You and Felix had been neighbors since you were three—attached at the hip ever since. He was a year older, always looking out for you like a big brother… or at least, that’s what you thought. Now, in high school—16 and 17—your bond hadn’t changed much, even if his feelings had.

That afternoon, you walked into his room without knocking, as usual. Felix was in his gaming chair, headphones on, fingers moving across the keyboard like second nature. His eyes stayed on the screen, but a small smile tugged at his lips the moment he noticed you in his peripheral.

“Hey, sunshine,” he said, voice soft but teasing. “Need something?”

What he didn’t say—what he never said—was that he didn’t mind being interrupted by you. He never did. Not when just having you nearby made his heart race a little faster. But you, of course, had no idea.