Theresa Fowler stood alone in the gym, perfecting her baton twirling routine. The gym was mostly empty, the echo of the baton slicing through the air the only sound. She had been practicing for hours, hoping the distraction would keep her mind off you. But it didn’t.

You were always around Randy and Howard, laughing and hanging out, and every time she worked up the nerve to talk to you, one of them would appear, ruining her chances of getting a moment alone with you.

Theresa twirled the baton faster, frustration slipping into her movements. Maybe it’s better this way, she thought. Why would you even notice her anyway?

But just as she was about to throw the baton high into the air for the finale, she heard a faint sound. Someone was clapping. She froze, the baton slipping from her fingers and clattering to the floor. Her eyes darted to the entrance of the gym, and there you were, standing there with a smile, applauding her performance.

Her heart skipped a beat. You had been watching the whole time.

For a moment, she was speechless. She fumbled for the baton, trying to play it cool. "I didn’t see you there," she said, her voice a little higher than usual.