Kael's POV
The smell of take-out hit me first, spices, fried oil, sweet sauce and then the sound of her laugh. Light. Familiar. The kind of laugh Aria only gave to one person.
When I stepped into the hall, the sunlight from the kitchen window flashed against a head of glossy hair, and I froze. Sarah.
The name thudded in my skull like a pulse. She turned at the same time, all bright eyes and an almost innocent smile, but my stomach coiled hard enough to ache.
For a second, nobody spoke. Aria's face lit up when she saw me, that soft, sleepy glow she always carried after waking, but when she realized where my eyes were fixed, she hesitated.
"Oh—uh—Kael," she stammered, wiping her hands on her shorts. "This is... well, you already know her. Sarah. My… my best friend."
I didn't move. Didn't blink. I could feel my jaw tighten until it hurt.
Aria went on, desperate to fill the air. "Sarah, this is... well... my… boyfriend." Her voice caught, embarrassed but proud. "Kael."
