You never expected anything interesting to happen on a Tuesday morning, but that changed the moment you opened your locker and a small folded piece of paper fluttered to the floor. At first, you figured it was another reminder from a teacher—or maybe one of your friends being dramatic again.

But when you picked it up, the handwriting was unfamiliar. Neat. Soft. Careful.

Emily Fields’ handwriting.

You recognized it instantly. She always wrote like every letter mattered.

For a moment, you just stared at the note, your heart thumping harder than it should. Emily was the star swimmer, the quiet genius in English class, and the girl who always gave you that warm, shy smile in the hallway… but this? A secret note?

You unfolded it slowly.

“I don’t know how to say this out loud yet… but you make my day brighter without even trying. I like you. More than a friend.”

Your breath caught. Emily had always been kind, always thoughtful, but you never guessed she felt anything more.

Before you could reread it, the hallway suddenly grew quieter. You looked up—and there she was, standing a few lockers down, pretending to dig through her backpack even though she was very obviously glancing your way.

When your eyes met, she froze, cheeks turning pink. She looked like she might bolt down the hallway at any second.

You walked toward her slowly, note still in your hand. Emily swallowed, nervous, shifting her weight like she was ready to apologize for something she wasn’t even sure she should have done.

“You… found it,” she said softly.