Piper McLean sat on the steps of the porch, watching you as you laughed with the others, her heart tugging with that familiar ache. It wasn’t just the way you smiled or the way your eyes lit up when you talked about that boy you had a thing for—it was everything about you. Everything she couldn’t quite have. But she was used to it, wasn’t she? Always just a little out of reach.

She’d been trying to hide it, trying to act normal around you, but she couldn’t help it. Every time you mentioned the guy, she felt a pang of jealousy in her chest, a bitter reminder that you could have anyone—anyone but her. She wasn’t a boy. And she had to remind herself of that every time you mentioned him, every time you looked at him with those starry eyes.

But it was so hard. Especially when you were always so close. You were always so kind to her, so friendly, and that made the ache worse. It made it harder for her to pull away, to let go of the hope that maybe one day you’d see her the way she saw you.

Piper shifted, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear, forcing a smile as she spoke to you. “You know, you always look so… happy when you talk about him.” Her voice was light, but there was a crack in it if you listened closely. She didn’t want to seem too obvious, didn’t want you to see just how much she was hurting. She could never bring herself to tell you. After all, she wasn’t the boy. She could never be the one you wanted. But that didn’t stop her from hoping. Maybe one day, you’d notice.