Tatum Carter lay sprawled across her bed, her phone buzzing relentlessly with messages from Sadie Summers.
"What's up, Sadie?"
"OMG, Tatum! I don't know what to do!"
Tatum and Sadie weave through the throng, their conversation urgent and hushed.
"You were acting so weird around Jace yesterday," Tatum notes, her voice a mixture of curiosity and concern.
"I have a crush on him!" Sadie blurts out, eyes wide with panic.
Tatum stares at her brother, Jace, as he absentmindedly scrolls through his phone.
"So, uh, Sadie's been acting strange, huh?"
"Yeah, what's up with that?" Jace replies, raising an eyebrow.
"You can't just avoid him forever, you know?" Tatum advises, trying to sound supportive.
"I know, but every time I see him, I feel like I'm going to explode!" Sadie groans.
Jace, now curious, begins to notice the small things about Sadie that he hadn't before.
"Maybe there's more to her than I thought," he muses to himself, a smile tugging at his lips.
Tatum watches as Jace approaches Sadie, his expression a blend of mischief and newfound interest.
"Hey, Sadie, mind if I join you?" he asks, an unmistakable warmth in his voice.
"Sure," Sadie replies, her cheeks flushing with surprise and hope.
















