chapter 4

                       ~SELENA~

  Seated awkwardly in the passenger seat, my hands rested uneasily in my lap as I stole a glance at Cyrus, his attention focused on the road ahead.

This was my chance, my opportunity to engage in conversation with my crush without the looming presence of my brothers. Summoning every ounce of courage I had, I finally spoke up.

"Can you turn the music on?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper, my heart pounding with nervous energy. I couldn't shake the feeling of apprehension as I awaited his response. What if he refused? What if he thought I was being intrusive?

To my surprise, he simply murmured, "Okay." Relief flooded through me as he reached for the radio controls, a small glimmer of hope flickering within me.

As the familiar melody of "Into You" by Ariana Grande filled the car, I felt a surge of emotions wash over me. The lyrics seemed to speak directly to my heart, echoing the sentiments I had long kept buried deep inside.

I'm so into you, I can barely breathe

You're the only one I need, come on, let's get out of here

I'm into you, I'm into you

My pulse quickened with each word, my gaze fixed on Cyrus, who remained focused on the road ahead. If only I could tell him how I felt, but it was so obvious that he doesn't like me at all and would rather just snub me when I tell him.

But as the chorus erupted, my excitement gave way to a sense of dread. Why did it have to be this song, of all songs, playing now? With each passing moment, my anxiety mounted, threatening to consume me entirely.

Into you, into you Get into you, get into you

  Feeling the tension in the air, I wrestled with the internal dilemma of whether to break the silence or maintain the uneasy quietness. After all, Cyrus was not just any guy—he was my brother's best friend, so striking up a conversation shouldn't be too out of place, right?

Summoning all the courage I could muster, I decided to take the plunge.

"I like this song, do you like it?" I asked, flashing him a tentative grin as I awaited his response. His gaze shifted to meet mine, and for a moment, I felt a rush of nerves coursing through me.

"No," he replied simply, his attention returning to the road as he maneuvered the car onto the next street.

"Why not? Ariana Grande is perfect," I persisted, trying to mask the blush creeping onto my cheeks.

"I don't like her," he stated bluntly, his words hanging in the air between us.

It may have been the longest sentence he had ever uttered to me, but the significance was not lost on me. He was actually engaging in conversation with me, and I couldn't help but feel a flutter of excitement at the prospect.

"She's cool though," I offered lamely, desperately trying to keep the conversation going.

"Mm," he hummed in response, and I turned my gaze towards the window, feeling the heat rising in my cheeks. Everything about him seemed perfect—the way he spoke, the way he moved—it was enough to make my head spin.

As I struggled to regain my composure, a sudden urge to know more about him washed over me.

"Who is your favorite then?" I ventured, hoping to learn more about his tastes.

"Giveon," he replied without hesitation, surprising me with his choice.

"Favorite song from him?" I pressed, eager to continue the conversation.

"Heartbreak Anniversary," he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper.

I nodded, inwardly marveling at the fact that he was actually engaging in conversation with me. Perhaps this ride wouldn't be as awkward as I had initially feared.

"That's a nice song," I offered, my hands nervously fidgeting with my bag as I tried to fill the silence.

"Mm," he hummed in response, his focus still on the road ahead as he turned the car onto the next street. I couldn't help but steal a glance at my house, dissapointment flooding over me as I realized our journey was almost at an end.

As we approached my house, I racked my brain for something else to say. Anything to prolong this unexpected conversation. But my mind drew a blank, overwhelmed by the proximity of my crush and the surrealness of the moment.

"How was your class?" he suddenly asked, his voice breaking through the silence and sending my heart into overdrive. Did he really just ask me that?

"Class was great," I replied, my voice barely above a whisper as I struggled to maintain my composure.

"Yours?" I ventured, eager to keep the conversation going.

"Good," he replied simply, his tone betraying nothing as he pulled up in front of my house.

"You're coming in?" I asked hopefully, but he shook his head, indicating he wasn't.

I nodded in understanding, a mixture of disappointment and gratitude swirling within me as I prepared to disembark from his car.

"Thanks for the ride," I said, mustering a smile as I turned to face him, my heart pounding in my chest.

"No problem," he replied, returning my smile with a small nod before I exited the car, closing the door behind me.

As I made my way towards my house, a wave of exhilaration washed over me. I couldn't believe that I had just had a conversation with him, however brief it may have been. It was a small victory, but one that left me feeling elated.

~~

Entering the house, I found Reggie and Anya engrossed in a show in the living room.

"Anya," I called out, and her eyes lit up as they met mine.

"Hiiiiiiiii," she greeted with a wide grin.

"How was school?" I inquired, making my way over to her.

"Boring," she replied, her attention already drifting back to the TV screen.

I couldn't help but notice Reggie stealing glances at me, his expression unreadable.

"What?" I asked with a playful smile, but he feigned innocence with a simple, "What?" in return. Rolling my eyes, I made my way past him and headed straight to my room.

Flopping down onto my bed, I replayed the events of the day in my mind, a smile tugging at the corners of my lips.

"He really did talk to me," I murmured to myself, the realization sinking in as a wave of happiness washed over me.

Sitting up, I couldn't contain my excitement. I couldn't wait to share this newfound milestone with my mom. Today had been a small victory, but it was a significant step forward in my journey, and I was eager to revel in the moment.

~~

"So he asked me, 'How was your class?'" I exclaimed, unable to contain my excitement as I recounted the day's events to my mom.

"Seriously?" she responded, her eyes widening in surprise.

"Yes, I was so thrilled about it," I confirmed, a wide grin spreading across my face.

"You're lucky," she remarked, and I nodded enthusiastically in agreement.

"Do you think he likes me?" I asked, turning to my mom with hopeful anticipation.

"Uhm..." she hesitated, her response causing my smile to falter slightly.

"I know he doesn't," I sighed, disappointment creeping into my tone.

"Unlucky him," my mom quipped, rolling her eyes playfully.

"What? He's too perfect for me," I protested, feeling a pang of insecurity creeping in.

"What? Yeah, he's cute, but you are so beautiful. You got my beauty," my mom reassured me, her words warming my heart.

"But he's perfect. Have you seen his lips? Darn, it's to die for," I gushed, unable to contain my admiration.

"Am I supposed to be looking at that?" she joked, making me chuckle.

"But he is cute though," I insisted, a dreamy smile playing on my lips.

"Who is cute?" my dad's voice interrupted as he walked into the kitchen, catching us off guard.

"Grey," I blurted out, my gaze shifting to my mom, who seemed momentarily mesmerized by my fib.

"Grey?" my dad echoed, looking puzzled, and I nodded, trying to maintain the facade.

"But anyways, did your mom tell you that we're going on vacation?" he continued, changing the subject.

"Seriously?" I asked, my attention immediately shifting.

"Yes, we needed some alone time," my mom confirmed, a smile tugging at her lips. Their love for each other never failed to warm my heart.

"Which country?" I inquired eagerly.

"Well, it's a surprise for your mom, so don't spoil it," my dad replied, shooting a playful glance in her direction before flashing a grin in my direction.

~~

As evening descended, the family gathered around the dinner table, excitement buzzing in the air. My parents announced their upcoming vacation, and I couldn't help but notice the mischievous gleam in my brothers' eyes. I knew they were already plotting their own agenda for while our parents were away.

"Anya will stay with Aunt Kate," Mom declared, and Anya's eyes lit up with joy. Aunt Kate was a favorite of ours, known for her fun-loving nature and endless supply of treats.

"I'm excited," Anya exclaimed before returning her attention to her food.

"The vacation will be good for you both," Blue remarked, earning a playful eye roll from Mom.

"No partying in the house," Mom warned, sensing the mischief brewing in my brothers' minds.

"No problem," Ezra replied casually, though I could already tell that meant they were planning something big.

"We're having a party tonight, starting at 9 pm," Ezra announced to our parents.

"For all college students?" Mom inquired, catching on to their plans.

"Yeah, that's the plan," Ezra confirmed, though I had never heard of such a party before.

"Oh... that means Lena is going too," Mom remarked, turning her attention to me.

"What?!" Reggie exclaimed, clearly not thrilled with the idea.

"I'm not going, I have a date," Grey interjected casually.

"No one cares," Anya chimed in, drawing everyone's attention to her nonchalant remark.

"Yeah, since it's a school party, Lena is going too. Period," Mom declared firmly, leaving no room for argument.

Knowing full well that Cyrus would likely be there. After all, who was I to decline an opportunity to spend time with him?

"I would love to come," I said smiling widely.

All my brothers could muster in response was a collective growl of annoyance, but I knew they wouldn't dare defy Mom's decree. Tonight was shaping up to be interesting, to say the least.

TBC