The night before the dance, the school hallways felt restless, buzzing with excitement and nerves. Liam found himself watching Mia more closely, wanting to tell her what had been on his mind for weeks.
During a quiet moment after class, he gathered courage and said, "Mia... I've been wanting to tell you something. I—I admire you. More than just a rival."
Mia blinked, caught off guard. She looked away, unsure how to respond. "Liam, I... I'm not sure what to say. Let's just focus on the dance, okay?"
His hope flickered but did not extinguish. Sometimes, feelings needed time to grow — and maybe Mia wasn't ready yet.