As Jeremiah and Zoey's friendship grew, whispers began to float through the halls. People started noticing how often they sat together, talked in class, or walked to lunch.
"Are you guys, like… dating?" one classmate asked, not unkindly, but with clear curiosity.
Jeremiah flushed. Zoey just smiled. "We're friends," she said lightly. "For now."
That "for now" echoed in Jeremiah's head for days.