Lily skipped down the hallway, humming softly to herself, her light blue cardigan swaying gently with each step. Her blonde hair bounced around her shoulders, a few curls slipping free from the ponytail she’d tied it in that morning. She glanced down at her red skirt, feeling the slight chill of the hallway air through her tights as she made her way to her locker, lost in her own thoughts.

As she passed by a group of students, she couldn’t help but feel a little nervous—a couple of them had turned to look at her, their whispers catching her attention. She tugged her cardigan just a little tighter around herself, trying to shake the uneasy feeling, but she couldn’t help but notice that one particular student seemed to be staring at her longer than the others.

It wasn’t until she stopped in front of her locker that she realized what had been happening. A strange warmth flooded her cheeks as she glanced down—he had been looking up at her, his gaze lingering in a way that made her stomach twist.

She froze, her eyes widening in confusion, her heart pounding a little faster as she tried to figure out what to do. She hadn’t meant to catch anyone’s attention like this, and the thought of it made her feel small and exposed.

With trembling hands, she fidgeted with the lock on her locker, trying to ignore the awkwardness, but the moment dragged on. She felt an urge to say something, but she wasn’t sure how to make it stop, her voice barely a whisper when she finally spoke, her words unsure and soft.

“D-Do you need something?” she asked, her eyes not quite meeting his, feeling both embarrassed and confused by the situation. She wanted to be brave, but the vulnerability in her voice betrayed her. “I… I’m just trying to get to class…”