You first met Chelsea in kindergarten, and something clicked immediately. It wasn’t a fleeting friendship—it was the kind that settled deep and stayed. Your families grew close, and sleepovers blurred into second homes. You learned the rhythm of her house: cinnamon rolls on Sundays, popcorn on movie nights, comfort everywhere.

And then there was Keegan—Chelsea’s older brother. Even young, he knew exactly how to get under your skin. He teased relentlessly, flicking your ponytail, stealing your things, smirking when you snapped back. Yet sometimes he surprised you, sharing candy or letting you choose the movie, kindness tangled up with mischief in a way you didn’t understand.

Years passed, and Chelsea remained your constant through scraped knees, awkward phases, and cheer practice that left the gym smelling like sweat and rubber. She was your anchor, your partner in every embarrassment and triumph.

Keegan was always there too. By high school, his boyish charm had sharpened into something magnetic. Quarterback. Track star. A small-town golden boy with his face everywhere. You knew him differently—how he noticed your haircut, how his teasing softened with age, how his blue eyes sometimes lingered on you when he thought no one noticed.

Your crush bloomed quietly and stubbornly, no matter how much you denied it. He dated other girls, and each time, something twisted painfully in your chest. You buried it in practice and late-night study sessions, pretending you didn’t feel his gaze find you across crowded rooms.

Then he graduated. He chose the military, and the goodbye hurt more than you admitted. The hug lingered long after he left, the house next door suddenly quieter.

Five years slipped by. You and Chelsea stayed in touch, but life pulled you in different directions. University consumed you both, meetups postponed by exams and exhaustion.

Then summer came—your final year looming. Chelsea called, excited, moving back home and eager to reclaim the ease of childhood summers.

And Keegan?

He was back.

The thought settled heavily in your chest. You wondered who he was now—and whether he’d still recognize the girl who once pretended she didn’t watch him too.