just let me be close to you
Two months had passed since their Atlanta trip. Two months and Megan could already see Daniela becoming more and more like herself again. Being in Atlanta, being around her father, Megan had witnessed what that was like for Dani, saw her become an angry, scared shell of herself while she was around him. Bit by bit, she was shaking off the weight of it all, slipping back into the version of herself that Megan knew best, like a dark cloud parting to make way for the sun. Though she knew this was likely temporary, until Dani had properly dealt with her past the dark cloud was more than likely to keep making an appearance.
It was also two long months of these stupid feelings in Megan’s chest, pressing against her lungs like they were trying to suffocate her from the inside out. She tried not to give them too much thought. Most days, it was easy enough. She’d remind herself that it was impossible, that it would never happen, that there were more important things to focus on than her feelings. Dani had just been through a lot, it was more important to be there as her friend, make sure she was okay, though Dani was making that incredibly hard, acting as if nothing had happened at all. Megan convinced herself that it was okay to watch from afar, to feel what she was feeling from the sidelines instead.
But some days, it wasn’t so easy. Some days, it was fucking impossible.
Like when Dani got too close, her breath warm against Megan’s skin, and Megan had to fight to keep herself from leaning in. Or when her shirt rode up at practice, revealing just a hint of toned stomach, and Megan’s brain short-circuited even though she’d seen her in far less before.
And especially right now.
Daniela stood in front of the mirror, with her hair straightened, sleek strands falling over her shoulders as she leaned in to apply lipstick. Megan’s gaze lingered longer than it should have, tracking the movement of Dani’s mouth, the careful press of color against her soft lips.
Then their eyes met in the mirror.
Megan froze. Busted.
Dani arched a brow, lips curving into something amused, “What are you staring at weirdo?” She teased, voice low. Megan wrenched her gaze away, cursing herself, praying to God she could play this off casually.
“Nothing, no, just… that shade is nice,” Megan answered as smoothly as she could, looking anywhere but at her.
Dani hummed, she smacked her lips together, examining the color with a tilt of her head.
“You wanna try it?”
Megan’s breath hitched as Dani sauntered closer, the space between them disappearing in an instant.
“Uh…” Her brain stalled. “Sure.”
Megan reached out a hand for the lipstick and Dani gently swatted it away, instead crossing her legs on the bed to sit right in front of the ginger.
“Don’t worry, I got it,” muttered Dani as if it were nothing, as if this wasn’t going to positively, absolutely kill Megan.
Megan’s pulse roared in her ears as Dani leaned in slightly, lifting the lipstick once more. Then, without a word, her fingers found Megan’s chin — soft, steady. She tilted her face upward, angling it just so.
A thousand alarms blared in Megan’s head. She could pull away. She should pull away. Make some excuse, laugh it off, insist on doing it herself. It would be so easy. And yet, she didn’t move.
She couldn’t.
Because Daniela was so close and it felt so nice. Close enough that Megan could see the tiny flecks of hazel in her dark eyes, could count each flutter of her lashes. Close enough that the faintest trace of perfume lingered between them, vanilla — warm, familiar.
She knew that the rate her heart was pounding against her ribs was probably dangerous, knew that these were exactly the kind of situations she should’ve been avoiding. Knew she had no business being this close, no business letting Dani touch her like this. But Dani’s skin was cool, and her touch was careful, and for a fleeting moment, Megan could pretend it meant something. She could pretend this wasn’t slowly, painfully undoing her. And if pretending was all she got — then Megan would take it.
Megan was helpless against the pull.
And Megan would rather have Dani close to her like this than not have her close at all.
“There,” Daniela said once she was done, leaning back to admire her handiwork, “Much better.”
Daniela got up and walked towards the dresser Megan’s eyes followed, the phantom warmth of Dani’s touch still lingering on her skin.
It took an embarrassing moment to realize her mouth was slightly open. She snapped it shut, cleared her throat, and forced her voice into something resembling normal.
“So,” she ventured, a little too brightly, “what time are we leaving?”
“Not for another two hours, probably.” Dani rolled her eyes, the barest smirk tugging at her lips. “I bet Lara and Manon are still getting ready.”
Megan giggled, easily picturing the scene — Lara fussing over outfit choices while Manon gave half-hearted advice, too preoccupied with her phone. It was undeniably true.
Today was the first night off that they’d had in a while and Lara had suggested clubbing, insisting that they take Megan’s ‘clubbing virginity’ and the girls had all nodded eagerly. Megan still wasn’t entirely sure how Lara had managed to frequent clubs at nineteen, but she figured it was one of those things better left unquestioned. Besides, her friend’s questionable talents were paying off now, because somehow, they’d all been promised entry.
Yoonchae, however, would be staying home, obviously . And Manon and Sophia were over 21 so it wasn’t an issue for them. And Megan — who wasn’t much of a party person — couldn’t deny she was curious.
The thrum of bass-heavy music, the pulsing lights, the energy of the crowd. It could be fun. Different.
And maybe, just maybe, it would be enough to shake the lingering sensation of Dani’s hands from her skin.
Or at least, Megan could hope.
✰✩✩✩✩✩
Daniela tapped her foot impatiently against the floor, the rhythmic sound echoing down the narrow hallway. Megan was still upstairs, trying to pry Lara out of the bathroom, while Dani had been left to deal with Manon, who had occupied the downstairs one far longer than necessary.
“Come on! We were meant to leave 10 minutes ago!” She called through the door.
There was a muffled shuffle from inside, followed by the distinct click of the lock. Finally .
But when the door swung open, Daniela’s snarky remark died on her tongue. Manon emerged first, nonchalant as ever, except for the unmistakable smear of lipstick staining her mouth and the strap of her dress that had slipped precariously down her shoulder. And trailing behind her, hair tousled and cheeks tinged pink, was Sophia.
Dani’s eyes widened, taking an instinctive step back.
“Oh. My. God.” Her voice was slow, deliberate. “You guys are getting it on in the house now?!”
Manon, entirely unbothered, arched a brow. “Hey, you should be glad we remembered to lock the door.”
Dani scoffed, shoving Manon’s shoulder with a half-hearted laugh. “You’re an idiot. And we’re late! Go fix your lipstick — you look like you’ve been making out for fifteen hours.”
“Well, it was more like nine—” Manon lifted her hand in an exaggerated estimation.
Sophia’s eyes went wide, and she slapped her hand over Manon’s mouth before she could say anything else. “Stop,” she giggled, the sound high and nervous. “Dani’s right. Go fix your lipstick, baby.”
That word — baby — slipped so effortlessly from her lips, but the flush creeping up Sophia’s neck made it clear she wasn’t used to saying it out loud yet. Manon, however, grinned beneath her hand, her blush barely concealed as she pulled away and darted up the stairs.
Daniela shook her head, a laugh escaping her as she stared down at the floor, the absurdity of it all settling over her.
“I’m gonna wait in the car,” Sophia said, making a hasty attempt at retreating now that Manon was gone.
“Wait, Soph.” Dani reached out, her fingers circling Sophia’s wrist, stopping her mid-step. “Come here.”
Before Sophia could protest, Daniela tugged her back into the bathroom. The mirror reflected the remnants of her rushed attempt to smooth her hair down, the messy strands still giving away what had happened. Dani sighed, a soft smile pulling at her lips.
“Your hair’s a mess,” she murmured, brushing her fingers through the tangled strands.
Sophia dropped her gaze, playing with her fingers as she tilted her head slightly — partly so Dani could reach, but mostly to avoid meeting her eyes.
“Dani…”
“Mhm?” Dani hummed, focused on taming the chaos.
“You don’t… you don’t think it’s weird, do you?” She asked slowly and quietly like she was scared to say it out loud.
Dani stilled, her fingers pausing mid-motion. “What?”
“Me and Manon.”
“Oh my God, Sophia.” Without a second thought, Daniela cupped Sophia’s chin, gently coaxing her face up until their eyes met. “There is nothing — and I mean nothing — you could ever do that I would find weird. Ever.”
Sophia blinked, a fragile kind of relief washing over her.
“…Including doing Manon,” Dani added after a beat, her grin widening.
Sophia sputtered out a laugh, the tension finally cracking. They both dissolved into giggles, the kind that curled up from somewhere deep and impossible to contain.
“How do you think the others will react?” Sophia asked once the laughter subsided, her voice softer now.
“In the best way,” Dani answered without hesitation. “We love you. We just want to see you guys happy.”
Sophia nodded, her shoulders relaxing slightly. “Yeah. You’re right. We’ll just have to keep it quiet so management doesn’t find out. Especially with me being leader… if they find out, I don’t know what—”
“Soph.” Daniela’s hands landed gently on her friend’s arms, grounding her. “It’s gonna be okay.”
Sophia exhaled a shaky breath. But as Dani’s reassuring smile remained steady, something in her seemed to settle. She nodded once more, a little stronger this time.
“Okay.”
“Good,” Dani said, a grin creeping back across her face. “Now come on. Let’s go dance it out.”
“Yeah.” Sophia’s lips curved upward, mirroring Dani’s. “Dance it out.”
✰✩✩✩✩✩
The air inside the club was thick — a heady mix of sweat, smoke, and adrenaline. The bass thrummed beneath Megan’s feet, vibrating through her chest like a second heartbeat. Neon lights pulsed overhead, slicing through the dim haze and illuminating the packed crowd in fleeting flashes.
Megan stayed close to Lara, her hand firmly laced in hers as they wove their way through the crush of bodies. She could feel Daniela just behind her, their shoulders brushing every so often, and she was sure Manon and Sophia weren’t far either — a small cluster of familiarity in the chaotic swell.
When they finally reached the bar, Megan exhaled, the tension in her chest easing just slightly. The air wasn’t much clearer here, but at least they had a bit of space.
“Whoa, Lara, this is insane!” Sophia shouted over the pounding music, her voice barely cutting through the noise.
“Isn’t it?” Lara grinned, her eyes alight with excitement. “I used to love coming here back in the day.”
Manon snorted, arching a brow. “Lara, you’re literally nineteen.”
Lara’s grin only widened. “Shh,” she teased, bringing a finger to her lips. “Don’t let the barkeep hear that.”
She turned on her heel, leaning confidently over the bar like she belonged there. The fluorescent glow caught in the red of her hair, and the girls couldn’t help but laugh at how effortlessly Lara commanded any space she entered.
The drinks were cold, the condensation slick against Megan’s palms as she sipped, the burn of whatever Lara had ordered lingering at the back of her throat.
“I’m gonna go dance.” Dani, unsurprisingly, was the first to say, not even waiting to hear from the rest of them before she joined the crowd. Sophia and Manon joined her after a moment.
The music pulsed in waves, vibrating through the air, the bass trembling in her chest. All around them, bodies swayed and spun, shadows and neon lights twisting together. It was chaotic, intoxicating.
But Megan barely noticed any of it.
Not when Daniela was in front of her, glowing beneath the club’s kaleidoscope of lights.
The song shifted, the thrum of the bass mellowing into something familiar. Gracie Abrams’ Close to you began playing.
“ I was so cool, but then, all of a sudden…You saw me look at you …”
Dani’s eyes caught hers, dark and unreadable, but there was something magnetic there. Something Megan had never quite been able to name. She felt it like static on her skin — a pull, sharp and undeniable. And suddenly Dani was right in front of her.
“Come dance with me.”
It wasn’t a question. Dani’s voice was low, just loud enough to cut through the music, but gentle, inviting. Megan’s breath caught.
“I’m not really—” She started, though the words barely formed.
Dani shook her head, a half-smile tugging at her lips. “Come on, Meg. Just one song.”
And how was she supposed to say no?
Dani didn’t wait. She grabbed Megan’s hand, her fingers cool against Megan’s warm skin, and tugged her gently toward the dance floor. Megan followed, the crowd parting just enough to let them through. The hum of voices faded away, swallowed by the steady rhythm and the beat of the music.
“ And now your mouth is moving, cinematic timing …”
Dani stopped. Right there, in the middle of the shifting bodies, the heat and the pulse. Her arms lifted, her hands winding around the back of Megan’s neck, her fingers brushing the skin there.
“ You pull me in and touch my neck, and now I'm dying …”
Megan hesitated, but only for a moment, before her own hands traced along Dani’s arms, anchoring herself in the warmth of her skin.
“ Chemical override, ultraviolet…You could be mine tonight …”
They moved like that, slow and unhurried. The world around them blurred. The music was everywhere, the lyrics curling through the air like a whispered confession
“ I'd give up everything…To be close to you… ”
But all Megan could focus on was Dani — the way she swayed, the way the lights kissed her skin, the way her blonde hair spilled over her shoulders like silk.
“… Pull the trigger on the gun I gave you when we met, I wanna be close to you…”
And Daniela was smiling, completely loose and carefree with her movements, and the sight was brilliant . Dani’s fingers drifted, teasing the bare skin beneath Megan’s top. Just the faintest graze, but it was enough to ignite something electric, the warmth of her palms sending shivers along Megan’s spine. Megan felt like she was unraveling, thread by thread, but she couldn’t stop. Didn’t want to stop.
“ … I wanna be close to you, Break my heart and start a fire, you got me overnight… ”
And then Dani leaned in, her forehead brushing softly against Megan’s. Megan’s eyes fluttered shut, her breath mingling with Dani’s, the space between them so small it barely existed. The music swelled, and every word seemed to sink beneath her skin.
“ Just let me be…Close to you, close to you, close to you …”
Across the club, Lara was left alone by the bar. But the absence of her friends didn’t bother her. If anything, it made the view more entertaining.
Manon, her face buried in Sophia’s neck, swayed with her in a soft rhythm. The two of them lost in their own little world. And then there was Dani and Megan — foreheads pressed together, bodies in perfect tandem. Every glance, every lingering touch, like something unspoken was unraveling between them. Lara was simultaneously shocked and entirely unsurprised. She knew about Sophia and Manon, those two couldn’t be more obvious if they tried, she was just waiting for them to tell her themselves. But, Dani and Megan? This was new. Well, sort of . Lara could read Megan like a book. She’d seen the way Megan naturally gravitated toward Daniela from the moment she met them both that first night at Dream Academy. She’d seen how Megan’s overactive mind practically came to a standstill when Dani was around. Knew the care Megan had for Daniela ran deeper than a friendship bond. She knew this was eventually going to happen. She just didn’t know if Megan was ever going to realise it.
She lifted her shot glass, watching the scene unfold with a soft, knowing grin.
“I’m surrounded by gays,” she muttered before knocking it back, the warmth burning down her throat.
Lara watched as Megan suddenly stumbled out of Dani’s orbit as the song ended, as if snapping out of a daze. The song had ended, but it wasn’t just the music that had shifted. Megan moved quickly, her hands gesturing something — a half-hearted excuse, most likely — as she slipped away from the crowd. Away from Daniela.
She reached the bar in record time, her breath unsteady. Lara didn’t miss the sharp rise and fall of her chest, like she’d been holding her breath for the last ten minutes. Megan’s shoulders slumped as she braced against the counter, a deep sigh escaping her lips.
“Have fun?” Lara arched an eyebrow at the girl. In response Megan, who wasn’t usually a drinker, snatched the drink from Lara’s hand and began chugging it down.
“Hey—”
But Megan didn’t stop. She tipped it back, the sharp bite of alcohol hitting her tongue.
“Whoa, slow down, killer,” Lara laughed, prying the glass from Megan’s fingers before she could drain the rest. “Pretty sure that’s not gonna solve whatever that was.”
Megan groaned, pressing the heels of her hands into her eyes. “God.”
Lara bit back a grin, the playful glint in her eyes only growing. “So… you and Dani seemed awfully close.”
At that, Megan’s hands flew away from her face. Her wide eyes locked onto Lara’s, practically daring her to say more. But Lara? She just smiled — smug, knowing — and looked straight ahead.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Megan’s words tumbled out too fast.
Lara mentally counted down.
Three.
Two.
One.
“That’s just Dani being Dani,” Megan blurted, her voice climbing in that distinct, nervous way Lara had learned to recognize. “She’s like that with everyone. It was nothing. Just dancing.”
Just dancing.
Lara hummed, the barest trace of laughter curling in her throat. “Right,” she drawled, lazily spinning the empty glass in her hand. A beat passed.
“Besides she’s straight and she would never-”
“Oh,” Lara cut in, lifting her glass toward the dance floor, “maybe you’re right.”
Megan followed her gaze—and immediately wished she hadn’t.
Dani. Dancing with some tall, sweaty guy, their bodies pressed too close.
Megan swallowed hard against the sudden, unwelcome lump in her throat. She forced her gaze away, fixing her eyes on the floor instead.
“Told you,” she forced out, the words bitter on her tongue.
✰✩✩✩✩✩
On Thursdays, Megan usually called her mom.
Most of the time, it helped—eased the ache in her chest, even if just a little. It was bittersweet, of course. She missed her family every day, but hearing their voices, sharing the small details of their lives, made the distance feel a little less vast.
Not tonight.
Tonight, the call had only made the emptiness sharper.
She was missing her brother’s birthday. The first one she’d ever missed. She’d listened as her mom told her about their plans—plans that didn’t include her. She felt disconnected from them. Like no matter how many phone calls they had, she was slipping further and further away from the life she used to know.
Megan stared down at her untouched hot chocolate, swirling the spoon idly as it sent lazy ripples across the surface. The kitchen was quiet, the kind of stillness that only came in the dead of night. Training was early in the morning, but sleep wasn’t coming tonight—she already knew that. When her mind spun itself into knots she couldn’t untangle. When her overthinking mind sent her into oblivion, sleep never came easy.
She almost didn’t hear the soft footsteps approaching behind her.
“Hey, you okay?” Dani’s voice was gentle, edged with quiet concern. Megan turned, catching the small furrow in her brow, and instantly felt ten times worse. Here she was, lost in self-pity over missing her family, when Dani barely had one to miss at all.
“Yeah,” Megan cleared her throat, sitting up a little straighter. “Why?”
Dani’s lips quirked. “You’ve been staring at that hot chocolate so long it’s probably cold chocolate by now.”
“Hm you spying on me Avanzini,” The words tumbled out before she could think better of them, and the second they did, she recognized the familiar exchange. She could tell Dani recognised the familiar jab too.
“Don’t flatter yourself Skiendel,” Daniela rolled her eyes fondly. A comfortable silence settled between them, the kind that didn’t demand to be filled. Megan turned back to her mug, staring at the swirl of cocoa and marshmallow foam, knowing Dani was watching her. Patient. Waiting.
“I don’t know…” Megan finally exhaled, pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose, “Can’t sleep. Just thinking.”
Dani’s smirk was knowing, teasing but warm. “Thinking or overthinking?”
Megan, meeting Dani’s eyes again, let out a low chuckle despite herself. “Point taken.”
“Come on,” Dani said, tilting her head toward the back door. “Let’s get some air.” She didn’t wait for a response, already turning on her heel, certain that Megan would follow. And she did. Daniela knew the night calmed Megan just like it did her. Knew Megan had a connection with the stars that calmed her too so she was glad to see that they were out tonight, brighter than ever.
The night air hit Megan like a shock to the system—cold, crisp, and bracing. Megan sucked in a breath, the chill cutting through the haze of her thoughts like a blade. The stars were out tonight. Maybe this was exactly what she needed.
The night stretched vast and endless above them, the sky a pitch black canvas scattered with stars. The air carried the faint scent of jasmine from the garden below, and the quiet hum of the city in the distance felt far away enough to make this moment feel untouched—just them, the night, and the stars.
Dani leaned against her spot at the railing, arms folded, exhaling slowly, letting goosebumps dance across her skin from the cold. Beside her, Megan tipped her head back, eyes sparkling as they roamed the sky. Megan couldn’t help herself with the rambling that came next.
“Oh! Look!” Megan nudged Dani with her elbow, pointing up. “That’s Orion’s Belt—see those three bright stars in a row? They make up the hunter’s belt, and if you follow the line down, you’ll hit Sirius, the brightest star in the sky.”
Dani followed her gaze, spotting the stars easily. “Huh,” she mused. “Didn’t know you were an astronomer, Meg.”
Megan grinned sheepishly, and then shrugged her shoulders, “I just love space…the stars.”
“Why? And I hear you ramble about random stuff all the time, so how come you’ve never talked about this?”
“My mom always used to stargaze with me and my brother, it reminds me of home… connects me,” Megan said after a moment, nostalgia creeping through her tone, “People said it was weird when I brought it up, sorry I can stop talking so much-“
“No, you can talk about it as much as you want, if it matters to you I wanna hear it Megan,” Daniela smiled softly, “Tell me more.” And that was all Megan had to hear before she brightened and took as a cue to continue her rambling.
“I mean it’s crazy! Space is literally a cosmic time machine! Some of the light from those stars left millions of years ago, and we’re just now seeing it. The universe is so big—there could be planets out there with life, and we wouldn’t even know.” She turned to Dani, eyes bright with wonder. “And don’t even get me started on black holes.”
Dani smirked, amused. “Oh god, please don’t.”
“No, listen! They’re insane. Like, you know how…”
Daniela listened to Megan go on for a while, her hands moving animatedly, eyes darting across the sky. And Dani just watched and listened, a smile tugging at her lips as she cocked her head, she couldn’t help but cut her off at some point to speak her next comment.
Dani chuckled, shaking her head. “You’re such a nerd.”
Megan grinned, unfazed. “Yeah, well, you listen to me ramble about this stuff, so what does that make you?”
Dani tilted her head, pretending to think. “Patient?”
Megan rolled her eyes but laughed anyway. “Admit it, you think it’s cool.”
She glanced at Megan, her features glowing softly under the moonlight, and felt something warm settle in her chest.
“It is pretty cool.”
Megan beamed, her ponytail swishing with every enthusiastic gesture as she dove deeper into her space tangent. Her words tumbled out, charged with that unmistakable spark of passion — the kind that made the night air hum with energy. And Daniela, once again, could only watch.
Megan was… magnetic . She had this rare way of making the world feel lighter, warmer. Something about her made Dani always feel welcome, safe, understood. Dani’s chest tightened at the thought. She’d never felt like this with anyone before.
And that terrified her.
Now Dani wasn’t stupid, she knew exactly where this was heading — she could feel it now, the same way she’d felt it at the club. The undeniable pull. The way Megan’s laughter lingered in the air, the way her eyes gleamed with wonder. It was a force Dani couldn’t ignore, no matter how hard she tried.
But she had to.
She needed to shut it down before it went too far. Before she slipped any deeper. Put her walls up. Because whatever this was — this warmth, this closeness — it could only end one way. Dani knew herself. Knew the wreckage she was capable of. And the thought of Megan getting caught in it? She couldn’t stomach that.
So, she did what she always did. Dani had her shields, things she used to react or avoid situations with, the most familiar being her anger but right now she reached for the easiest shield she had.
Humor.
“…I mean it’s kind of insane to think about , don’t you think?” Megan’s voice broke through Dani’s tangled thoughts, her eyes wide with anticipation.
Dani blinked, the tension in her chest masked by the easy quirk of her lips. She shook her head and held back the dimpled grin threatening to surface.
“Sorry, did I say nerd earlier? I meant massive nerd.”
“Shut up,” Megan shoved Dani lightly and Daniela let herself sway with the movement, her grin breaking free.
Megan pouted dramatically, her hands reaching for her glasses as she slid them off in mock offense. The exaggerated gesture was meant to say, See? Not a nerd.
But Dani reacted before Megan could finish the act.
“Don’t do that,” she murmured, the teasing gone from her voice. Gently, she plucked the glasses from Megan’s hands, her fingertips brushing against hers. Without a second thought, Dani slid them back onto Megan’s face, her touch lingering longer than necessary.
“You look hot with your glasses.”
The words left her before she could stop them. Simple. Certain. No anger, charm or humour to hide behind. Just the truth.
Megan gulped and all but melted on the spot, her throat going dry.
“We should—um—probably get some rest.” Dani said, abruptly stepping backwards. Megan just nodded, words failing her, and followed Daniela back into the house.