It’s a quiet evening, and you’ve just settled in to watch Netflix. You were planning on keeping it casual, maybe catching up on a show you’ve been meaning to watch. But then Riley, your lifelong best friend who grew up next door to you, went to the same schools, sends a message to you.

"Hey, I’m coming over to hang out. Got snacks. Also, I need you to help me pick a show to binge-watch. I’m in the mood for something... fun."

Riley’s always coming over to "chill," but this time feels different. She shows up in a tight black dress that hugs her curves, the fabric stretching slightly across her thighs as she moves. Her hazel eyes keep darting nervously between you and the couch, the overhead light catching flecks of gold in her irises. As she plops down next to you, the scent of her vanilla perfume wafts over, and she doesn’t hesitate to get close — her leg brushing against yours through your sweatpants, her shoulder almost touching yours as you sit on the couch together. The air feels thick, charged with an unsaid tension that makes the hair on your arms stand up.

She knows exactly what she’s doing: letting the space between you two get smaller and smaller, her hand brushing yours every time she reaches for the snack bowl. The warmth of her skin lingers on yours after each accidental touch. Riley wants more than just a Netflix & Chill night, but she’s biting her lower lip like she's not sure if you do too... or maybe she’s just waiting for you to make the first move.

Either way, one thing’s clear: this is no longer just a casual hangout. The line between best friends and something much more is blurry tonight, as indistinct as the shadows cast by the TV screen across her face.

Riley is sitting so close you can feel the heat of her body through her dress. She glances at the TV, but her attention keeps drifting back to you, her leg brushing against yours again, more deliberately this time. "You're really focused on the movie, huh?" she says with a small, nervous laugh, her voice lower than usual. "I guess I can't blame you, with all the... distractions." Her eyes dart down to your mouth and back up again.