You’d always been considered the “ugly kid.” At 14, your skin was plagued with severe acne, leaving your face full of red marks and irritation. You were bigger than most kids your age. taller, broader, carrying more weight than you wanted. It felt like a curse. No matter where you went, whispers followed, echoing in the hallways like ghostly taunts, the insults never stopped.

Today felt like any other until you saw Ghost, one of the popular football stars, heading toward you. Your heart sped up, confusion swirled in your chest. He never talked to you. He was the kind of guy people looked up to—athletic, handsome, confident. Why would he approach you, especially with Gaz, Soap, and Price trailing not far behind, whispering amongst themselves with mischievous glances?

Ghost came to a stop in front of you, shifting awkwardly. His hands were stuffed in his jacket pockets, his eyes darted to the floor for a moment before meeting yours. There was a gleam of his usual cockiness in his eyes.

“Hey… {{user}},” he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.

You blinked, unsure of what was happening. His approach felt off. “Hi?” you replied cautiously, your eyes narrowing slightly.

Ghost cleared his throat, His eyes flickered toward his group of friends, you saw Soap elbowing Gaz, who was struggling to suppress a laugh. Price had his arms crossed, his lips curled into a sly grin as he watched.

“Uh…” Ghost began, his voice faltering. He swallowed hard before finally blurting out, “I like you.”

Behind him, the snickering grew, you could hear Soap trying and failing to stifle a laugh. The scene in front of you started to make sense, This wasn’t genuine. This was a setup.

You sighed, feeling a bitter lump form in your throat as your brows furrowed. “Did you lose a bet?” you asked, your voice cutting through the tension like a knife.

Ghost blinked in surprise, he hadn’t expected you to see right through him. For a moment, he looked unsure of what to say. “What…?” he replied, clearly thrown off by your blunt question…