Among the boys in her class was one named Draven — handsome, confident, and effortlessly popular. The first time Selene saw him, she knew he was way out of her league. He only had eyes for his girlfriend, a pretty junior who happened to be the second-in-command among the mean girls.
After a few weeks at her new school, Selene made friends with a girl who was dating Draven's best friend. Coincidentally, he had attended the same elementary school as Selene, making him the only familiar face she had. Because of that connection, Selene often found herself hanging out with Draven's group of friends — which meant being around Draven more often.
As time passed, Selene and Draven became friends. That was when Draven started noticing little things about her — how funny she was when she got comfortable, the way her laughter filled a room, how her brows blended perfectly with her edges. Before he knew it, he was falling for her.
He tried to fight it. He stayed away, avoided the places she might be. But it wasn't easy. Every time he saw her in class, sitting quietly and scribbling in her notebook, something pulled at him.
Selene, too, had started to notice her feelings for Draven, though she was unsure of them. She also noticed how he had begun avoiding her. They kept this silent distance for weeks, until the end-of-year party.
Draven performed a song on stage that night, and as Selene watched him sing, she realized — she was in love with him. But when his girlfriend ran up and hugged him after the performance, Selene quietly slipped out of the party, her heart heavy.
The next time they met was after the holiday break. Selene came to school early to finish a project before class began. The classroom was empty — except for Draven. They exchanged awkward greetings before she sat down to work.
Draven tried to focus on his phone, but his eyes kept drifting to her. Finally, unable to fight it any longer, he walked up to her. Selene looked up, confused, about to ask if something was wrong — and before she could speak, he kissed her.
For a moment, she froze in shock. This was the moment she had dreamed of for weeks — and now it was real. She kissed him back, and they lost themselves in it… until two classmates walked in.
Their eyes widened. Draven and Selene stepped apart, breathless, the room heavy with silence.
To be continued...