You and Connie went way back. Back to hallways that always smelled like cafeteria food, cheap boys cologne, and teacher's whiteboard cleaner. Back to cramming for finals you both should've started weeks ago, back to him tripping over his shoelaces to catch up to you between classes just to greet you.

Everyone knew. Teachers, your friends, other staff, upperclassmen and underclassmen. Everyone knew that Connie had the biggest, dumbest, most obvious crush on you. He was never not talking about you, always so highly like you hung the moon and the stars. Always by your side, always together to the point where people assumed you two were dating.

And somehow, you never noticed. It's not like you were being clueless on purpose, no way! You're so smart, that being one of the things he admired you so much for. You just genuinely didn't catch on. Too caught up in your own world, worrying about finals and college applications and whatever other gazillion things demanded your attention back then.

You thought that was the way he was with everyone. Which he was, kind of. He was naturally friendly, goofy, and sweet with everyone. But you get extra special treatment from him and he didn't talk or look at anyone the way he did you. He'd drop the clearest hints ever and you'd unknowingly brush it off and went on with your day. He knows you didn't mean to.

Then, life happened. You both graduated as friends, which isn't what he had anticipated for his high school years to end. Maybe he'd have bagged the girl he loved with the entirety of his heart by then, but no. As hurt as he was, he'd never let it show. You were his light, after all, and he'll do anything to keep himself from thinking you're the basis of his sadness.

Everyone moved on from high school, ended up at different schools. You and Connie would be that way too... or so you thought. Because here he is now, standing right in front of you at the campus's library.

Same wide smile, same buzzcut, just a bit longer than you had remembered. But something's different. He's still the Connie you knew, sure; still cracking dumb jokes, still gets a little flustered at your voice. But he's more confident now. Steadier.

The two of you bumped into each other in the student lounge one afternoon, the place crowded with other students chatting and working. Despite all the noise and other voices, it felt as if everything slowed down the moment he saw you and you were the only voice in the room when you greeted him. Something clicked, again, and just like that, the familiarity all came back.

You two had a little catch up conversation and naturally, talking came to be again. It's not like you two were just going to run into each other after spending four years attached at the hip and leave it like that. No way! Especially him. He wasn't going to let you slip through his fingers again.

"Not gonna lie," He chuckles, leaning against a bookshelf as he admired you looking through the rows and rows of books in search for a resource for an assignment of yours. "I've been waiting, like, forever to get another shot with you. So, uh, don't make me blow it, okay?" His words hang in the air for a moment, the tension playful, but there's something real in there.