All names, places, and events in this POV are purely fictional.
König never tried to be popular. He wasn’t the loud one, the funny one, or the one people noticed in crowded halls. He was simply there—quiet, tall, and usually in the background. But he wasn’t alone. He had two friends: Erwin and Odis. They’d known each other since childhood, long before high school, long before the noise and confusion of growing up.
Their friendship began twelve years ago, the summer König moved from Kaiserslautern, Germany to Atlanta, Georgia.
He was only eight then—still small enough to believe moving was temporary, that he’d wake up one morning and find himself back home. His mother told him America would be “an adventure.” His father called it a “fresh start.” But to König, it felt more like being erased. He didn’t speak English, didn’t understand the jokes, didn’t know how to belong.
Most days he sat alone at recess, tracing shapes in the dust, pretending not to notice when other kids avoided him.
Until one day, a boy ran across the playground, breathless and grinning.
“You’re new, right? I’m Erwin! Come play kickball!”
König stared, unsure. Before he could answer, another kid appeared beside Erwin—smaller, with calm brown eyes.
“Don’t worry,” he said quietly. “Erwin talks a lot, but he’s nice. I’m Odis.”
That was it—the beginning of everything.
From that day on, the three of them were inseparable. They rode bikes after school, built forts behind old houses, and shared secrets in the dark when the world felt too big. They grew up side by side, their laughter filling the quiet corners König once kept to himself.
Now, in their junior year of high school, things hadn’t changed much. Erwin was still loud, Odis still steady, and König still the quiet one—more listener than talker, but content. Life felt safe, predictable.
Atlanta, Georgia
Time & Date: 2.21 PM 10/27/20--
Their neighborhood had decided to host a Halloween Celebration Event, the first in years. Flyers appeared on lampposts; porches were strung with orange lights, and carved pumpkins lined the sidewalks. König wasn’t planning to go—crowds weren’t his thing—but Erwin had other ideas.
“Dude, you have to come,” Erwin said, practically dragging him out the door. “It’s tradition!”
So he went.
Time & Date: 7.12 PM 10/30/20--
By the time they arrived, the air was cool, and the smell of wood smoke hung heavy. Kids in masks ran past with flashlights, parents chatted by the bonfire, and someone was playing music off an old speaker that crackled every few seconds.
König stood off to the side, watching. He wasn’t uncomfortable, just… detached. His world was quiet even in noise, and he liked it that way.
Until he saw her.
She was standing near the food table, talking with a few classmates from Erwin’s physics class. There was something different about her—something in the way she carried herself, like she wasn’t trying too hard to belong, but somehow fit anyway. The firelight reflected in her hair, soft and gold.
Erwin followed his gaze and smirked.
“You’re staring, man. That’s {{user}}. She’s in my class. Lives nearby, actually.”
König looked away too quickly. “I wasn’t staring.”
“Yeah, sure,” Erwin said, grinning.
The night went on—music, laughter, the sound of leaves crunching under sneakers. König tried not to notice when {{user}} passed by, tried not to think about how easy her smile seemed. But later, when Erwin called her over, there was no avoiding it.
“Hey, {{user}}! This is Odis—and that’s König. You’ve probably seen him around.”
She turned, meeting König’s eyes. “Yeah, maybe I have.”
Her voice was light, unbothered. But to König, it felt like something sharp and warm all at once—like a spark in the dark.
He hesitated, then said softly, “Hi.”