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Game Night

Summary:

It's game night for all the couples at the Lopez house and the game of choice is a NSFW version Never Have I Ever... what could possibly go wrong? Pre-relationship Chenford. Set beginning of season 5-ish. They are still with Chris and Ashley... for now.

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Tim ran his hand over the stubble on his face with a sigh, squeezing his eyes closed and tossing his head back against the head rest. This was all Angela’s fault, really. If she hadn’t of had that stupid game night and invited all of the stupid couples, he wouldn’t be sitting next to a crying, yet angry Ashley as she ranted and yelled and ranted some more.

“Ash…” He tried to interrupt.

“Don’t.” She held up a hand and shot him her best glare. It wasn’t too scary, but he knew she was giving it her best shot. “Do you even hear what I’m saying?”

“I do, but I just don’t agree!”

“Were we not in the same room just now?!” She screeched. “God, you’re so oblivious. Both of you are.”

Tim just looked at her with weary eyes.

“And I’m stupid. So, so stupid.” She started shaking her head and spiraling again.

“You’re not—”

“I mean I kind of thought at first that there may have been something. That disastrous double date and all, but you assured me. You told me there was nothing going on! And I believed you!” She continued.

“Because it’s true!” He finally got out. He held up his hand to stop her from interrupting him again. “I swear. There is nothing going on with Lucy and I.”

Ashley studied him closely, her eyes unblinking.

“You’re more stupid than I am. Just drive, please.”

 

***

 

Angela’s living room buzzed with energy as everyone gathered around the coffee table, their drinks and snacks within reach. The room felt warm and lively, the perfect backdrop for game night. Angela, ever the hostess, smirked as she held up the "Never Have I Ever" question cards.

“Alright, folks,” she said, taking her seat next to Wesley. “Time to spill some secrets!”

Tim sat comfortably on the couch, one arm loosely slung around Ashley, though his posture seemed a little stiff. Lucy was on the floor, leaning against the couch with Chris sitting close beside her. Her laugh bubbled up every time Angela teased someone, but her eyes flickered toward Tim more often than she probably realized.

“Ang, aren’t we a little old for that game?” Tim groaned.

Angela ignored him with a playful eye roll. She held up the bottle of wine she was pouring while explaining, "Rules are simple: if you’ve done it, you drink. And no dodging the truth!" She sent a mock-stern look at Tim, who gave an unimpressed grunt in response. “The fun part is that I got the NSFW version.” She smirked.

"I’ll start," Nyla said, leaning back with a smile. "Never have I ever… played hooky.”

Almost everyone reached for their drinks, unsurprisingly. “Timothy Bradford!” Angela gasped. “You have played hooky? You, Mr. Rule Follower?”

Lucy snickered into her drink.

“Some things are more important than rules.” He shrugged, the tips of his ears turning red as he glanced around the room.

“My turn.” James said as he reached for a card. “Never have I ever been skinny dipping.” He chuckled and shook his head. Every woman drank while every man sat still.

“Yeah?” Chris asked Lucy, who shrugged. “Yep.”

“You guys are so lame!” Angela pointed around the room at the guys.

“It’s illegal, Angela.” Tim gruffed.

“And? It’s fun. And it can be hot.” She challenged, causing a round of laughter. He playfully rolled his eyes, shaking his head and leaning back against the couch. He chanced a glance at Lucy, who quickly looked away from him. He was most decidedly not thinking about her skinny dipping. Especially since his girlfriend, the lifeguard, was sitting right next to him. “C’mon, Tim, she’s right!” Ashley laughed. “I’ll take you sometime.”

His eyes widened. “I will not skinny dip in the ocean of all places.”

Ashley furrowed her brows. “Why not?”

“Tim hates the ocean.” Lucy spoke up.

“You hate the ocean?” Ashley asked, her face full of confusion.

“Yeah. It’s… gross.” He shrugged.

“Whatever. Nolan, you’re up.” Angela interrupted.

“Alright, here we go. Never have I ever… hooked up with someone in my place of work.” Nolan spoke quickly.

Everyone exchanged glances, and then, to everyone’s surprise, Angela took a drink.

“Wait, what?” Lucy busted out laughing.

“Wesley, you’re the last person I would’ve guessed for this one.” Nyla commented.

Tim sat with his eyes wide in disbelief. “What the hell, Angela? You and Wesley? At the station?”

Angela shrugged with a smirk. “What can I say? The place is pretty quiet after hours…”

Wesley was sitting quietly, looking around at the group, his face red. He was clearly trying to avoid eye contact, but it was clear he’s not getting away from this one. “Uh… well, yeah. It happened. A couple of times, actually.”

“Okay, hold up. You guys… at the station?” Tim asked, again.

Angela laughed at his flustered face. “Yep, that’s right. You should see the look on your face, Tim. You’re kind of adorable when you’re grossed out. Do you want me to elaborate?”

“Nope, nope, I’m good. Don’t need the details…” He threw his hands up in mock surrender.

Lucy laughed and ripped her eyes away from Tim. Angela was right, he was kind of adorable when he was flustered. “Okay, just one question—Where? Was it in an interrogation room or in the locker room? Oh! Or that little storage room in the basement?”

Wesley squirmed. “Uh… let’s just say it was… very ‘no one else was around’ vibes.”

“Sounds like you’ve thought about it, though, Chen.” Angela smirked and Lucy’s face blushed as she hid behind her drink and avoided Tim’s open stare.

“I’m kind of impressed. I thought you two were all business.” Chris didn’t even notice the tension Angela had caused.

Wesley chuckled nervously. “Thanks, I guess?”

“My turn!” Bailey sang as she grabbed the next card. “Never have I ever… been caught having sex.”

The room sat quiet and silent, no one reaching for their drinks.

“Damn. I guess we are all just that good.” Nyla broke the silence.

The laughter had just begun to die down when Angela pulled the next card from the deck. Her eyes scanned the text, and she let out a sly chuckle. “Never have I ever… kissed someone of the same gender.”

The room goes quiet for a split second.

“None of us have kissed someone of the same gender?” Chris spoke up with a chuckle.

Ashley laughed. “I’m not touching that one. Hard pass.”

Tim shrugged. “Well, I guess it hasn’t happened for me, but I can’t judge. Who hasn’t thought about it a time or two?”

Lucy began choking on the drink that she had most definitely just taken.

Chris frowned and turned to lucy, everyone ignoring what Tim just said. “Wait, you’ve—”

Lucy lowers her glass with a slight smile, her cheeks a little pinker than before. “I’ve kissed a girl. Or girls…”

Tim’s breath noticeably hitched, and he quickly looked away, trying to hide the flare of heat in his chest, fighting the urge to stare at her. “Well, that’s…” his voice trails off, his tone a little too tight, his gaze shifting to his drink

Chris leaned forward, trying to process this new piece of information, his confusion palpable. “Wait, so you’re like… a lesbian?”

Lucy’s face flushes a deeper shade of pink, but she’s quick to respond. “No, Chris, I’m not a lesbian.” She rolled her eyes. “I’m just saying I’ve kissed girls, not that I’m into women exclusively.”

Chris scratched his head, clearly struggling to wrap his mind around this.“But… I don’t get it. You’ve kissed a girl. How does that not mean—”

Tim interrupted before Chris could dig a bigger hole. “Dude, you don’t need to understand it. It’s not that complicated. People kiss who they want.” He said it casually, but there’s an edge to his voice, a subtle challenge to Chris.

“Yeah, okay, I guess. But—”

“Didn’t you go to college, Chris?” Angela cut in, causing a flight of laughter to bubble in the room.

“I did. I didn’t see you drink, Angela.” Chris challenged.

“Because you were too concerned about Lucy. I’ve kissed a few girls. It’s no big deal.”

Nyla and Bailey both nodded in acknowledgement, briefly raising their glasses.

Ashley interrupted, her tone teasing, “So you’re telling me you guys just casually… kiss girls sometimes? What, no big deal?”

Lucy shrugged and leaned back, looking more comfortable now that the awkwardness had passed. “It’s really not a big deal.” She glanced over at Tim quickly to see if he’s watching and caught him looking away.

Ashley hummed in wonder, looking over to Tim.

He was trying to keep it together, but his mind was racing—he couldn’t stop thinking about the idea of Lucy kissing another woman. “Yeah. Not a big deal at all.” He forced himself to take a long drink, trying to hide how unsettled he felt, his thoughts briefly drifting to some ‘what if’ scenarios.

Chris was still not quite processing it but began to let it go. “Alright, whatever. You’ve got your secrets, I guess, Lucy.” He chuckled awkwardly, clearly unsure how to move on.

Tim smirked, his demeanor more relaxed. “Guess it’s just a ‘you do you’ situation, huh?”

Lucy met Tim’s gaze for a second, feeling an unspoken connection stir between them. “Exactly.”

They locked eyes for a moment longer, and Lucy felt that familiar flutter in her chest. Her smile widened slightly, but she quickly looked away, trying to play it off.

“We are all a little more complex than gay or straight. Sexuality is fluid.” She stated.

“Amen.” Angela raised her glass. The tension was broken by more laughter, but Lucy’s mind was still buzzing from the brief exchange with Tim. She couldn’t help but notice the way his eyes had lingered on her for a moment longer than usual, as if he was picturing her with another woman.

Tim glanced down at her on the floor, his expression unreadable but his lips twitching as if suppressing a grin. Ashley shifted uncomfortably next to him, sensing an odd tension. Angela shuffled the deck of "Never Have I Ever" cards dramatically, clearly enjoying the mild chaos the game was causing. The game continued, but the subtle exchanges between Lucy and Tim only grew more noticeable with each question. Every shared look or private smile seemed to weave a narrative the others couldn’t quite put their finger on. Except for Angela—she knew exactly what she was doing. When shuffling the cards earlier, she spotted one that she knew would stir the pot and she was saving it for the right moment—or rather, saving it for when everyone had a few more drinks in them.

"Alright, this one’s gonna be good," she said with a smirk. She handed it to Wesley to read aloud, "Never have I ever… kissed a co-worker.”

The room went quiet for a beat, the kind of silence that begged to be filled with confessions. Angela’s grin widened as she looked around.

“Oh, come on,” James teased, raising his glass.

“Not me.” Ashley shook her head.

“Me either.” Chris agreed. He nudged Lucy, “You better not drink to this one.” His chuckled died when he realized her drink halfway to her lips.

The moment he said that, Nolan, Lucy, and Tim all took a sip. Eyes flitted from person to person until the group erupted into a mix of laughter and incredulous gasps. Angela, ever the instigator, leaned forward. “Spill, now. All three of you.”

Nolan chuckled nervously and rubbed his hands down his thighs. “Well, you know, Lucy and I…”

It was Tim’s turn to choke on his drink. Ashley glanced over at him with a frown. “What?” He choked out. Lucy bit her lip and groaned.

John!” She whined.

Angela cackled. “That’s right! I forgot about the two of you!”

“Oh, I need to hear more about this.” Nyla sat forward.

Nolan sat, his chin going up and down with words that couldn’t come out. He looked nervously at Bailey, who giggled beside him. “Babe, c’mon. It’s fine! You told me about you and Lucy a long time ago.”

“A long time ago is a good way to describe it.” Lucy said.

“So you and Nolan used to what? Hook up?” Chris asked, his voice tight.

Lucy shrugged and took another drink. “We dated while in the academy and for a short time after.” She finally made eye contact with Tim. He held her gaze and then finally spoke up, “Why’d you break up?”

All eyes turned towards him. Lucy nervously scratched her hair and let out a breath. “We, uh, decided it was too risky. You know, working together and stuff.” The tension between them was palpable. Slowly, Lucy looked away and sighed, taking a long drink.

“That’s not who you were thinking about when you drank, though, is it Lucy?” Angela cut in with a grin.

“W-what? Yes, it was.” Lucy tried, her voice small.

“Tim, why’d you drink?” Ashley finally asked.

“Uh…” He began, looking around the room at all the expectant faces. He thought about lying and saying that he didn’t mean to drink at that time, but it seemed to be too late.

“Isabel, right?” Nyla tried to help.

“Right. Right, Isabel. Yeah.” He let out a long breath and nodded profusely.

“You liar.” Bailey pointed her finger at him. Angela broke out in a cackle.

“Lucy? Care to explain?” She asked.

Lucy and Tim both stared daggers at Angela. “You know what? I think I’m drunk.” She let out as Wesley shook his head beside her.

Ashley blinked. “Tim? Lucy?”

Tim cleared his throat. “It was undercover. Part of the job.”

Chris frowned, putting the pieces together. “Wait—what? When?”

Bailey’s eyes widened and a slow grin spread across her face. She knew those two had it bad. “Oh, this I’ve got to hear.”

Lucy laughed nervously, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “It was just… an undercover thing. You know, blending in, staying in character…”

“You were Dim and Juicy, weren’t you?” Nyla asked, practically gleeful. “Oh, this is gold.”

Tim groaned, rubbing the back of his neck. “It wasn’t a big deal.”

“Not a big deal?” Ashley asked, not amused.

Lucy’s cheeks flushed a deep red, and she avoided looking at Chris, whose expression was growing darker by the second.

Chris folded his arms. “And when were you planning to tell me this?”

“Chris, it wasn’t personal.” Lucy insisted, her voice tinged with exasperation. “It was for the case.”

Ashley, meanwhile, shifted uncomfortably beside Tim. “I’m just… surprised. You never mentioned it.”

“Because it wasn’t worth mentioning,” Tim replied, his tone firm but defensive.

The tension in the room grew thick, and Angela, sensing the awkwardness (caused by herself nonetheless), clapped her hands. “Okay, okay! Let’s not forget—game night is supposed to be fun. And honestly, undercover kisses don’t count as real ones… right?”

“Right,” Lucy said quickly, though her eyes flickered toward Tim for a split second.

“Absolutely,” Tim added, though his voice was a little quieter than usual.

Angela raised an eyebrow, filing that little detail away for later. As the game continued, Ashley and Chris remained a bit distant, while Lucy and Tim avoided looking at each other too long. But under all the awkwardness, there was an undeniable charge between them that no undercover op could ever hide.

Lucy excused herself after a couple more rounds in search of reprieve. The kitchen was quiet compared to the chaos of the living room. She opened the fridge, scanning its contents for another sparkling water. She sighed as she finally found one tucked behind a bottle of soda, grabbing it and shutting the door.

She turned to find Tim standing there, his glass in hand, reaching for the ice bucket on the counter.

“Oh,” she said, startled. “Hey.”

“Hey,” Tim replied, his tone gruff but softer than usual.

For a moment, they stood there in awkward silence, the hum of the fridge filling the space. Lucy fidgeted with the tab on her drink, avoiding his gaze. Tim cleared his throat, scooping ice into his glass.

“Needed a break from the game?” he asked.

Lucy chuckled nervously. “Something like that. It was getting… intense.”

Tim smirked faintly. “Yeah, Angela has a way of doing that.”

She nodded, her eyes flickering toward him. He was standing so close, closer than he usually let himself get. She could smell the faint scent of his cologne, something warm and grounding. Her heart thudded in her chest.

“About earlier…” Tim began, his voice low.

Lucy’s breath hitched. “Yeah?”

“I didn’t mean to make things awkward. With the game,” he said, his eyes locking onto hers. “It’s just… hard sometimes. To keep everything straight.”

She tilted her head, searching his expression. “Yeah. It is.”

Their gazes held, the air between them thick with something unspoken. Lucy felt her pulse quicken, her hand tightening around the can. Tim’s jaw clenched, his hesitation palpable as if he were weighing the consequences of saying more.

“I—” Tim started, but his words faltered.

Lucy opened her mouth to respond, but before she could, the sound of heels clicking against the hardwood floor shattered the moment.

“There you are.” Ashley’s voice cut through the tension as she walked into the kitchen, her eyes darting between the two of them. “What’s taking so long?”

Tim stepped back quickly, his expression hardening into its usual neutral mask. “Just grabbing ice,” he said, holding up his glass.

Lucy plastered on a smile, though her cheeks felt hot. “And, uh, a drink. All set now.”

Ashley’s eyes narrowed slightly, but she said nothing, looping her arm through Tim’s. “Come on, everyone’s waiting for you.”

Tim nodded, his eyes flickering toward Lucy for the briefest moment before he let Ashley pull him back toward the living room.

Lucy stayed behind for a second longer, letting out a shaky breath. She set her unopened drink on the counter and leaned against it, willing her heart to stop racing.

In the other room, laughter rang out again, but Lucy stayed where she was, staring at the empty doorway where Tim had just been. She decided to escape to the bathroom for a longer breather. She stopped briefly in the living room to set her drink down and tell Chris where she was going, then beelined to the bathroom.

A short time later, Tim’s anxious energy led him to get up again and he found himself leaned against the hallway wall, arms crossed, his glass balanced on the edge of a small side table. The low hum of conversation from the living room drifted down the hall, but he wasn’t really listening. Instead, his focus was on the closed bathroom door in front of him, the sound of the faucet running faintly audible.

The door creaked open, and Lucy stepped out, drying her hands on a towel. She jumped slightly when she saw him.

“Tim?” she asked, startled. “What are you doing?”

“Just waiting my turn,” he said simply, though his tone was quieter than usual.

“Oh.” She smiled faintly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “Right. Well, it’s all yours.”

She started to move past him, but something in his expression made her pause. He looked at her like he wanted to say something, the kind of look that made her chest tighten.

“Lucy,” he said, his voice soft, almost hesitant.

She turned back toward him, her brow furrowing. “What is it?”

Tim exhaled sharply, glancing down the hallway to make sure no one was listening. His usual confidence was replaced by something more vulnerable, something she wasn’t used to seeing.

“Earlier,” he began, his eyes meeting hers. “The game. I just… I don’t know. It made me realize how much I—how much I’ve been thinking about things I probably shouldn’t.”

Lucy’s heart skipped a beat. She knew what he meant, could see it written all over his face, but hearing him come so close to admitting it made her pulse race.

“Tim…” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

“I know,” he said quickly, shaking his head as if to stop himself. “I know. We’re not supposed to—” He stopped, running a hand over his face. “I don’t know. I just…”

Lucy felt her breath catch, her hands clutching each other tightly. For a moment, she wanted to say something too, wanted to tell him she felt the same. Whatever he was feeling or trying to say, that is. But the thought of Chris, of Ashley, of the complications—it was too much at the moment.

The silence stretched between them, heavy and charged. Neither of them moved, their eyes locked in a way that said everything they couldn’t.

“Tim?” Ashley’s voice called from behind them, breaking the spell.

Tim stepped back as if burned, his expression once again snapping back to its usual guarded look. Ashley appeared at the end of the hall, her arms crossed and an annoyed look on her face.

“There you are,” she said, her tone clipped. “I’ve been looking for you. I’m ready to leave.”

Tim glanced at Lucy one last time, his expression unreadable, before nodding to Ashley. “Yeah. Let me grab my stuff.”

Ashley’s gaze flicked to Lucy, her lips pressing into a thin line. “See you around, Lucy,” she said curtly.

Lucy nodded, forcing a smile she didn’t feel. “Yeah. See you.”

As Tim followed Ashley down the hall, Lucy leaned against the wall, letting out a shaky breath. She felt like she’d just run a marathon, her heart pounding in her chest.

When she finally made her way back to the living room, Chris gave her a curious look. “Everything okay?”

Lucy smiled weakly. “Yeah. Everything’s fine.”

But deep down, she knew it wasn’t.

 

***

 

Chris pulled his car into the parking spot outside Lucy’s apartment building, the engine humming softly as he shifted into park. The ride home had been uneventful, filled mostly with his recounting of funny moments from the game night. Lucy had nodded and laughed in the right places, but her responses were distant, her gaze focused out the window.

As he turned off the ignition, he looked over at her and smiled. “Well, that was fun, huh? Angela really knows how to stir things up.”

Lucy forced a small smile, but her stomach was in knots. She had been dreading this moment all night, ever since her near-miss with Tim in the hallway. The weight of her conflicted feelings for him and her guilt over stringing Chris along were too much to bear anymore.

“Chris,” she began, her voice softer than she intended.

He tilted his head at her tone, his smile fading. “What’s up?”

She sighed, her fingers nervously tracing the edge of her purse strap. “I… I need to talk to you.”

His brows furrowed, his posture stiffening slightly. “Okay. What about?”

She hesitated, struggling to find the right words. “I’ve been thinking a lot about us, and… I don’t think this is working anymore.”

Chris blinked, the weight of her words hitting him like a punch to the gut. “What? Lucy, where is this coming from?”

“I’m sorry,” she said quickly, her voice trembling. “I didn’t want to do this like this, but I couldn’t keep pretending everything was fine.”

Chris stared at her, his shock giving way to confusion and hurt. “Pretending? Lucy, I thought we were good. I mean, yeah, I noticed you were a little quiet tonight, but I figured you were just tired.”

She shook her head, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. “It’s not about tonight, Chris. It’s been building for a while. You’re a great guy, and you’ve been nothing but kind and supportive, save for the whole singing thing, but…” She trailed off, struggling to say the rest.

“But what?” he pressed, his voice tinged with desperation. “You said you forgave me for that.”

“No,” she said firmly, finally meeting his eyes. “It’s not you. It’s me. God, I know that’s cliché, but I have realized my heart isn’t in this the way it should be. And that’s not fair to you.”

Chris leaned back in his seat, running a hand through his hair. “I don’t get it. You seemed happy. Is there someone else?”

The question made her heart skip a beat, but she forced herself to stay calm. “No,” she said quickly. “This isn’t about anyone else. It’s about me being honest with you and with myself.”

He let out a bitter laugh, shaking his head. “I don’t know if I believe that, Lucy.”

Her breath caught, and she froze. “Chris—”

“You don’t have to deny it,” he interrupted, his tone sharp but not angry. “I’m not stupid. I saw it, but I told myself I was imagining things. Guess I wasn’t.”

Lucy’s eyes filled with tears, guilt washing over her in waves. “I’m so sorry, Chris. I never meant to hurt you.”

He exhaled slowly, looking out the windshield as if trying to process everything. “Yeah. Well, I guess that’s something.”

She reached for the door handle, pausing to look back at him. “You deserve someone who can give you their whole heart. I’m sorry I couldn’t be that person.”

Chris didn’t respond, his jaw tight as he stared straight ahead. Lucy stepped out of the car, shutting the door softly behind her.

As she walked toward her apartment, she heard the car engine start again and the sound of tires on pavement as Chris drove away. She didn’t look back, but the weight of the breakup that pressed heavily on her chest began to dissipate with every step she took.

When she finally stepped inside her apartment, she leaned against the door and let out a shaky breath. The relationship was over, but the feelings she couldn’t deny—for someone else—were still unresolved.

 

***

 

The drive home for Tim and Ashley was uncomfortably silent after their initial fight, the only sound coming from the low hum of the truck’s engine. Tim kept his eyes on the road, gripping the steering wheel tightly, his knuckles white. Ashley sat stiffly in the passenger seat, her arms crossed, staring out the window with a stormy expression.

Finally, she broke the silence. “Actually, I need to talk about this more. Are you going to explain what the hell was going on tonight?”

Tim’s jaw tightened. “Again, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Ashley scoffed, turning to face him. “Oh, come on, Tim. The game, the looks, the way you two were acting in the kitchen and the hallway? It was like I wasn’t even there!”

Tim’s grip on the wheel tightened further. “Ashley, nothing is going on.”

“You’re telling me you expect me to believe that? That you and Lucy—what, you’re just partners?”

“Yes,” he said firmly. “That’s exactly what we are. Or actually, not even—”

Ashley laughed bitterly. “Right. Because partners stare at each other like that and have secret little moments that everyone can see. Even Angela noticed it.”

Tim shook his head, his frustration bubbling to the surface. “You’re making something out of nothing. Lucy and I—”

“Don’t lie to me, Tim!” Ashley snapped, cutting him off. “If you haven’t slept together, fine. But you can’t tell me there’s nothing between you two. I’m not blind.”

Tim’s mouth opened, but no words came out. He clenched his jaw, his silence louder than any denial he could’ve given.

Ashley’s eyes widened in realization. “Oh my God. You have feelings for her, don’t you?”

Tim’s head whipped toward her for a brief second before turning back to the road. “Ashley, don’t—”

“Answer me!” she demanded, her voice rising.

He exhaled sharply, his temper flaring. He quickly pulled the truck over to the side of the residential road. “Fine! You want the truth? Yes. I have feelings for her. Of some kind. I think. I don’t know.” He shook his head in frustration. “Are you happy now?”

The words hung in the air, heavy and final. Tim stared straight ahead, his breathing uneven, while Ashley sat frozen, her face a mix of shock and hurt.

“I knew it,” she said quietly, her voice trembling. “I knew it wasn’t just in my head.”

Tim sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Ashley, I didn’t mean for this to happen. I didn’t want it to.”

“But it did,” she said bitterly. “And you didn’t have the decency to tell me. You just let me sit there tonight, watching you two—” She broke off, her voice cracking. He turned to face her, his expression pained. “Look, I didn’t plan for any of this. I thought I could push it down, ignore it. I care about you, Ashley. I really do.”

“But not the way you care about her,” she said, tears brimming in her eyes.

Tim looked away, guilt written all over his face. He didn’t deny it—he couldn’t.

Ashley wiped her eyes, taking a shaky breath. “You know what? Just take me home. We’re done here.”

Tim nodded, his throat tight, and started driving again. Neither of them spoke for the rest of the ride, the silence between them more deafening than any argument could’ve been.

When they pulled up to her place, Ashley opened the door without looking at him. “Good luck, Tim. I hope you figure out what you want.”

She shut the door before he could respond, leaving him alone in the truck, staring at the empty passenger seat.

Tim leaned back against the headrest, closing his eyes. The weight of everything he’d been avoiding now settled squarely on his shoulders.

 

***

Lucy tossed and turned in her bed until she couldn't take it anymore. She grabbed her phone and hovered over Tim's name in her messages for a few beats before deciding to just go for it.

Lucy: Hey.

Tim: Hey. You’re up late.

His response was almost immediate.

Lucy: Could say the same for you. Interesting day?

Tim: Yeah. You?

Lucy: Same.

Tim: Everything okay?

Lucy: Actually… I broke up with Chris tonight.

She watched as the three little dots appeared and disappeared several times before his response came.

Tim: You serious?

Lucy: Yeah. It wasn’t right to keep going when I knew it wasn’t working.

Tim: That’s… honest. Tough, though.

Lucy: What about you? Everything good with Ashley?

She held her breath while waiting for a response. As much as she could feel the tension between her and Tim earlier, she could also sense the tension between him and his actual girlfriend. Albeit, a different type of tension.

Tim: We broke up.

Lucy shot straight up in her bed with a gasp.

Lucy: Wait. Tonight??

Tim: Yeah.

Lucy: Wow. Twinsies. 😂

Tim: Twinsies? Is that what we’re calling it?

Lucy: Well, unless you’ve got a better word. 😉

Tim: I’ll let you have this one. For now.

Lucy smiled down at her phone as she relaxed again.

Lucy: So… are you okay?

Tim: Honestly? Relieved. It wasn’t fair to her, or to me.

Lucy: Yeah. Same here. It’s like I can finally breathe.

Tim: Funny how that works.

Lucy: Yeah. Funny...

Tim: … You were great tonight, by the way.

Tim groaned at himself. That made no sense.

Lucy: At game night? I barely did anything.

Tim: Exactly. You didn’t have to try to be great. You just… are.

Lucy: You trying to flirt with me, Bradford?

Lucy bit her lip and giggled softly as she imagined a flustered Tim sitting in his own bed trying to text back.

Tim : Trying is the key word here.

Lucy: Careful, Bradford. You’re starting to sound like you like me or something.

Tim: Maybe I do.

Lucy sat up straight in her bed yet again, kicking her feet and doing a little happy dance. She gave herself a minute to celebrate, before dialing it down and responding casually.

Lucy: Well, if that’s the case… maybe I like you too.

Tim: We should probably talk about this in person.

Lucy: Probably.

Tim: Tomorrow?

Lucy: It’s a date.

Tim: Goodnight, Lucy.

Lucy: Goodnight, Tim.

She threw herself back in delight, her giddy smile seemingly permanent on her face now.