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Chapter Three: Young Love Blooms
Days turned into weeks, and their meetings under the tree became a sacred ritual. No matter how busy school got, how loud the world outside became, that quiet spot remained theirs. A place where smiles came easy, where secrets felt safe.
Jayden would often arrive early, leaning against the bark with a half-open snack in his hand and a grin ready just for her. She'd roll her eyes at his jokes but laugh anyway, sometimes a little too loud, not even caring who heard.
They talked about everything—childhood memories, petty school drama, dreams, fears, songs that made them cry. He told her how his dad wasn't around much and how that made him feel like he had to grow up early. She shared how she always felt like the second option, like people only noticed her when it was convenient.
He listened.
Not just heard—but really listened, like her words mattered. Like her voice was music.
Soon, he started walking her to class, even if it meant being late to his own. He brought her snacks when she forgot lunch. She started saving a seat for him during assembly. When their hands brushed for the first time, it was electric—awkward, yes, but so alive it made her cheeks burn.
Then one afternoon, everything shifted.
They were sitting close, closer than usual. The sun filtered through the leaves above, casting gold on his brown skin. She was talking about something silly, laughing, when he suddenly got quiet.
"What?" she asked, her laughter fading.
"I like you," he said, simply.
The world paused. She felt her breath catch, her heart stammering in her chest.
"I like you too," she whispered.
And then he leaned in—gently, unsure, like he was waiting for her to stop him. She didn't. Their lips met in a shy, soft kiss. Her first real kiss. His too, maybe. It was clumsy, quick, but perfect in its imperfection.
When they pulled apart, both were smiling like idiots.
From that day on, they were a couple. "Us" became a thing. They walked hand-in-hand in the hallways, not caring who saw. He started calling her "babe" in public. She saved his name in her phone with a heart.
Other students noticed. Some whispered. Some stared. Some smiled. But none of it mattered. Not to them.
For a while, it felt like nothing could go wrong. Like they had stepped into one of those love stories you only see in movies. A story made just for them.
But stories, even the sweetest ones, sometime
s carry chapters you never see coming.