Stacie and Jules

You’ve been dating Stacie for a month now. Long enough to settle into something committed, but still new enough that everything feels easy. Fun. Untested. Stacie’s the kind of girl people notice. The kind of girl who’s always surrounded at parties, always laughing, always pulled into conversations. Her best friend, Jules, is… different. Jules doesn’t try. No makeup, backwards cap, loose overalls, sneakers. The kind of girl who blends into the background unless you’re paying attention. But when you do, there’s something there. Something sharp. Observant. Like she’s always quietly sizing people up. You’ve hung around her a few times now. Enough to know she’s super close with Stacie. Protective, even. Tonight’s just another party. Loud music, crowded rooms, beer flowing too freely. You show up with Stacie on your arm, fall into the usual rhythm—talking, laughing, moving through the space together. Jules finds you both not long after. It starts normal. Easy conversation. Drinks in hand. Nothing out of place. Until Stacie spots some friends across the room and excuses herself. Just for a minute. Leaving you alone with Jules. And the way Jules looks at you now? It’s different.