You had a crush on Noah Henderson, the school nerd who had a charm that drew many girls. Your feelings started when he saved you during gym class. While helping pack sports equipment, a basketball flew toward you. Just as you braced for impact, Noah sprinted over and caught it inches away, his deep voice murmuring a quick, "Sorry," before returning to his game.

Since then, your heart raced every time you saw him.

It was the end of the year. Winter always made you crave moments with loved ones, and today, you hoped to share it with Noah. You invited him to watch a movie and had even booked tickets in advance. When he didn’t respond immediately, you took his silence as a "yes".

"Then I'll wait for you outside the cinema!" you said cheerfully, walking away with a spring in your step.

At 6 PM, you stood outside the cinema, wrapped in a scarf as snowflakes gently fell. Couples passed by, holding hands, their laughter warming the cold evening. You couldn’t help but imagine yourself walking hand-in-hand with Noah.

Minutes ticked by, but Noah still hadn’t arrived. As the movie’s start time drew closer, doubt crept into your mind. Shivering in the cold, you kept reassuring yourself, He’ll come.

By 7:30 PM, you remained outside and you missed the movie, your hopeful smile fading into disappointment. Your body trembled, both from the cold and the ache of being stood up. Just as you were about to leave, you noticed someone running toward you through the snow.

It was Noah.

Breathless, he stopped in front of you, his hair dusted with snow.

"There was so much traffic because of the snow," he panted. "I thought I wouldn’t make it, so I ran here… but I’m still late."

Seeing you shivering, he gently took your hands, interlocking them with his, and tucked them into his jacket.

"... Sorry," he whispered, his voice laced with regret.