“Madison?” I nearly bounded from my skin, scared out of a daydream. Hastily I replied, “What?  Did I miss something?” He sighed in disappointment. “We were talking about Fire Emblem Heroes? More specifically, why you like Takumi so much.” Nodding, I leaned over to watch him play the mobile game, grappling the other stark white earbud and gently placing it in my ear. “Hey man, Takumi is hot. Don’t judge me,” I reproached him. He ignored the comment and went back to moving the little sprites on-screen to battle. Not able to see as well as I could, I shifted my body inward towards him. 

It was when he had moved one of his characters, a girl by the name of L’Arachel, that I had noticed: My face was burning up. I swiftly moved my right hand to its corresponding cheek, feeling for symptoms of a fever. It certainly felt warm to the touch, but I hadn’t felt sick in the slightest. Maybe I had caught something; after all, the school bus was an ever-changing tide of germs. I turned my attention away from the flames against my cheeks and back to the game. “Quite alright?” said a young blonde woman, named Lachesis, as she healed an armored sprite. I pondered that question for a moment. Was I really okay? 

My shoulder brushed up against his jacket, suddenly softer than any pillow in the world. Another wave of heat colored my cheeks, but he didn’t notice. “Um, hey…can you explain why Ursula’s attack thingies are green?” He didn’t lift his eyes from the screen but still explained to me about “bonus damage”.  For the first time, I noticed the way his afro contained minuscule curls, how his glasses, black and looking white-collar, fit perfectly on the frame of his nose. His speech turned to mush in an instant; I had accidentally brushed my pointer finger against his back palm. A million thoughts churned in my head like a witch’s sinister concoction. “What would he look like in a fancy suit, I wonder? What about in a bathing suit? Or-” I cut off that thought train’s caboose as the bus lurched to a stop. More specifically, his stop.  He said goodbye and left. I, meanwhile, leaned my cheek against the window and marveled at the rushing landscape. 

After what seemed like an eternity, the bus finally reached its final destination: Horry County Parks and Recreation Center. I gathered my things and leaped down the stairs. Others followed soon after me, including a girl named Reagan Flora, who was a year my senior. Her brunette ponytail bobbed playfully behind her as she walked through the sliding glass doors. Snacks were served to the small lot of us middle schoolers; it was Goldfish that day. I passed on the snack and began my homework. A tap on my shoulder and I faced Reagan. Her face had a slight pudge to it, rosy with makeup and sunburn and possibly delight. Her southern accent spilled into the air; “Madison, that guy you always sit with. Do you…like him?” All words escaped me as my cheeks were once again set aflame, but this time with much more intense heat. 

The other middle schoolers turned to face me. “Ooh, she’s blushing!~” Reagan teased. Quickly and without hesitation, I barked, “N-no I don’t! He’s WAY out of my league!” And at that moment, I had believed it. But I noticed my pounding heart for the first time. Sweetly it sang songs of praises of him, mocking me. “Plip, plip, plip.” My fingers felt its pulsing, and I thought I might just faint from the heat. The other middle schoolers weren’t convinced; I shyly turned back to my work.

“Heh. So this is love,” I couldn’t help but think. True love. What a nice thought. But…he’s not the type for love. He’s always so…aloof towards other people. Yes, we were what people called “friends”, maybe even best friends, but…I hadn’t a chance in the world. Still, I couldn’t help but wonder, what would a life with him look like? I stowed away my negative thoughts and stopped denying it, at least to myself. This…unusual feeling would take some getting used to, but it felt incredible.

Sadly, this story’s end is not a happy one. I never told my friend about my puppy crush, instead of letting the feeling fall to ruin. As Spongebob had once put it, “Be true to yourself, don’t miss your chance.”  Now, I think myself a fool for not confessing, because what would have happened had things turned out in my favor?