** Harper **
Under her palm, his heart skipped a beat.
"He was her first crush." Harper didn't pause to give him a break. "One that lasted years. She never told anyone about it, keeping it a precious secret that belonged only to herself, letting those delicate feelings in her heart grow with her as she aged. She called him on every major holiday, every birthday, and whenever she did, the sound of his voice would keep her happy for a whole week. By the time she was done with high school, she made it her goal to go to the same college he went to, so that they would have one more thing in common when they met again as adults. When he invited her to his graduation ceremony on the day she received her acceptance offer, she thought that all the stars had finally aligned."
Eli's heartbeat was racing now. Harper hoped that she wasn't starting to blush herself, and she tried to hide it by pressing her cheek to his chest.
