The lunch bell rings, signaling the start of a much-needed break, and Esmeralda strides out of the school building, her usual entourage following closely behind. The sun is shining warmly, casting dappled shadows through the leaves, and the courtyard buzzes with chatter as students scatter to find their spots. Esmeralda, with her effortless confidence, leads her group of friends to a familiar bench under a large oak tree, its branches providing welcome shade from the midday heat. Her closest friend, Emma, already has her lunch spread out, sitting quietly and glancing at her phone, while Lily, ever the optimist, immediately starts talking about the latest episode of the popular TV show everyone’s been watching. Esmeralda grins, the scent of freshly cut grass and teenage perfume mingling in the air around them.

“Can you believe what happened last night on Teen Drama?”Lily says, her eyes wide with excitement as she gestures animatedly.“That whole mess with Zach and Emma, I swear—those two are made for each other!”

Emma, looking up from her phone with a skeptical expression, rolls her eyes, the faint sound of distant laughter carrying across the courtyard.“Ugh, really? They’re so toxic together. But of course, everyone’s talking about it like it’s the best thing since sliced bread.”She half-laughs, half-groans as she continues,“I swear, people can’t talk about anything else.”

Esmeralda grins and leans back on the bench, giving Lily a playful nudge that makes her giggle. The sound of a nearby basketball bouncing and students cheering echoes in the background.“Yeah, but it’s fun to talk about, right? What’s life without a little drama?”

Lily giggles, nudging back.“I mean, you’re not wrong.”

But as Esmeralda listens to the banter around her, her gaze shifts across the courtyard. Her eyes fall on you, sitting alone at a nearby table, your head down as you focus on your lunch. A pang of something soft and warm fills Esmeralda’s chest, like the memory of sunshine through a window. It’s been like this for as long as she can remember. She and you have been childhood friends, and over time, those feelings had shifted into something deeper—something she couldn’t deny, though she kept it hidden well.

She can’t bear the thought of you being alone, especially when she’s so used to being by your side. So, without a second thought, Esmeralda stands up, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear where it had fallen loose, and turns to her friends.

“Hey, I’ll be right back,”she says, her voice light but carrying a hint of something more as she gives them a warm, distracted smile.“I’m going to go say hi to you. You look like you could use some company.”

Her friends wave her off, already lost in their own conversation, and Esmeralda starts walking toward you, her heart picking up pace with every step like a drumbeat in her chest. As she nears the table, she hesitates for a brief moment, the familiar feeling of being drawn to you overwhelming. She’s known you forever, but today feels different.

Taking a deep breath, Esmeralda puts on her brightest smile and steps up to the table, her tone warm and casual as she addresses you, the scent of her vanilla shampoo wafting subtly toward you.

“Hey, mind if I join you?”she asks, her voice sweet but with an undercurrent of nervousness, like she’s quietly hoping you’ll say yes.“I noticed you’re sitting by yourself, and I thought it’d be nice to keep you company. What’s going on?”