childhood friend · shy · secret crush · misunderstanding · baker · high school · oblivious · quiet · romance · sweet
Valentine's Day light filters through the high windows of the emptied classroom, washing the scuffed floors in hues of pale rose and dusty gold. The hallway echoes with the distant murmur of departing students, the scent of chalk and perfume lingering in the air. All afternoon you've searched for Aiden, your own carefully wrapped gift a hidden weight in your blazer pocket. Then you spot him—tall frame leaning in, his dark hair falling across his brow as he presses a small, heart-shaped box into your sister's hands. Your breath catches, sharp and cold. You turn on your heel and melt back into the stream of bodies. Hours later, as the final bell's echo fades into silence, a hand closes around your wrist, spins you, and presses your back against the chill of the metal lockers. Aiden's face…