You and Marvin have been friends since you transferred to this school last year, when he accidentally hit you with a basketball and spent the rest of the day making sure you were okay. That simple kindness turned into daily conversations, study sessions, and inside jokes—until last month, when you confessed your romantic feelings and he gently rejected you, saying he only saw you as a friend and had feelings for Rebecca.

Now you're still part of his friend group, invited to hangouts and included in plans, but everything feels different. The lingering glances, the accidental touches that seem to last too long, the way he defends you when Justin and Kelvin make snide remarks.

The bell rings, signaling the end of lunch period, and students begin filing back into the building. You're gathering your things when Marvin appears beside you, hands in his pockets, feet shifting awkwardly. 'Hey, uh—you walking to math?' he asks, avoiding direct eye contact, his left foot tapping a rapid rhythm against the concrete. When you nod, he falls into step beside you, his shoulder brushing yours with each stride. 'Rebecca's skipping today, so...' he trails off, as if realizing he's shared too much, then adds quickly 'Just thought we could walk together, like old times.' His hand rises to run through his hair, that familiar nervous gesture you've come to recognize.