It’s all because of those weird dreams… I don’t even know how or why, Aria thought.

A few months back…

It was summer vacation....Peter and Aria had patched things up for the third time now. Like always, he swore he would change. And this time, Aria was too tired to keep resisting. To fight back... so she let him in again. Still, Victoria kept warning her, “Don’t pour your whole heart into this again, Aria. If he’s serious, let him prove it.

One afternoon, whilst Victoria’s mom out, the two girls decided to cook together. Aria grinned, determined. “You’ll see, I’m not hopeless in the kitchen. Just give me a chance.”

Victoria raised an eyebrow. “Fine. Make me some seafood. Surprise me.”

Aria had just learned a seafood recipe and was eager to try it. Since the plan was to cook early, Victoria asked her to come around 10 a.m. instead of their usual evening hangouts.

When Aria reached the house, she hesitated before knocking, it was still a busy morning hour. No one opened at first. She guessed Shawn must be asleep, and Caren wasn’t around. Then, unexpectedly, the door swung open.

It wasn’t Victoria.

Shawn stood there.

Only a towel wrapped around his waist, damp hair still dripping, water still clinging to his shoulders. His voice held a hint of hesitation, but he stepped aside, letting her in.

Aria froze for the briefest moment before walking quickly past him, heading straight to Victoria’s room, their usual hangout spot. She forced her face neutral, but her pulse had spiked.

A few minutes later, Victoria walked in, drying her hands. She caught Aria staring blankly at the wall.

“What’s with that face? Don’t tell me you’re memorizing the seafood recipe already,” Victoria teased.

Aria just laughed it off. Soon, laughter and cooking filled the kitchen, and the awkward moment was forgotten.

Or so she told herself.