It was terrifying, but she couldn't keep pretending. She couldn't let her jealousy drive a wedge between them any longer.

During lunch, when she saw Lily sitting alone by the window, Mia took a deep breath and walked over. The knot in her stomach twisted painfully as she sat down across from Lily, who looked up, surprised.

"Hey," Mia said, her voice shaky but determined. "We need to talk."

Lily's eyebrows furrowed slightly. "What's up?"

Mia hesitated, her mind racing. She had to say it—she couldn't keep hiding her feelings.

"I—" Mia started, her voice faltering. "I think I've been… avoiding you lately."

Lily's eyes softened. "I noticed. But why?"

Mia exhaled slowly, finally letting the words spill out. "I don't know what to do with how I feel. About you. About... everything."

Lily's expression shifted, and for the first time in what felt like forever, Mia saw her vulnerability reflected back. She had known Mia for too long to not sense that something was wrong. Lily took a breath, her voice gentle.

"Mia, you don't have to hide it from me. I—I've noticed the tension too. Is it about Noah?"

Mia nodded, her chest tightening. "I'm jealous. I can't help it. I've been trying to ignore it, but it's driving me crazy, and I don't know what to do."

Lily's eyes widened slightly, and she leaned forward, her voice barely above a whisper. "Mia… I've been feeling the same way. I didn't know how to tell you either."

Mia's heart skipped a beat. "What do you mean?"

Lily bit her lip, glancing down for a moment before meeting Mia's gaze again. "I don't know if it's the same for you, but Noah… he's just a distraction. I care about you, Mia. More than I've been able to say."

Mia felt the weight in her chest lift slightly, and for the first time in days, she could breathe a little easier. It wasn't over. It was just the beginning.

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