Heartstrings and Secrets

The sun streamed through the windows as Trevor leaned against the broom, pretending to wipe sweat off his brow.

"I think this might be the cleanest your house has been since... ever," he teased, his grin mischievous.

I threw a pillow at him from the couch.

"Excuse me! I'll have you know I'm a decent housekeeper. This place just needed a little extra love."

"A little extra love? Lila, we just unearthed a civilization of dust bunnies under your bed," Trevor quipped, his voice mock-serious.

I laughed so hard I had to hold onto the counter for support.

"Okay, fine. Maybe I owe you one for helping me today."

"You owe me more than one," he said, flipping his broom like a baton.

"I'm basically the house-cleaning MVP right now."

"Fine, MVP," I said, rolling my eyes. "Want coffee or tea as your reward?"

"Both," he said dramatically, plopping onto the couch.

As I brewed the drinks, Trevor's gaze fell on the photo of Teagen and me on the shelf. He picked it up, studying it curiously.

"So, who's this? She looks like trouble."

"That's Teagen," I said, smiling.

"My best friend and roommate. She's on vacation with her parents right now."

"Hmm," Trevor said, smirking.

"And does Teagen like tall, hilarious guys who know their way around a mop?"

I burst out laughing. "Wow, Trevor. You're hopeless. But I'll let you ask her when she gets back."

"Deal," he said, setting the photo down carefully.
---
Later in the afternoon, we headed to the mall for some shopping. Trevor had a knack for picking out the most outrageous outfits and pretending he was on a runway. At one point, he strutted out of the dressing room in a neon-green blazer, spinning dramatically.

"How do I look?" he asked, striking a ridiculous pose.

"Like a traffic cone," I said, laughing so hard I almost dropped my bag.

"Perfect," he said, snapping his fingers. "Exactly the look I was going for."

After shopping, we grabbed snacks and settled in at my place to watch a movie. Halfway through, Trevor turned to me with a grin.

"You know, this reminds me of my school crush," he said.

"Oh, this I have to hear," I said, pausing the movie.

"Okay, so there was this girl—let's call her Emma," he began, leaning back. "She was gorgeous, smart, the whole package. I worked up the courage to ask her to the school dance, and guess what she said?"

"What?" I asked, intrigued.

"She said, 'Oh, Trevor, that's so sweet. But I already promised my cat I'd stay home and watch TV with him.'"

I blinked, stunned, and then erupted into laughter. "No! She did not!"

"She did," Trevor said, shaking his head, though he was laughing too. "I mean, the cat probably was better company, but still. Ouch, right?"

Tears streamed down my face from laughing so hard. "Trevor, your life could be a comedy show. How do these things even happen to you?"

"Hey, I'm just giving the people what they want—entertainment," he said with a mock bow.
---
As the evening wound down, I realized how much lighter I felt with Trevor around. His humor, his warmth—they was slowly helping me forget the pain I'd been carrying.

"Thanks for today, Trevor," I said as he headed to the door. "I haven't laughed like that in a long time."

"Anytime, Lila," he said, flashing a grin. "That's what friends are for. Same time tomorrow?"

"Definitely," I said, smiling as I closed the door behind him.

Day by day, Trevor was becoming a part of my life—and I found myself genuinely looking forward to whatever adventures our growing friendship would bring next.