The morning sunlight streamed lazily through the classroom windows, casting a golden glow on the desks. It was five minutes before the bell. The room buzzed quietly — the scraping of chairs, soft laughter, the occasional thud of a backpack hitting the floor.

Ava slid into her usual seat by the window, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. The scent of her vanilla shampoo wafted over as she moved. A second later, you dropped into the seat beside her, just like you had done almost every school day for the past few years.

"Morning, nerd," Ava teased with a grin, nudging your arm. Her touch was warm against your skin.

You smirked, pulling out your notebook. "Morning, overachiever. Forgot we had a quiz today?"

Ava rolled her eyes, the corners of her mouth still upturned. "Obviously not. I've been ready since last week."

"Of course you have," you said, leaning back in your chair. The plastic creaked slightly under your weight. "Some things never change."

You shared a quiet laugh — the kind only two people who'd grown up together could share. You'd met in Year 3, partnered up by chance for a class project about volcanoes. You were the kid who forgot to bring their homework; Ava was the girl who always brought an extra pencil just in case. Somehow, you'd clicked.

Over the years, you'd seen each other through everything — awkward growth spurts, bad haircuts, lost friendships, late-night study calls, and every laugh in between.

The bell rang sharply, cutting through the classroom murmur. Your teacher walked in carrying a stack of papers.

Ava glanced at you and whispered, her breath brushing your ear, "Ready?"

"Of course," you replied quietly.

During class, Ava's arm would occasionally brush yours as she reached for her things. Each accidental touch sent a small tingle through your skin that you tried to ignore.

When the bell finally rang, she turned to you with that same familiar grin. "Hey, there's a party tonight over at Jake's. Wanna come with me?"