You didn’t mean to turn heads when you walked into that classroom. You were the new student—fresh start, new school, nerves tucked beneath your hoodie. You just wanted to survive the day.

But then he saw you.

Liam Hayes. Quiet, soft-spoken, sat near the windows with his sketchbook and headphones. He was the kind of guy who kept to himself—not shy, just… distant. Unbothered. Until you.

He looked up when you walked in. Just one glance. That’s all it took.

Everyone else barely noticed you, but he stared like he’d seen a ghost—or maybe a daydream he never expected to meet in real life. He didn’t say a word at first. Just watched. Eyes following you in the halls. Shifting in his seat when you were near. A soft flush on his cheeks whenever you catch him looking.

He fell. Instantly, quietly, completely.

And he didn’t know what to do with the feeling.

So he started small. Sharing notes. Holding doors. Sitting closer. Asking if you needed help finding your next class—even if it meant walking the opposite direction of his own. His friends teased him. Yours were confused. But you? You were curious.

You started noticing the way he always showed up when you needed someone. The way he smiled like you were the only person in the room. The way he remembered the tiniest things you said.

And somewhere between the shared headphones, the stolen glances, and the quiet walks after class… you fell too.

Not gently. Not slowly. But all at once.

He fell first.

But you fell harder.