58. I'm Sure

As Avla stepped into the shower, the rising steam and cascading water heightened the unusual sensations she was starting to feel. Her body felt unusually warm, a sign she was familiar with but hadn't expected just yet.

Outside, Gideon hesitated by the bathroom door. "I think I'll skip the shower," he said, voice strained. "Don't want to, you know... lose control."

Avla let out a laugh, thinking he was joking. But when she peeked out from behind the shower curtain, she found his face dead serious. Her laughter died down. "Oh, you're genuinely serious," she murmured, a bit taken aback.

While she continued with her shower, Gideon's phone buzzed. He picked it up to find a message from Tanner. Opening it revealed a heartwarming picture: Tanner and the other boys nestled in his soon-to-be bedroom. Despite being a skeletal frame of plywood and studs, their exuberance filled the space. Gideon's lips curled into a smile.

Yet, almost simultaneously, a pang of jealousy stirred within him. It was