BROOKS HARVEY X YN (FEM)

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Chapter 4 - Almost, Maybe Something

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1 - Group Chat Madness

The next morning, I woke up to the usual war zone that was our group chat. I rubbed my eyes and scrolled through the unread messages:

Paul:

> VIDEO IDEA: 24hr challenge but with actual chaos.

Ayden:

> like what?

Brennen:

> Bro you can't just say "chaos" like it's a game plan.

Deja:

> Not Ayden thinking chaos is a genre.

Jackson:

> Facts.

Paul:

> Okay okay. We're filming today anyway. Everyone come to my place. 11 AM.

Brooks:

> YN, you're coming right?

My thumb hovered over the keyboard for a second. Why was my stomach doing backflips over a simple text?

> Me: Yeah, I'll be there.

Before I could overthink it, Deja spammed me privately:

Deja:

> don't act like a love-struck Disney princess today pls.

Me:

> I'm fine.

Deja:

> u left the live last night like a main character in pain.

Me:

> BYE.

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2 - Paul's House Chaos

By the time I got to Paul's place, it already looked like a scene out of a prank video. Brennen was trying to "help" Ayden cook by throwing flour everywhere, and PresLee was filming their disaster for her TikTok.

"YN!" Paul greeted me with his usual dad-vibes energy, pulling me into a side hug. "You're just in time. Want to taste Ayden's so-called pancakes?"

"No thanks," I laughed. "I like my stomach intact."

"RUDE!" Ayden said, holding up a lopsided pancake.

Jackson walked in behind me and immediately laughed. "What is that? A frisbee?"

Ayden glared at him. "Better than your cooking."

"Stop fighting," Deja said, already munching on strawberries. "YN, you want one?"

"Sure," I said, sitting beside her. My eyes wandered across the kitchen-and there he was.

Brooks, in his usual oversized hoodie and sweatpants, scrolling on his phone while leaning against the counter. His hair was still a little messy, like he'd just rolled out of bed, and somehow that made him look even better.

"Yo Brooks!" Paul called. "Put your phone down. You're up."

"Up for what?" Brooks asked, confused.

"For making the next round of pancakes. We're turning this into content."

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3 - Smoothie Fiasco

The pancakes turned into a smoothie-making challenge because, in Paul's words, "we can't eat Ayden's hockey pucks."