I missed that

                                    

                                          

Y/N's POV
I woke up to the early morning light filtering through the blinds, the dull ache of last night's thoughts still lingering. Rolling out of bed, I stretch, trying to shake off the sleep and the weight of Lizzie's text. The words had been circling in my mind ever since I saw them, but I had convinced myself to ignore them, at least for now.
I threw on a tank top and some shorts before heading downstairs. As I descended, I could hear the faint murmur of conversation. Turning the corner, I saw Olivia at the kitchen table, her friend sitting across from her. They were both laughing, but I didn't bother to make eye contact. Instead, I made a beeline for the garage.
The Cadillac project was where I could lose myself, where the world outside didn't matter for a while. My hands itched to get back to work, to forget about everything else, even if just for a few hours. The old car sat in the garage, half-finished, but a sight that always brought a small sense of pride. Today, I was determined to get something done on it—anything to keep my mind off that text.
The garage smelled of oil and metal, a comforting scent that I associated with long hours spent tinkering and fixing. I grabbed a wrench and slid under the car, starting to tighten the bolts on the suspension. The rhythmic clinking of metal on metal was soothing, a repetitive action that allowed me to focus solely on the task at hand.
But even as I worked, Lizzie's words kept creeping back into my mind. The tension between us, the way she had looked at me lately—it all gnawed at me. I tried to push it away, tightening the bolt a little harder than necessary.
The sound of footsteps pulled me out of my thoughts, and I saw my dad approaching with a coffee mug in hand. He leaned against the doorframe, watching me with a small smile.
"Hey, kid. Working on that thing again, huh?" he said, taking a sip of his coffee.
"Yep, you left us alone," I joked, giving him a half-smile as I wiped my forehead with the back of my hand. 
"I'll work on that when the new parts get delivered," he said, nodding toward the car.
"Sounds like a plan," I replied, my voice slightly muffled as I slid back under the car, focusing on adjusting the brake line this time. I was in the zone, the world outside forgotten once more, when my phone rang from the workbench.
I slid out from under the car, wiping my hands on a rag before picking up the phone. It was Leighton. 
"Hey, what's up?" I answered, cradling the phone between my shoulder and ear as I continued to clean my hands.
"I was just wondering if you'd like to hang out today. I really miss you. You know, how we used to talk,"  she said, her voice warm over the phone.
I hesitated, glancing at the car, then back at the phone. "Uh, yeah sure, where to?" 
"I can come over? We can watch a movie or something," she suggested, and I could almost hear the smile in her voice.
"Sure, what time will you be here?" I asked, leaning against the workbench, feeling the cool metal under my hand.
"Maybe around 6? I need to help Mom with groceries this afternoon, and I can go there right away," she said.
"Cool, I'll wait for you here," I replied, managing a small smile as I hung up.
After that call, I decided it was time to clean up. The grease from the car was all over my shirt, and I could feel it on my skin. I headed back into the house, grabbing a clean shirt and towel from the laundry room. As I walked past the living room, Olivia's friend flashed me a smile, but I just nodded in acknowledgment before heading upstairs to take a shower.