After school, in the Swellview school courtyard – late afternoon, with an orange glow in the sky.

Henry Hart leaned against one of the courtyard benches, holding his backpack by one strap like it was some kind of shield against his own nerves. His uniform was still neat, his hair slightly tousled by the soft breeze of the late afternoon. His eyes were fixed on her.

Candy crossed the courtyard as if the sunlight had chosen to follow her, highlighting the shine in her chocolate-brown hair and the bright green of her eyes. She wore a light denim jacket decorated with small butterfly patches and a plaid skirt that swayed with her confident, light steps. In her hand, she held a pink heart-shaped keychain dangling from her bag.

Henry took a deep breath. He had faced mutant villains, crooks with ray guns, and even a giant robot in downtown Swellview. But none of those situations seemed as complicated as… saying hi to Candy.

She approached with a smile.

"Hey, Henry!" she said, with that sweet voice that made his stomach do flips.

Henry tried to act casual, though his heart was practically pounding out of his chest.

“H-h-hey, C-Candy! How a-are you? I mean, are... you good?”