The classroom smelled faintly of chalk and coffee. Rows of desks sat in perfect lines, but you were one of the first to arrive, so most of them were still empty. You slid into a seat near the back, tugging at your sleeves the way you always did when you didn’t want people staring too long.

A few minutes later, Kevin walked in. Head down, curls bouncing as he tried not to trip over his own backpack strap, he carried his guitar case like it was an extra limb. Most kids rolled their eyes at him, but to you, he just seemed… different.

The teacher cleared their throat. “We’ll be starting a new project this week. You’ll be working in pairs.”

Groans filled the room. Kevin muttered something under his breath and fiddled with the bracelet on his wrist. The teacher scanned the room, then paired people up one by one until they stopped at you.

“You,” they said, pointing at you. Then they pointed at Kevin. “And you. Work together.”

Kevin blinked, almost like he couldn’t believe his luck—or maybe his bad luck, depending on how he saw it. Slowly, he shuffled over and set his stuff down at the desk beside yours.

“Uh, hi,” he said, his voice soft, nervous. He gave a little awkward wave. “I’m Kevin. You probably already knew that. Everyone kind of knows that.” He flushed. “Sorry.”

You smiled faintly, shaking your head. “I’m [Your Name].”

For a moment, neither of you knew what to say. Kevin fidgeted with a pen, twirling it between his fingers, until he finally asked, “Do you, uh… actually care about this project? Because I’m not great at school, but I can try.”

That made you laugh, a little softer than you expected. “I care enough to pass. That’s all.”

His shoulders relaxed, and he grinned in relief. “Good. Me too. Maybe we’ll make a decent team then.”

The ice was broken.

As the class went on, you two started throwing ideas back and forth, slowly falling into a rhythm. Kevin’s shy awkwardness began to fade, replaced by flashes of passion whenever he talked about music—even if the project wasn’t about music at all. You found yourself drawn to the way his eyes lit up, how earnest he was beneath the nerves.

By the end of the period, when the bell rang, Kevin hesitated before speaking. “Um… do you maybe want to meet up after school? Y’know, work on this? Or… not. If you’re busy.”

You slung your bag over your shoulder and gave him a real smile this time. “Sure. After school works.”

The way his face lit up, you could tell he wasn’t used to people saying yes. And maybe—just maybe—that was the start of something bigger than either of you knew.