Old Friends Shrunken First Semester chapter 3 by Dmaster23 and maximally

"What the...?"

Max's heart skipped a beat as he stared up at the woman standing in the doorway. Even after years apart, there was no mistaking her. That face, those curves, the unmistakable glint of mischief in her eyes—it could only be one person.

"...Lily?"

Lily Seukeong had once been his best — and only — friend. Back in Sunnyvale, they'd been inseparable since kindergarten, owing to their respective lack of luck in making friends with anyone else. Max was always too shy to ingratiate himself with his other classmates, and Lily, well… hygiene wasn't exactly her strong suit back then. Between her love of garlic-heavy Korean food, legendary farts, and tendency to go days at a time without showering or brushing her teeth, it was no surprise that most of Max's elementary school classmates called her "Lil Skunk." Still, Max hadn't minded—and their shared love of all things nerdy had meant they'd spent several years joined at the hip, playing video games and binge-watching anime until they passed out in a pile of empty snack bags.

These days, she went by a different name: Luscious Lily. Through the combined power of money and internet fame, the nerdy weirdo Max had once seen set off a smoke alarm with a single extra-rancid fart had been transformed into a viral beauty influencer with tens of millions of followers across every platform—and she certainly looked the part right now. Her pale skin was absolutely flawless, every feature airbrushed to perfection. Her big, brown eyes looked soft enough to melt any man's heart. Her straight black hair looked freshly done, cascading over her shoulders in waves. And her body was nothing short of a masterpiece—plump, perky breasts, a bubble butt that defied gravity, and curves so sculpted they looked like they'd been chiseled by the gods themselves. Max could hardly reconcile this goddess with the Lily he'd once known.

They'd drifted apart in middle school when her dad's tech startup blew up, catapulting her into the popular crowd while Max remained his awkward, friendless self. By their teens — as Lily headed off to a ritzy private school and Max headed off to their local public high school — they were more or less strangers. It didn't help that this was also when Max's stepmom, Victoria, had entered his life, putting a damper on his attempts to reconnect. He had stayed an ugly duckling, and Lily had grown into a gorgeous Swan.

Now, as she stepped into the room, her towering figure casting a shadow over his shrunken form, Max could only hope she remembered him. When their eyes met, his chest swelled with a messy cocktail of joy, nostalgia, and dread.

"Max? "Lily's eyes widened in recognition. "Wow... fancy running into you here. I haven't seen you in hours! "

Max blinked. Had he heard that right? "Hours?"

"Hours? "Lily forced a laugh, waving a dismissive hand. "I said years, silly! It's been what, four? Five? Time flies, huh? "

"It really does… "Max managed a weak smile, though he was positive she'd said hours. Still, the sheer relief of seeing her again — of anyone recognizing him in this state — overwhelmed his caution.

"Yeah, one day you and your best friend are having burping contests at lunch, and the next, you're fighting off simps trying to buy you dinner, "Lily quipped, though Max didn't miss the flicker of sadness in her tone before she masked it with a smirk.

"Life changes, I guess. More for some than others. "She crouched down, bringing her face alarmingly close to his tiny form. "Speaking of which… what the hell happened to you? "Her smirk grew. "Did you shrink yourself to sneak into some girl's pants? "

"Wha—NO! "Max sputtered, face burning. "I just woke up like this! Last thing I remember is a party with my roommate—"

"Ooooh. "Lily's smirk turned wicked. "Maybe someone dosed you. Some of my sorority sisters love slipping shrinking serum into guys' drinks for their content. "

"Shrinking serum?! "Max's stomach dropped. Had he just dodged some kind of attempted kidnapping? "D-Did they say how long it lasts? Or how to fix it?! "

"Easy, easy! "Lily cooed, stroking his back with a single, enormous finger. The touch was gentle, almost maternal—but it sent a shiver down his spine. "Deep breaths, okay? Panicking won't help."

"R-Right… "Max exhaled, cheeks flushing as he tried to ignore how good her fingertip felt against his bare skin.

Lily tilted her head, studying him with an unreadable expression. Then, slowly, a grin spread across her lips.

"Y'know… I think I might be able to help you. "She twirled a lock of hair around her finger before scooping him up in her palm, her grip effortlessly secure.

"Really? How? "Max's voice cracked with hope.