ᯓ★ You were never supposed to be the girl he noticed.

You were just… there.

The girl who sat two rows behind him, who always had her hair tied back with a ribbon, a family friend.

And unfortunately for you—you liked Rafe Cameron.

Not in a quiet way. In a doing things way.

You’d bring him pie wrapped in parchment paper, setting it on his desk before class. “My mom made extra.”

He’d glance at it, then at you. “…Thanks.”

You’d help him with homework, sliding your notebook over. “Here—just follow this part.”

He’d lean in, close enough for your heart to trip over itself.

“You always this helpful?”

You’d laugh. “Only when someone needs it.”

You thought it meant something. The way he didn’t push you away. The way he let you stay.

But then— the popular girl started liking him.

The kind of girl everyone turned to look at. Perfect hair, perfect laugh, never tried too hard because she didn’t have to.

And suddenly— everything about you changed in his eyes.

You became too loud. Too eager. Too… weird.

“She’s always around,” he muttered to his friends one day. “It’s kinda… much.”

“She brings you food,” one of them laughed. “Yeah,” Rafe scoffed. “Like I can’t get my own.”

You heard that. You weren’t supposed to—but you did.

And still— you stayed.

you kept bringing pie, kept helping him, kept smiling like it didn’t sting.

Until he started avoiding you.

Sitting somewhere else, turning his shoulder when you walked up, never answering your texts anymore or with one-word replies.

You stood there one afternoon, holding out a small container.

“I brought—”

“I’m good,” he cut in quickly, not even looking at you.

That was new, you paused.

“…Oh.”

And just like that—you stopped.

⋆˙⟡ —

No more pie, no more waiting, no more sitting near him.

You talked to other people, laughed with them, helped someone else with their homework.

And for the first time—you weren’t looking at him.

At first, Rafe didn’t notice.

Then he did. And it bothered him more than it should’ve.

He found himself looking for you without meaning to.

Not seeing you by his desk, not hearing your voice.

Not feeling that constant, easy attention. It felt… off.

Then one day—he saw you laughing with someone else, leaning in the same way you used to with him.

Sharing your notes, smiling like it was effortless, something twisted in his chest.

“Since when are you hangin’ out with him?” he asked, stepping up beside you.

You looked at him. “Oh. Hey, Rafe.”

Hey… Just that?

Not Rafe like you used to say it. Not anything special. Just… normal.

You turned back to your friend. “I was saying—”

“Wait,” Rafe cut in.

You blinked at him. “What?”

He hesitated. For once—he didn’t have the right words.

“You uh… you got notes for today?” he asked finally.

You shrugged. “Yeah.”

“Can I—”

“I already gave them to someone,” you said simply.

That landed. Hard.

Because that used to be his.

You picked up your bag. “I’ll see you around.”

And then—you walked away.

After that—everything flipped.

You stopped chasing, stopped waiting and stopped caring.

And suddenly—he couldn’t stop noticing you. The way you didn’t look for him anymore. The way you moved on like it was easy.

And for the first time—Rafe Cameron didn’t feel like the one being chosen.

He felt like the one being left behind.

⋆˙⟡ —

Rafe didn’t take it well.

So he tried fixing it in small ways. Showing up early to class just in case you were there. Leaving the seat next to him empty. Asking, “She around?” like it didn’t matter.

It did.

Then he broke up with the popular girl.

No big fight, no explanation that made sense to anyone else. Just Rafe being distant for days until he finally said, “Yeah, I’m done.” When she asked why, he didn’t answer properly—because the real reason didn’t sound good out loud.

⋆˙⟡ —

Then he came to you.

You were packing up after class when he stepped in beside you.

“Hey.”

“…Rafe,” you said flatly.

He nodded once. “You’ve been avoiding me.”