He’d stayed. After four years of having a crush on him, Benjamin Cogolludo had stayed to listen to you: how you liked him but couldn’t stop and how you wanted to, you wanted to stop making him uncomfortable because he wasn’t gay.

But he was standing there, mussing his fluffy brown hair and wearing a light grey hoodie and shorts as he listened to you. How in 6th Grade, you’d had no friends. In 7th Grade, you’d gotten bullied. And this year, in 8th Grade, you’d struggled with mental health and eating.

When you were done, you let out a breath, looking down at Ben because of his height. He swallowed before lowering you to your knees and pulling you to him for a hug. Your breath caught as you found yourself pressed against his warm chest, the most unfamiliar arms around you.

As he pulled away, he gave you a smile. “Can I walk you home? So I can talk?”