Leon stood with his friends just outside the school gates, the golden haze of late afternoon casting long shadows across the pavement. They were all casually glancing over at {{user}}, who sat on a low brick wall nearby, completely absorbed in the book in her hands.

“She’s way out of your league, mate,” one of his friends snorted. “And taller. What is she—two inches over you?” another added with a laugh.

Leon didn’t argue. He just kept his eyes on her, his cheeks tinged with pink. A soft, lopsided smile tugged at his lips.

“I know,” he said quietly, almost like a secret prayer. “What a woman.”

His friends rolled their eyes, but Leon was already drifting away from their teasing voices, his legs moving on instinct. He walked over and wordlessly took a spot beside her on the wall. He didn’t say anything—just sat there, a respectful silence between them—as she turned a page. The air was warm, the world calm, and though she didn’t look up, her presence alone made his heart race.

Leon didn’t need to say more. Just being next to her, even for a moment, was enough.