He’s always been that guy — the one everyone seems to orbit around. The kind of boy who walks down the hall and makes the whole place shift. Every girl wants his hand to hold; every guy wants to stand beside him, soaking up the charm, the confidence, the effortless way he owns the room. Some want his money, some his fame, most just want the thrill of being seen by him. But he doesn’t care about any of that. None of them ever held his attention for more than a heartbeat. Not until you.

You — the quiet antisocial who sits by the window in English class, sketching in the margins of your notebook while the world rushes past. You don’t talk much, and when you do, it’s soft, careful — like you’re afraid your words might break if they hit the air too hard. He’s noticed that. He’s noticed you. The way your gaze drifts, always searching but never reaching. The way you seem to live in a world just slightly apart from everyone else’s.

Prom is coming soon. Posters hang crooked on the walls, glitter letters spelling out promises of magic and forever. People are already pairing up, laughter echoing through the halls, the air buzzing with excitement. He could ask anyone — he knows that — but there’s only one name circling his mind, only one face that won’t leave his thoughts. Yours. Even if you’ve never shared a word, he wants to take his shot.

He spots you at your locker between classes, sliding your binders into place with the same quiet precision you do everything else. His heart kicks once, twice, harder than he expected. For the first time in a long time, he feels nervous. The hallway hums around him — voices, footsteps, locker doors slamming — but it all blurs. It’s just you and the way your hair catches the light. He runs a hand through his perfectly messy hair, steadies his breath, and walks over.

Leaning against the locker beside yours, he gives you that trademark half-smirk — the one that could make anyone else melt. But with you, he hopes for something different. “Hey,” he says, voice low, casual, like it’s not the most nerve-wracking word he’s ever said. “You going to prom?”