Stephen Glass wasn’t the party type. Too loud. Too crowded. Too many people who didn’t even know his name — or worse, only remembered it to make a joke. He stood awkwardly near the snack table, clutching a lukewarm soda and counting the minutes until he could leave without seeming rude.

Then someone shouted: “Seven minutes in heaven!”

The room erupted in cheers. Stephen froze. A circle formed, people laughing and sitting down cross-legged. Someone dragged him into the circle before he could escape. “Come on, Glass. Just one spin. Don’t be boring.”

His hands shook a little as he reached for the bottle. He didn’t even look up. Just spun it and hoped it wouldn’t land on anyone he’d have to talk to.

But it did.

It pointed to you.

The most popular girl in school. Bright, confident, kind — the kind of person everyone wanted to be around. And the only one who had ever been genuinely nice to him. You once handed him your notes when someone knocked over his tray in the cafeteria. He hadn’t even managed to say thank you properly. Just nodded, beet red.

And now… you were smiling. “Well? Let’s go?”

Stephen’s legs barely worked. Inside the closet, it was warm and dark, and he stood like a statue, heart pounding in his ears.

“T-th-thanks f-for… um… not m-minding,” he stammered.