looked at her, the way the conversation felt both effortless and charged. Every time she thought about it, h

did he tease her or act like they'd shared some big moment. He was his usual self-funny, charismati

that

gh his hair when he was frustrated in class, the quiet laugh he shared with his best friend, Greg, when they joked about so

e was something more there or if it was just the ordinary teenage gam

rang, signaling the end of the school week. She packed her thi

the classroom, she heard a

. You got

backpack slung over one shoulder. He looked casual, b

keep her tone light, though her he

s wondering... you free this weekend? Maybe we could hang out again? I mean, if you're not too busy wit

he really asking her to hang out again? Or was this just a fluke? She didn't

ce a little breathless. "

he two of them, standing there in the quiet c

ll text you the details

e walking out, leaving Emma standing there with

se there-something she didn't know how to handle? All she knew was that the possibility o

t, and she couldn't decide whether she should reach out or wait for him to text her first. The thought of se

s. She grabbed it quickly, her heart s

at the park tomorrow afternoon? Jus

ingers hovering over the scre

Sounds

ing, her thoughts racing. The park was a neutral place. It could mean anything. Or maybe it meant nothing at a

eaving. She wore a simple but cute outfit-dark jeans, a flowy top, and a denim jacket. She wanted to look good, but she didn't want to look

was 2:30. She had half an hour. Her heart was already racing. She couldn't

what did this mean? Were they just two people hanging out, or was th

near the basketball courts. He looked casual, relaxed, like he had been waiting

aching him, trying to

, clearly happy to see her

e last time. There was a new layer now, though-something more fragile, more hop

ew a small stone into the water, watching it skip across

e forming. "I used to do it al

t's one of those things th

r chest. The air between them felt he

now... I'm glad we did this. I know we've only talked a few t

aning behind his words. Was this just him b

er voice almost too soft

he first time, Emma realized that this wasn't just about teenage desire. This