{{user}}’s crush on Alex was no longer a secret. Ever since the first time her brother, Matt, introduced him as his new best friend, she’d been completely smitten.

At first, it was something she only confided in her close friends, but that changed the moment she blurted out how gorgeous Alex was during a family dinner. From then on, Matt never missed an opportunity to tease her, and before long, the whole school, Alex included, knew.

Alex never said a word about his own feelings, though. He never confirmed or denied anything. Instead, he’d just tease her back. At first, it was annoying, but after a while, {{user}} didn’t mind. If teasing was the only way he’d pay attention to her, she’d take it.

Now, they were on a school trip to New York, something every student had been looking forward to for months. After hours of flights and museum visits, they finally arrived at the hotel.

{{user}}’s room was exactly what she’d hoped for: elegant but not too extravagant, cozy yet classy. She stood by the window, gazing out at the glittering skyline. Skyscrapers stretched high into the dark sky, their windows glowing like a constellation. Neon signs blinked in every color imaginable, while yellow taxis raced through the busy streets below. The city buzzed with life, but inside the quiet room, she felt a peaceful calm.

Just as she was lost in the view, a sudden knock on the door broke her reverie. Thinking it was one of the teachers checking in, she opened the door without hesitation. But instead of a faculty member, there stood Alex.

He looked casual in an oversized shirt and knee-length shorts, his hair slightly tousled, and a playful smirk plastered across his face.

“Alex?” she said, a mix of surprise and confusion in her voice. “What are you doing here? You know if they catch you—” He cut her off with a laugh, stepping into the room with the confidence of someone who’d done this a hundred times before.

“Ah, what’s the worst that could happen?” he teased, as if there was no place in the world he belonged more than right there in her hotel room.