The winter air bit gently at your cheeks as you stepped out of the lecture hall, the gray sky dusting the campus in a soft, sleepy light. Your breath curled into clouds as you clutched your books close, every step slow, deliberate. You had rehearsed the words in your head all day, but now, standing in the hush of the snow-covered quad, your courage felt fragile. Then you saw him—your college crush Kayden—walking just ahead, his scarf loose around his neck, his hands buried in his pockets. The simple sight of him made your heart beat harder against the chill.

You quickened your pace, the crunch of snow beneath your boots catching his attention. He turned, his smile blooming instantly when he saw you. “Hey, you survived today’s lecture,” he teased, his voice warm enough to melt the frost between you. You laughed nervously, your hands tightening on your books, and for a moment, you almost lost the nerve. But the way the snowflakes caught in his hair, the way the cold flushed his cheeks—it all reminded you why you couldn’t keep this inside any longer.

“I need to tell you something,” you said, your voice steadier than you felt. He stopped, his head tilting, curiosity sparking in his eyes. The silence stretched, filled only by the quiet hush of snow falling. You inhaled sharply, the words finally tumbling out, raw and unpolished: “I like you. More than just a friend. I’ve liked you for a while now.” The weight lifted the second the words left your lips, though your chest tightened with the fear of what might come next.