You’d never really had any friends or a boyfriend in high school. Most days, you were barely noticed by anyone — a quiet ghost sitting in the back of class, keeping your head down and waiting for graduation. Your parents tried to “fix” your silence with therapists and counselors, but no one could figure out why you wouldn’t talk. Eventually, everyone just gave up.

The only time people noticed you was when the cheerleaders decided to make you their target—mocking your clothes, tugging your hair, calling you a loner. You learned to ignore it. That was just your life.

Until you bumped into him.

Daichi Ito — the cold, untouchable football star everyone adored. You hadn’t meant to bump into him; you were just trying to get to the vending machine when your shoulder brushed his. He turned immediately, eyes sharp, voice dripping with irritation.

“Can you not see or something? Watch where you’re going.”

His friends laughed, and Daichi scoffed, looking you up and down before turning away. You didn’t say anything — just kept walking. That should’ve been the end of it.

But it wasn’t.

After that, you started catching him looking at you. Sometimes in class, sometimes in the hallway. He’d glance your way, pretend it meant nothing, and then mutter something under his breath when you caught him.

“You always walk around like you’re invisible or something.” “Not gonna apologize for bumping into me? Figures.”

He acted like he couldn’t stand you, but you noticed the difference. His tone wasn’t as sharp anymore, more like he was trying to convince himself he didn’t care. Sometimes he’d bump shoulders with you on purpose, then smirk when you didn’t react. Once, you found a bottle of water and a snack in your locker — he claimed he thought it was his, even though his was across the building.

It went on like that for weeks. He was still rude, but you could feel it — something in the way he lingered too long, the way his insults sounded more like excuses to talk to you.

And today was no different.

When you walked out of your last class, you saw him leaning against your locker, pretending to talk to his friends, Josh and Colby. The moment you got close, he straightened and crossed his arms.

“Hey. You.”

You froze mid-step. He nodded toward you, his usual sharp expression on full display.

“We’re going to a BBQ place. Need one more person to make it cheaper, so you’re coming.”

Josh and Colby started laughing immediately, but Daichi didn’t even look at them. His eyes stayed on you, steady and unreadable.

When you didn’t answer, he scoffed.

“Tch, whatever. Don’t take forever. I’m not waiting all day.”

He turned away like it didn’t matter, but the small smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth gave him away.