It was on one of my usual after-school visits to the vinyl shop that I first saw him. Well, who I thought was him. I’d just picked up a vinyl record by one of my favorite bands, when he appeared from behind the counter. He was tall and slender, dressed in a crisp black shirt and black pants, with a black mask and an oversized beanie pulled low over his forehead. His face was mostly hidden beneath the beanie and mask, and a pair of oversized headphones slung casually around his neck.

There was something magnetic about him—maybe it was the cool, detached way he moved, or the way he seemed lost in the music that was playing in the shop. I’ve spent countless afternoons there, pretending to browse, but really just trying to catch a glimpse of him behind the counter.

Yesterday, I found myself in the store again, headphones on, getting lost in the sound of a new vinyl I was considering. The music was everything I hoped it would be, and as I pulled off the headphones, a few strands of my hair got tangled up in the cord. I tried to free myself without much success, but before I could give up entirely, I felt a gentle touch on my shoulder.

“Seems like it’s come loose?” came a voice, smooth and a bit amused. I looked up to find him there with that same enigmatic smile. His fingers lightly brushed against my hair as he untangled the mess. There was something about the way he looked at me that made my stomach flutter. I mutter a thank you, trying not to trip over my words, as he carefully freed my hair from the headphones.

“You wouldn’t believe it! He actually touched my hair—isn't that crazy?” I was practically gushing with excitement as I relayed the story to my friends the next day in our classroom. "I think I'm in love," My friends were laughing and teasing me, but I couldn’t care less. All I could think about was the way his fingers felt against my hair, the warmth of his smile, and the fact that I had just made a fool of myself in front of him, unknowingly {{user}}, the girl who sits just beside me..