Chapter 4 - Sparks and subtle shifts

The sun was beginning to set, casting long shadows across Valleybrook’s main street as June made her way down the sidewalk, her thoughts still tangled from her conversation with Ezra at the park. As she passed by the diner, she caught sight of Maya Bennett, her best friend since forever, sitting on the steps outside, legs crossed and a half-empty cup of coffee in hand. Maya’s face lit up the second she saw June.

“There you are!” Maya’s voice was the perfect mixture of excitement and mischief. “I’ve been waiting for you. You’re late. What happened? Did you get distracted by some hot guy or something?”

June rolled her eyes, though a small smile tugged at her lips. “It’s not like that, Maya.”

“Oh, sure,” Maya teased, wiggling her eyebrows. “Because it totally isn’t. I’m sure you’re just working on your deep, philosophical thoughts again, huh? Something about life’s meaning and all that nonsense?”

“No,” June laughed, shaking her head as she took a seat beside her. “I just ran into Ezra.”

At the mention of Ezra’s name, Maya gave her a knowing look, her lips curling into a sly smile. “Ah, Ezra Holt. The one guy who can still make you all moody and complicated after all these years.”

June felt her chest tighten slightly at Maya’s teasing, but she didn’t let it show. Instead, she leaned back, trying to sound nonchalant. “There’s nothing complicated about it. We’re just talking again. Catching up.”

“Catching up?” Maya repeated with a laugh. “Girl, please. If ‘catching up’ is all you’re doing, then why do I get the feeling you’re fighting the urge to make a big confession right now? You know, like, ‘Oh, I think I still love him!’” Maya flung her hand dramatically over her forehead as if playing the part of a soap opera heroine. “The tension is palpable, June. I’m getting whiplash just from watching you.”

June couldn’t suppress the laugh that bubbled up. She shot her best friend a sideways glance. “It’s not like that. You’re just being ridiculous.”

“I’m ridiculous? Honey, I’m the one who’s just trying to get you to admit the truth!” Maya leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “You’re scared, aren’t you? Scared that after all this time, Ezra is still the only one who can make you feel things you don’t know how to deal with.”

June bit her lip, her eyes flicking to the street in front of them. “Maybe I’m scared of messing everything up.”

Maya softened for a moment, her expression more serious than June was used to seeing. “You know what I think? I think you’re more scared of missing out on something you’ve been running from for a long time. Something that feels... real. And I think Ezra feels it too.”

June sighed, her breath escaping in a rush. “I don’t know. It’s just... complicated. I’m leaving in a few weeks. I can’t afford to get wrapped up in anything that might just... fall apart.”

Maya watched her for a beat, her eyes sharp. “You are wrapped up in it. You’re both so obviously tangled up in each other, and neither of you knows how to untangle yourselves. But if you’re not careful, you might both miss your chance. And then you’ll always wonder what could’ve been.”

June opened her mouth to respond, but Maya was already standing, brushing off her jeans. “Enough of this ‘let’s play it safe’ nonsense. Come on, let’s go grab a drink. I need to distract you with something more important than your feelings for a change. I hear that Parker Griggs is at the bar, and you need to meet him.”

“Parker?” June asked, raising an eyebrow. “I don’t think he’s exactly my type.”

Maya grinned. “Girl, you’ve got to at least give him a shot. He’s a lot of fun. Trust me. Besides, it’ll give you something else to think about.”

An hour later, June found herself in Mrs. Clarke’s bar, sitting at one of the high-top tables near the window, a glass of water in hand as Maya chatted away, clearly amused by Parker’s antics across the room. Parker was leaning against the bar, his easy grin and charm drawing people in like moths to a flame. As if on cue, his eyes met June’s, and he offered a flirtatious wave.

“See? Told you,” Maya said with a grin, watching June’s reaction. “What did I tell you? He’s impossible to ignore.”

June rolled her eyes but couldn’t help the slight blush that crept up her neck. “He’s not that charming.”

Maya leaned in, lowering her voice. “Oh, come on. He’s definitely that charming. But you know what’s even more fun? Watching Ezra squirm over it.”

At the mention of Ezra’s name, June froze for a second, before looking at Maya with raised eyebrows. “Ezra’s not squirming.”

“Uh, yes, he is,” Maya said with a knowing smirk. “You just don’t see it. Trust me, if he wasn’t feeling something for you, he wouldn’t care who you talked to.”

Before June could respond, Ezra himself walked in, his tall frame and slightly tousled hair making an unmistakable entrance. His eyes found hers almost immediately, and for a brief moment, everything felt like it was suspended in time. The unspoken tension from their last conversation was still there, hanging between them like a thread waiting to snap.

June felt the air shift. Ezra’s expression was unreadable, but there was something about the way he held himself—like he was both present and distant, caught between wanting to come closer and wanting to stay away.

Maya noticed the way June’s gaze softened as she looked at Ezra and grinned knowingly. “Looks like the game’s about to get a little more interesting.”

June quickly turned her attention back to her drink, feeling her heart race a little faster. She didn’t want to think about the complexity of it all, but it was impossible to ignore. Ezra had been back in her life for barely a week, and already, everything felt different.

She could feel the eyes of the room on her—Maya’s playful, Parker’s intrigued, and Ezra’s... guarded. There was no turning back now.

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