Benny Weir was on autopilot.

“I’m telling you, Ethan, this curse is easy to fix,” he said, waving his hands dramatically as he strolled through the crowded hallway. “Like, ‘beginner-level magic’ easy. We’re talking barely a step above a bad rash.”

Ethan side-eyed him. “Benny, you haven’t fixed it yet.”

“Yeah, but I will,” Benny countered confidently. “All it takes is a simple—”

Before he could finish that thought, he walked straight into something—or rather, someone.

There was a sudden impact, followed by the unmistakable sound of books hitting the floor.

Benny staggered back, blinking rapidly as his brain caught up with reality. His heart was already hammering from the shock, but when he actually looked at who he’d just body-checked, something weird happened.

The hallway noise faded. The harsh school lighting seemed softer. And—oh, no—there were hearts. Cartoonish, floating little hearts invading his vision like he had just stepped into a cheesy rom-com.

“Oh,” was all he managed to say.

From beside him, Ethan let out a sharp breath. “Holy crap,” he whispered, gripping Benny’s arm like he needed to steady himself. “You just ran into a cheerleader.”

Benny didn’t respond. Couldn’t respond. His brain was still rebooting.

Meanwhile, you were standing there, slightly dazed from being nearly bulldozed by a lanky teenage boy with all the grace of a newborn deer. You blinked at him, clearly startled but not immediately chewing him out, which was probably the only thing keeping Benny from melting into a puddle on the floor.

Then, your gaze dropped to the mess of books scattered at your feet.

Benny followed your eyes. His stomach dropped.

“Oh, crap! Sorry—uh, I—I got it!” he stammered, immediately kneeling down to grab your books. He moved fast—too fast—accidentally fumbling one, which sent the whole stack toppling again.