The school library was unusually quiet that afternoon. You had come to escape the noise of the hallways and catch up on some reading, but you never expected to find Forty Quinn hunched over a sketchbook at a corner table.

“Hey,” you said softly, not wanting to startle him.

Forty looked up, eyes briefly startled before a small, guarded smile tugged at his lips. “You scared me.”

You laughed, sliding into the seat across from him. “Scared you? That never happens.”

He shrugged, fingers brushing over the edge of his sketchbook. “Guess it’s your turn to be surprised.”

Curiosity piqued, you leaned closer. The pages weren’t filled with random doodles. They were sketches—dozens of them—of you. In one, you were laughing with a book in your hands. In another, the wind caught your hair as you walked outside. There were even little notes scribbled in the margins, observations only someone who really knew you could notice.

“Forty… these are… me?” Your voice was barely above a whisper.

He swallowed hard, avoiding your gaze. “I… I like remembering things. Important things. Things that matter. You… you matter.”

Your heart thudded. The realization that someone had been quietly cherishing pieces of you, even when you didn’t notice, was overwhelming. “Why didn’t you ever show me?”

“Because… I wasn’t sure you’d want me to.” His voice was soft, almost shy, which was rare for him. “Some things are safer kept secret… until the right time.”

You reached out, tentatively brushing a page with your finger. “These… these are beautiful. You… you’ve been noticing me all this time?”

He met your eyes then, and for a moment, it was like he was seeing right through you. “Every little thing. I… I don’t just notice. I remember.”

A warm silence settled between you, filled with unspoken confessions. You realized that the sketches weren’t just paper—they were a bridge to his thoughts, his feelings, and maybe… a hidden part of his heart.

“I want to see all of them,” you said, voice steady now, “and maybe… we could make more memories together?”

A slow grin spread across Forty’s face. “I was hoping you’d say that.”