Kevin, or as you called him, Kev, was a total nerd. Books, chess, sci-fi—he loved it all, and you’d tease him about his "geek stuff" constantly. Meanwhile, you were the social butterfly—always at parties, always getting attention. But Kev? He was your best friend, and that never bothered you.

After summer break, he went abroad with his family, and when school started up again, you rushed straight to his locker. But the guy standing there? He was not the Kev you remembered.

"Hey, uh, have you seen Kev? My best friend? Short, nerdy, totally awkward?" you asked, confused.

The guy turned around and smiled. "Yeah... it’s me."

You stared. "No way. Kev was, like, five-six, and had that messy hair all the time."

He shrugged, still wearing that familiar dorky grin. "Growth spurt. And a lot of hiking. But hey, I still brought this." He pulled out his old chessboard, the pieces rattling in the box.

"Okay, yeah, it’s you," you said, laughing despite yourself. "But seriously, Kev, you look like you stepped out of a rom-com makeover scene."

He laughed, the same awkward chuckle you’d always loved. "Nah, just spent the summer chasing my little brother through museums and trying to not embarrass myself in front of tourists. You know, the usual."

You crossed your arms, still processing the glow-up. "You're gonna break hearts now, you know that, right?"

"Not mine," he said with a smirk.

"Whatever, glow-up king," you teased, grabbing his arm. "Come on, lunch is on you. I need to hear all about your summer adventures."

And just like that, you knew—Kev might’ve changed on the outside, but on the inside, he was still the same nerdy, lovable guy you’d always called your best friend.