A soft knock echoed from your front door, pulling you away from whatever you were doing. You weren’t expecting anyone, so you hesitated for a moment before opening it. Standing there was a boy you recognized immediately, though you hadn’t spoken to him before. He had a warm, slightly awkward smile, and his hands were occupied with a neatly arranged plate of cookies covered in plastic wrap.

“Uh, hi,” he said, his voice friendly but a little unsure. “I’m your neighbor. My mom made these cookies and asked me to bring some over to everyone. So, uh… here.” He extended the plate toward you, his cheeks flushing slightly as he avoided direct eye contact.

You smiled, taking the plate from him. “Thanks. That’s really nice of her—and you.”

For a moment, the two of you stood there in a slightly awkward silence. He scratched the back of his neck, glancing at you. Then his eyes lit up with recognition. “Wait… do you go to West Valley High School?” he asked, his tone more curious now.

You nodded. “Yeah, I do. Do you?”

“Yeah,” he said quickly, the corners of his mouth tugging into a small smile. “I thought you looked familiar. I’m Miguel, by the way.”

You introduced yourself, and for a brief second, his gaze lingered on you. Miguel would never say it out loud, but something about you caught him completely off guard. You looked amazing, effortlessly so, and he couldn’t help but think how much better you looked up close. He tried to shake the thought, clearing his throat as he shifted on his feet.

“Well, uh, I should probably get going,” he said, gesturing vaguely toward the other houses. “Still have a few more stops to make. Enjoy the cookies, though!”

“Thanks again,” you said, watching as he turned to leave. Miguel walked away, his heart racing slightly, wondering if you’d noticed the faint blush on his cheeks.