Lily Hart pressed her forehead lightly to the cool airplane window, watching clouds swirl like scattered chalk dust over a foreign sky.
Stockholm.
She was really doing this—leaving New Jersey behind: her childhood bedroom with the crooked closet door, late-night milkshakes at Marlowe's Diner, and, most of all, Zoey and Harper. Her best friends. Her anchors.
Her mom's voice echoed in her head:
"It's a fresh start, Lily. Dan's a good man. Ezra's excited to meet you."
Fresh starts were for people who wanted change. Lily hadn't. She'd liked her old life—even if it came with the cracks of a messy divorce. Now she was crossing the Atlantic to live with her mom's new husband and his son. A boy she'd never met. Ezra.
Artsy. Quiet. "Thoughtful," her mom had said, in the voice she used when trying to sell vegetables to a kid.
Lily wasn't sure if that meant "cool" or "reads poetry in the dark and doesn't blink enough."
But none of it mattered the second she saw him.
Jaden Rivera.
He stood beside Ezra at the arrivals gate, laughter tugging at the corners of his mouth. Sunlight streamed through the glass ceiling, catching in the curls of his dark hair, casting a warm glow on his golden-brown skin. Lily stopped short, her heart tripping over itself.
Great.
She hadn't even left the airport and already her brain had decided to become a YA novel.
Her mom had mentioned him during the flight.
"Jaden's basically family. Ezra's best friend. Their moms were close, too. Like one big extended tribe."
Family.
Right.
Because nothing screams family like heart palpitations and a sudden inability to form coherent sentences.
Lily forced her feet to move as Dan waved them over with a wide, dad-energy grin.
"Lily!" he called. "Welcome, kiddo!"
He wrapped her in a quick, warm hug. She smiled, polite but floaty, still dazed from the flight… and from the walking heart attack standing ten feet away.
"This is Ezra," Dan said, stepping aside.
Ezra looked like the human version of a rainy-day playlist—tall and quiet, hoodie sleeves smudged with paint, hair falling lazily over one eye. He gave a soft smile.
"Hey," he said.
"Hey," she echoed.
"And that's Jaden," Ezra added, with a knowing glance. "Basically my twin, but louder."
"Facts," Jaden said, stepping forward with an infuriatingly easy grin. "Welcome to Sweden."
His voice was warm and textured, like cinnamon over coffee.
Lily's brain went blank. "Hi."
Seriously? Just hi?
As they walked toward the parking garage, Jaden turned to her. "How was the flight?"
"Long," Lily said, then rushed to add, "but decent."
Nailed it. Flight review: two stars. Brain cells: zero.
Ezra hoisted her luggage into the trunk while Jaden held the car door open. She climbed in, mumbling a quick "Thanks," heart still hammering.
Outside, Stockholm slid past the windows like a movie set—pastel buildings, cobblestone alleys, ivy curling up the corners of townhouses.
"You'll like it here," Ezra offered from the front seat. "Give it a few weeks."
Jaden leaned back, arms crossed casually. "There's a rooftop skating rink near school. Late-night sessions, neon lights, good music."
Lily perked up. "Skating?"
"You any good?" he asked, one eyebrow raised.
"I mean… I don't usually fall on my face."
He laughed, and it went straight to her stomach.
Get it together, Hart.
They pulled up to a townhouse framed in ivy. The house was modern but cozy, with big windows and a garden out front. Inside, it smelled like cinnamon and paint.
Ezra gave a shy smile. "I redid the guest room. Hope it feels a little like yours."
It did. Pale blue walls, a window seat, and a moon-shaped lamp on the desk. A couple of potted plants sat by the bed—thriving, like they belonged.
"This is… amazing," Lily said, surprised by how much it meant.
That night, under unfamiliar sheets and a quilt someone had clearly chosen with care, she stared at her phone. Zoey's texts were rapid-fire:
Send pics!
Is everyone hot there? Be honest.
Like Swedish Netflix hot or just regular hot?
Lily didn't respond. Instead, she thought about Jaden. About the way he'd looked at her like he was curious. Like she was already part of something.
Not even 24 hours in, and Stockholm had already gotten under her skin.
The next morning, the sky was soft gray, and the air smelled like bread and damp leaves. Lily tugged her sweater tighter as she stared at her reflection. Everything she wore felt off.
What do you wear when you're trying not to look like you're trying?
Downstairs, the kitchen was alive with movement. Dan scrolled through something on his tablet, Ezra munched peanut butter toast, and Jaden—
Jaden was leaning against the fridge like he lived in a music video.
"Morning," Lily managed.
"Morning!" Dan replied cheerily. "You're taking the tram in today—thought it'd be a fun way to see the city."
"I hope you like public transport," Ezra said.
"I'm from Jersey," she smirked. "The PATH train builds character."
Jaden grinned. "You're already cooler than half our school."
And there it was again—that fluttering, ridiculous skip in her chest.
The tram was slow and steady, the city blurring into motion outside. Ezra and Jaden talked about school, a mutual friend who overshares, and Mr. Lindqvist, who—according to them—quotes Hamlet like it's a religion.
Jaden leaned toward her. "Nervous?"
"A little," Lily said honestly. "New school. New country. New… stepbrother situation."
"You've got us," he said. "We'll make sure no one messes with you."
Ezra nodded. "And if they do, blame me. Works like a charm."
Lily smiled, grateful. But the moment they stepped into the school, the nerves returned.
The halls buzzed with Swedish and English, lockers slammed shut, and groups clustered like puzzle pieces. It wasn't totally unfamiliar—but she still felt like the one piece from the wrong box.
Ezra peeled off toward his class. Lily and Jaden walked together to the admin office.
"How long have you and Ezra been friends?" she asked, half to fill the silence.
"Since we could walk. Our moms were best friends. He's basically my brother."
That word again.
Family.
And yet, there was nothing sibling-like about the way he smiled at her.
"Guess you're stuck with us now," he added.
"Lucky me," Lily said dryly.
At the front desk, the receptionist handed her a schedule with a warm smile. "Good luck, Lily. You'll settle in quickly."
Lily scanned the paper and groaned. "History with Mr. Lindqvist? First period?"
Jaden winced. "Yikes. Hope you like soliloquies before sunrise."
Then, his voice softened. "Meet me on the rooftop at lunch. I'll show you something worth staying for."
She blinked. "The skating rink?"
"Nope. Better."
Before she could ask, he gave a little salute and disappeared down the hall.
Lily stared after him, his laugh still echoing like a song she didn't know the words to.
This was supposed to be a clean break. A fresh start.
But with Jaden Rivera already rewriting the first chapter—
She wasn't sure if she'd survive the ending.