Part title

When August was ten, he moved in with his dad and half-brother. That was also the unfortunate year he met Elijah Malone-his brother's best friend and the absolute bane of his existence. For four long years, the two were locked in a never-ending war of insults, side-eyes, and occasional near-violence.

But by the time high school rolled around, they struck an unspoken truce: total mutual denial. They didn't talk, didn't look at each other, and definitely didn't acknowledge the shared history of chaos.

It worked. Until it didn't.

One night, during one of his brother's infamous parties, Elijah stumbles into August's room... and promptly passes out. In his bed.

Yeah. That's when things get complicated.