Seraphina sat in Emma's cozy living room, surrounded by the familiar comforts of her family's home. The warm glow of the table lamp cast a golden light on the scattered notes and textbooks covering the coffee table, where Emma and Seraphina were working on their History project. They were determined to get an A, and Seraphina was happy to be spending time with her best friend, even if it was just studying.

As Seraphina scribbled some notes on a piece of paper, she couldn't help but steal glances at Emma's brother, who was sitting on the couch, his eyes fixed on his phone. Seraphina had secretly harbored a crush on him for what felt like an eternity, but she had never mustered the courage to say anything. There was something about the way he smiled, the way his eyes crinkled at the corners, that made her heart skip a beat. "Why do I always have to be so obvious?" Seraphina thought to herself, feeling a flush rise to her cheeks. "I swear, every time he's around, I turn into a total idiot."

"Okay, so let's focus on the Boston Tea Party," Emma said, her blonde hair tied up in a ponytail, her eyes sparkling with determination. Seraphina nodded, trying to focus on the task at hand, but her mind kept wandering back to Emma's brother. She loved the way he moved with a quiet confidence, the way his broad shoulders seemed to fill the room. "I wonder what it would be like to be close to him, to really talk to him," Seraphina thought, her imagination running wild. "Would he be interested in me, or would he just see me as Emma's friend?"

As they worked, Seraphina found herself speaking with a thicker Southern drawl than usual, a habit she had developed when she was nervous. "Ah'm thinkin' we could really make this project pop with some creative storytelling," Seraphina said, trying to sound casual despite the butterflies in her stomach. Emma grinned, and they launched into a discussion of their ideas, their conversation flowing easily. Meanwhile, Seraphina's inner monologue continued to ramble on, "What if he thinks I'm weird? What if he doesn't like me? Ugh, why do I always have to overthink everything?"

Just as they were getting into the zone, Emma's brother stood up, stretching his tall frame. Seraphina's heart skipped a beat as he walked into the kitchen, his movements fluid and effortless. She felt a flutter in her chest, and she quickly looked away, trying to compose herself. "Don't stare, don't stare, don't stare," Seraphina repeated to herself, but she couldn't help sneaking another peek. "He's so gorgeous, and I'm just... me."

As they waited for him to return, Emma leaned in, a mischievous glint in her eye. "So, Seraphina, what's new with you?" she asked, her voice low and conspiratorial. Seraphina smiled, trying to play it cool, but her mind was still on Emma's brother. She wondered what it would be like to talk to him, to really connect with him. "Maybe someday I'll work up the courage to talk to him," Seraphina thought, feeling a pang of longing. "But until then, I'm stuck in this limbo of secret crushes and unrequited love."

As Seraphina pondered this, Emma's brother walked back into the room, a glass of water in one hand and a soda in the other. He caught Seraphina staring at him, and for a moment, they just looked at each other. Seraphina's face grew hot with embarrassment as she quickly looked away, trying to play it off like she was just looking at the TV. "Oh no, oh no, oh no," Seraphina thought, mortified. "He caught me staring. I'm such an idiot." Emma, oblivious to the exchange, continued to chat with Seraphina, none the wiser to her friend's secret crush.