Chapter 4 The Dress Incident

It started as just another summer day - the kind that felt like it stretched forever, golden and endless. The sun hung lazily in the sky, casting a warm glow over everything it touched. Birds chirped lazily from the trees, and the scent of grilled burgers and lemonade filled the air.

Nathan had rounded up his closest friends for a day at the lake - burgers, music, laughter echoing over the water. Daniel was there, of course, wearing sunglasses and laughing at something Nathan said. His easy smile and effortless confidence made him the center of attention, even when he wasn't trying.

Sophia sat nearby, pretending to scroll through her phone while really just watching him.

She'd worn a new dress today - something a little nicer than usual, soft blue with thin straps. It was simple, nothing extravagant, but it made her feel older, prettier. Confident.

For once, she hadn't felt like just Sophia. She'd felt like someone worth noticing.

That confidence shattered when she caught her sleeve on a low-hanging branch while walking near the picnic area.

The tear wasn't loud, but it felt like everyone heard.

She looked down at the jagged rip running from her shoulder to her waist, heat rushing to her face.

Daniel turned toward her instantly. "You okay?"

She couldn't look at him. "I'm fine."

But she wasn't.

She mumbled something about going to fix it and hurried toward the nearest restroom, eyes stinging with embarrassment.

Once inside, she stared at herself in the mirror - red-faced, disheveled, and wishing the floor would swallow her whole. Her reflection looked ridiculous. One side of the dress clung stubbornly to her body while the other dangled uselessly, a sad reminder of how quickly things could fall apart.

She imagined what Daniel would say if he saw her like this.

Would he laugh?

Would he tease her?

Would he pretend not to notice how hard this was for her?

Probably all three.

She closed her eyes, inhaling deeply.

This wasn't supposed to be how the day went.

She wasn't supposed to cry over a torn dress.

She was supposed to be cool, mature, maybe even noticeable.

Instead, here she was - hiding in the bathroom like a child.

A knock came at the door.

"Soph?" Daniel's voice was soft. Gentle. Concerned.

She swallowed hard. "Yeah. Just... give me a minute."

There was a pause. Then a rustling sound. A plastic bag appeared under the stall door.

"I got you something," he said gently. "Just try it on. We'll figure it out."

Sophia stared at the bag for a long moment before slowly pulling out a simple white sundress - nothing fancy, but clean, soft, and thoughtful.

He'd gone to a store. For her.

Her hands trembled slightly as she changed. When she stepped out, Daniel was still there, leaning casually against the wall like nothing had happened.

"You good?" he asked, not looking directly at her.

She nodded, voice barely above a whisper. "Thanks."

He finally met her eyes then - and for the first time, there was something different in his expression. Not teasing. Not brotherly. Just... gentle.

"You don't have to hide," he said quietly. "Not from me."

Her heart skipped.

She wanted to say so much - that she wasn't hiding anymore, that she wished he'd look at her differently, that she hated being invisible to him.

Instead, she just nodded again and walked past him, trying to ignore the way her chest ached.

He didn't know.

He still didn't see her the way she wanted him to.

But for the first time...

Maybe he was starting to notice she was there.

---

Later that evening, as the group packed up and prepared to head home, Sophia found herself sitting by the edge of the lake, watching the sunset dip into the water like fire melting into the sea.

Lena dropped down beside her, nudging her lightly with her elbow.

"You okay?" she asked.

Sophia shrugged. "I guess."

Lena gave her a knowing look. "It's the dress thing, isn't it?"

"It's not just the dress," Sophia admitted, staring at the horizon. "It's everything."

Lena tilted her head. "Explain."

Sophia hesitated, then whispered, "He noticed. He saw I was upset and did something about it. That's more than anyone else would've done."

Lena smirked. "So now we're analyzing every single thing he does?"

Sophia rolled her eyes. "You make it sound bad."

"I make it sound real," Lena corrected. "Because you're reading into every gesture like he just proposed to you."

Sophia groaned. "It wasn't that big of a deal."

"No?" Lena raised an eyebrow. "He left the group, bought you a dress, and waited outside the bathroom like some kind of awkward romantic hero."

Sophia blushed. "He probably just felt sorry for me."

"And yet..." Lena leaned in. "You're still thinking about it."

Sophia bit her lip, glancing back toward where Daniel was loading the car with Nathan and their friends. He looked relaxed, happy - completely unaware of the storm brewing in her heart.

She sighed. "It's not fair."

"What isn't?"

"That he can do something sweet like that and not even realize what it means."

Lena studied her carefully. "Then maybe you should stop letting him get away with it."

Sophia frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Stop acting like it's normal when he notices you," Lena said. "Stop pretending like it doesn't matter."

Sophia looked away. "I don't think I can."

"Why not?"

"Because if I let myself believe he sees me... even a little... then I'll start hoping for more."

"And what's wrong with that?"

Sophia smiled sadly. "Because hope hurts."

Lena shook her head. "You're never going to move on if you keep treating him like he's untouchable."

"I don't want to move on," Sophia murmured.

Lena blinked. "You what?"

"I don't want to forget him," Sophia repeated, louder this time. "I know it's stupid. I know. it's pointless. But I just... I want him to see me. Even once."

Lena exhaled slowly. "You are so gone."

Sophia didn't deny it.

Because she was.

She was so gone.

---

Back at the house later that night, Sophia stood in front of her mirror, holding the white sundress in her hands.

She ran her fingers over the soft fabric, tracing the hem with her thumb.

He hadn't chosen anything flashy or expensive. No lace. No frills. Just something clean. Something kind.

Something thoughtful.

And somehow, that meant more than any grand gesture ever could.

She folded it carefully and tucked it into the back of her drawer - not because she planned to wear it again, but because it felt like something sacred.

Like proof.

Proof that he noticed her, even if only in small ways.

Proof that maybe - just maybe - he wasn't completely blind to her existence.

The next morning, she woke up to find Daniel already in the kitchen, pouring himself a glass of orange juice.

He looked up when she walked in.

"You're up early," he said.

"So are you," she replied, taking a seat across from him.

He grinned. "Coffee addiction. It's a curse."

She smiled faintly, grabbing a muffin from the counter.

They sat in silence for a few moments - not awkward, not forced, just quiet.

Then he glanced at her and said, "You looked good yesterday, by the way."

Sophia nearly choked on her muffin.

"What?" she coughed.

He chuckled. "The dress. You looked nice in it."

Heat rushed to her cheeks. "Oh. Thanks."

He sipped his coffee. "It suited you."

Sophia stared at him. "Are you giving me a compliment?"

He laughed. "Is that so shocking?"

"Yes," she said honestly. "You usually call me 'hopeless' or 'weird.'"

He smirked. "Well, you are both."

She swatted his arm playfully, and he caught her wrist with ease, grinning.

"Hey," he said, still holding her hand lightly. "You okay now?"

She blinked. "Huh?"

"The dress thing," he clarified. "You were upset earlier."

"Oh." She cleared her throat. "Yeah. I'm fine."

He nodded, releasing her hand and leaning back in his chair. "Good."

Sophia tried very hard not to stare at where his fingers had just been.

---

As the week went on, Sophia found herself replaying the conversation in her head - not just the part where he told her she looked nice, but the way he seemed to actually care.

It wasn't a confession.

It wasn't a declaration of love.

But it was something.

And for now, something was enough.

Still, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was teetering on the edge of something dangerous.

She wasn't sure which part scared her more - the idea that he might never see her the way she wanted him to...

Or the terrifying possibility that he might.