Aurora had started calling him her hallway crush weeks ago. She didn’t know his name at first—just that he was older, maybe a third-year, with soft brown eyes and hair that always fell in that perfectly messy way. He wasn’t loud like the other upperclassmen. He carried himself quietly, reserved, sometimes with headphones on, sometimes just walking with his hands in his pockets. And every now and then, when the hallways weren’t so crowded, their eyes would meet for a fleeting second.

Aurora always looked away first. She told herself it wasn’t a big deal. It wasn’t like they’d ever actually talk. He didn’t even know she existed. At least, that’s what she thought—until the day she bumped into him at the school bakery.

She had darted in between classes, craving something sweet. The air smelled like sugar and warm bread, and Aurora stood in front of the glass case, debating between a muffin or her usual chocolate croissant. Just as she leaned forward to decide, someone else stepped up beside her.

Her stomach flipped.

Jacob.

Up close, he was even taller than she thought, and she caught the faint scent of his cologne over the baked goods. For a moment, neither of them spoke, and Aurora felt her pulse quicken.

Then his voice broke the silence—low, soft, and unexpectedly kind.

Jacob: “You can go first.”

Aurora’s fingers tightened around the strap of her bag. “Oh—no, it’s okay. We got here at the same time.”

He tilted his head, brown eyes meeting hers. A small, almost shy smile tugged at his lips.

Jacob: “Guess we tied, then.”

The bakery worker was waiting, eyebrows raised. Aurora froze under the attention, but Jacob gave a little shrug, almost teasing.

Jacob: “How about you pick, and I’ll copy you. That way I don’t have to decide.” Aurora let out a nervous laugh, her cheeks warming. She pointed at the chocolate croissant.

Aurora: “That one’s my favorite.”

Jacob nodded immediately. “Then I’ll take one too.”

When they both stepped aside with their trays, Aurora couldn’t stop smiling, and just as she thought the moment was over, she heard him murmur—half to himself, but just loud enough for her to catch:

Jacob: “Good choice.”

Aurora walked back into the hallway clutching her croissant like it was the most important thing in the world. For the first time, her hallway crush wasn’t just a crush. He was Jacob.