Page 81 of Lured By Shadows

There was a brief lull before Oliver shifted closer, clearly steering us away from dangerous ground. “Let’s go out after school,” he said brightly, nudging my chair with his elbow. “I know a cracking little ice cream parlor in town. My treat.”

His grin was annoyingly infectious, and despite myself, I smirked. “I can’t say no to free ice cream.” Then I glanced at Sienna, who was already halfway to a pout. “Plus, I’ll finally learn your favorite flavors, right?”

Her sulk vanished instantly. “Olive-boy’s is plain and boring. Mine’s got actual taste.”

“Sienna,” Oliver whined, puffing out his cheeks, “that’s not nice.”

With a dramatic sigh, she leaned over and wrapped her arms around him, pulling him into a sideways hug. “I’m sorry, Oliver.”

“Mnnngh,” he mumbled, burying his head against her like she was a pillow. His hands slid low along her back, tightening at her waist like she was something delicate and necessary.

I watched them with a mix of amusement and exhaustion.

They really needed to sort out whatever tangled thing existed between them before it swallowed them whole. I was getting tired of pretending I didn’t see how obvious it all was. How they kept circling each other like nothing had changed, even though everything already had.

Locked into place without either of them admitting it.

But I stayed quiet, knowing I was still on the edges of their world, and pushing them toward something they weren’t ready to face wasn’t mine to take on, not when my own head was already full.

“Mnn,” I murmured, savoring another cold spoonful as it hit my tongue. “Chocolate chip’s the best!”

The flavor melted slowly, sweet and familiar. For that brief stretch of time, the constant churn in my mind eased enough to let me breathe, leaving me caught up only in the cool slide of ice cream, the easy chatter between us, and the soft scrape of spoons against our bowls.

“I thought you’d be more of a cookies ’n cream girl,” Sienna said, scraping her spoon through her nearly empty bowl before licking the last bit like it had personally offended her.

“No way,” Oliver cut in, shaking his head with exaggerated confidence. “She’s totally a strawberry shortcake woman. All vibes, no complexity.”

“Oliver,” Sienna scoffed, rolling her eyes like it was second nature by now, “just because you’re basic and like strawberry doesn’t mean everyone else does. Don’t project your dessert sins onto Ira.”

“Sienna, please,” he shot back, pointing at the chaotic mixture of chocolate, marshmallow, and almonds smeared around her bowl. “You like rocky road. That doesn’t make you special, it makes you unhinged.”

She gasped dramatically, clutching her chest. “You’re awful, Olive!”

“Aww, I’m sorry, Sie,” he murmured, scooting closer in a mock show of repentance, completely missing the mischievous glint in her eyes that gave her away.

Figuring it was time to check out for a second and give myself a break from their back-and-forth, I pulled out my phone and let my attention drift. I scrolled through the usual blur until a notification slid across the top of my screen and stopped me cold.

A big-name Wiggler based out of England.

Someone I’d followed back when my numbers barely mattered.

And they weren’t asking for a one-off video. They wanted me as a permanent collaborator.

The message laid everything out clearly. A large-scale collaboration bringing together dozens of creators in the Wiggler community. Names I recognized instantly. Names that made my stomach flip with that dizzy mix of excitement and disbelief.

“Ira?” Sienna’s voice cut through gently. “You okay?”

“Yeah,” I said, blinking as I lifted my head. “Just… thinking. I got invited to be part of this big collaboration. Like, huge. A bunch of creators working together. It’s kinda wild.”

She tilted her head slightly, watching me through the rearview mirror as she drove us toward my place, the streetlights washing over her face in soft pulses.

“And what about that has you worried?” she asked, not pushing, just curious.

“I dunno,” I admitted with a quiet laugh. “I should be excited. I am. It’s just… sometimes creators aren’t great to each other. People steal ideas, talk behind your back, and act like they’re better than everyone else. Then there’s the pressure, the numbers, the comments… it gets stressful fast.”

She stayed quiet for a moment before smiling, steady and sure. “You should do it, honestly. And whatever happens, we’re right here for you.”

Something about how easily she said it loosened the knot in my chest.