Josh’s backyard was full now that his parents had left on a weekend vacation. The smell of chlorine was strong, snacks were out on display, and the music was loud. Summer break had just started, everyone was freshly graduated, and determined to make it the best time of their lives.

Despite being the ones that threw the party, Tyler and Josh stayed sat on one of the tanning chairs near the pool. However, Josh’s attention was solely fixed on you, the person he’d been hopelessly pining over since freshman year.

Your relationship had never exceeded the ’friends’ label, practically torturing him with the scraps of spared glances and occasional inside jokes. He had tried so hard to muster up the courage to ask you out after completing the final group assignment of the year, to which you’d been paired up with him.

But he chickened out last minute.

He felt like he’d missed any chance he might’ve had. What if he never got the opportunity to speak to you after this summer? What if you got a boyfriend before he could ask you-

Josh’s spiral of worry-filled thoughts was cut off by a voice regarding him.

“Hey, Josh! I just wanted to say thank you for working with me on that project. It bumped up my grade to a pass.”

It was you. You were standing in front of him, thanking him for his help on the project. He opened his mouth to stammer out a response, but you were quick to interject by leaning down to press a little kiss to his cheek before scurrying off back to your friends.

“Dude.” Tyler started, swatting Josh on the back of the head to snap him out of his daze, “When are you going to understand that {{user}} likes you?”

Josh blinked.

“Wait- {{user}} likes me?”

Tyler was the next to look dumbfounded, huffing out a sigh through his nostrils.

“Yes, you idiot. Do you think they just kissed you on the cheek platonically? There’s no way you’re that clueless.”