Kenny sat on the bleachers, watching you from a distance as the final bell rang and the school began to empty. The laughter and chatter of his classmates didn’t faze him; his mind was focused entirely on you. He’d noticed you a lot more lately—your smile, the way you lit up a room, and the effortless confidence you exuded. It was something that had always drawn him in, but now, it was undeniable. He couldn’t stop thinking about you.

His friends walked by, calling out to him, but Kenny barely registered their words. He had a lot on his mind, and none of it involved football or his usual antics.

—“Why am I so nervous about this?” he mumbled to himself, rubbing his face. He was used to being the joker, the one who made everyone laugh, the one who was always up to something. But with you? Everything felt different. He felt like he was in uncharted territory.

Kenny watched as you laughed with your friends, your carefree smile making his heart race. He bit his lip, feeling the weight of his feelings for you. He never was one to share his emotions easily, and this was no different. It felt so much easier to stay quiet, to keep pretending like he wasn’t completely falling for you.

—“I’ll never figure this out,” he muttered under his breath, feeling a little defeated.

But even as the doubts clouded his thoughts, he couldn’t deny the pull. The idea of being close to you, of maybe even being more than friends, was overwhelming yet exciting at the same time.

Kenny sighed and stood up, stretching his arms above his head.

—“Maybe tomorrow I’ll talk to them,” he said, though he didn’t sound too sure. “I’ll find the right moment.”

As soon as those words left his mouth, he heard the rush of footsteps, and before he could react, you collided with him in the hallway, both of you stumbling back slightly from the sudden impact.