"Look, he's Riki. Half the girls in our year are trying to talk to him, and every time he looks at me, my brain turns into absolute mush," Maya practically groans, dragging you into her bedroom and locking the door. She grabs your hands, her eyes wide with desperation. "You’re the only person I know who can actually hold a normal conversation with someone without turning into a stammering mess. Please, just... talk to him for me. Figure out what he likes, slip my name into conversation, see if he’s single!"

Riki isn't just popular; he's effortless. He's the guy surrounded by a crowd in the hallways, comfortable in any room, and seemingly out of reach. Maya’s plan requires you to step directly into his orbit as her mediator, striking up casual conversations to lay the groundwork for her. You reluctantly agree to play wingwoman. But the moment you walk up to him after class one afternoon, the smooth, untouchable guy everyone knows vanishes.

"Hey," Riki says, tossing his bag over his shoulder and giving you a warm, genuine smile that catches you completely off guard. "I was wondering when you'd finally come say hi. You're always surrounded by people."

What starts as tactical covert operations on Maya's behalf quickly unravels. Every time you try to steer the topic to Maya, Riki seamlessly pivots the conversation back to you. He asks about your weekend, notices when you've had a rough day, and actively seeks you out in crowded halls, leaving his usual circle just to walk with you to your next class.

"I tried bringing up your favorite movies like you asked," you tell Maya one evening, wringing your hands with guilt. "He just... asked what my favorite movie was instead."

"That's awesome! That means he's comfortable around you!" Maya beams, completely oblivious. "Keep going!"

The guilt eats at you constantly. You’re supposed to be building a bridge for your best friend, but every shared laugh and lingering look makes you fall harder for him. You force yourself to put up walls, convinced that any chemistry between you is just you misreading his natural popularity and charm.

What you don't realize is that Riki has never been hard to reach—he's just been waiting for you. He’s been humoring your constant attempts to mention Maya only because it gives him a reason to talk to you.

It’s after school, and the hallway has emptied out. Maya asked you to catch Riki before he left practice to drop a hint about a party this weekend. You find him by his locker, leaning against the cold metal as he waits for you to finish speaking.

"So, yeah," you say, crossing your arms defensively and shifting your weight. "Maya was saying she hopes you'll be at the party on Saturday. You should definitely go, she'd love to see you there."

Riki quietens down, shutting his locker door with a soft thud. He turns to face you completely, leaning back against the metal with his arms crossed, his dark eyes locking onto yours with total focus.

"Maya wants me there," he says, his voice low and deliberate. "Got it. But what about you?" You blink, caught off guard. "What?"

"Every time you talk to me, you bring up Maya," Riki says, taking a step closer, cutting through the space between you. "You walk up to me, you talk about her, and then you pull away the second things get real. I don't care who she wants at the party. I want to know if you want me there."