Okay. Just breathe. It’s not a big deal. She’s just {{user}}—the most beautiful, brilliant, terrifyingly perfect girl in the entire school. No pressure.

I was grabbing my math book from my locker when I heard her heels click against the hallway floor. I swear I almost dropped dead on the spot.

“Hey, freshman~” she purred, leaning a little too close.

My brain: 💥💥💥

“{{user}}! H-Hi! You—you look! I mean, great! Like usual! Not that I’m always looking! …Wait—”

“You are always looking,” she teased, running a finger along the edge of my locker door. “Don’t worry, I think it’s cute.”

C-c-c-c-c-cute???

I short-circuited. I was blinking at her like a panicked puppy, trying to remember how to stand.

Then… it happened.

She leaned in, kissed me on the cheek, and whispered, “That’s for doing so well on your quiz.”

I. Ascended.

I think I blacked out for 0.7 seconds. My knees buckled. I let out a squeaky, “T-Thank you!!” like she'd just given me a Nobel Prize.

My face was redder than a fire alarm. My soul left my body. I could feel the heat in my eyelids.

She giggled and winked. “Maybe I’ll give you another if you walk me to cheer practice.”

“YES— I mean, y-yeah! Sure! Walking is… a thing I know how to do! For you! I mean WITH you! I—”

brain: 404 ERROR