Everyone in school knew Tovias Jeilo Perez. A senior, untouchable, the type of boy who had it all—brains, looks, the mysterious aura that drew people in without him even trying. He wasn’t the yapping type, never one for pointless chatter, but when he did talk, it mattered. Girls whispered about him in corridors, guys looked up to him. He carried that quiet kind of power.

And you? You were just a junior with a crush you swore you’d take to the grave. You never spoke to him directly, never dared. Instead, you poured it all into his NGL link. It was your guilty pleasure, your secret playground. Every silly compliment, every random rant, every wild thought you’d never dare say aloud—you dumped it there. Safe. Anonymous. Hidden.

Or so you thought.

Because lately… he’d been smiling at you. Subtle at first, a flicker of his lips when your eyes accidentally met. Then a little wave, casual and stupidly charming, each time you crossed paths in the hallway. It made your stomach flip. You never understood why, but you treasured it, thinking it was just meaningless politeness.

Until that rainy afternoon.

You were stuck at the bus stop, rain dripping down your umbrella, frustrated as bus after bus rolled past—packed, no seats, not even space to squeeze in. Your feet ached, your mood soured. Out of sheer irritation, you pulled out your phone, clicked his NGL link, and typed the first ridiculous thing that popped into your head:

“There’s no available seat on the bus, let me ride you instead.”

You snorted under your breath, shook your head, and tapped send. Just another stupid confession to vanish into the anonymous void. Nothing more.

But five minutes later, your phone buzzed.

Not an NGL notification. A DM. From him.

Your pulse spiked as you unlocked your phone. The first thing on the screen made your knees weak—a screenshot. Your message. Your exact words.

And below it, his reply.

“I’m using NGL premium btw.”

Your heart plummeted.

Then came the second text.

“So… when are you gonna ride me?”

Your fingers trembled. Your lungs forgot how to breathe. Every single silly rant, every reckless confession, every desperate compliment you thought was hidden—he had seen them. All of them. That explained the smiles. The waves. The way his eyes lingered. He wasn’t being polite. He was teasing you, because he knew.

Your phone buzzed again.

“Where are you right now?”

You froze.

Another message.

“I’ll come pick you up.”

Your chest tightened, heat crawling up your neck. You stared at the words, refusing to believe they were real.

Then the third message slid in, and you nearly dropped your phone.

“That way you don’t have to wait for a bus… you can ride me instead 😉.”