Ryan's alarm buzzed, piercing the early morning silence of his room. With a groan, he reached over and slapped the snooze button, savoring a few more minutes of half-dreaming before he had to face another day at Brookside Highschool. The posters of his favorite bands and the clutter of notebooks on his desk were familiar comforts that contrasted sharply with the chaos he often felt inside.
Dragging himself out of bed, Ryan got dressed and grabbed his backpack, making a mental note to finish his chemistry homework during lunch. As he headed downstairs, the smell of freshly brewed coffee greeted him—his mom's way of ensuring he started the day with a smile. After a quick breakfast, he was out the door, earbuds in, drowning out the world with his favorite songs.
The halls of School buzzed with the usual morning energy. Groups of students clustered around lockers, catching up on gossip or discussing upcoming tests. Ryan navigated the crowded hallways with practiced ease, his eyes scanning the faces around him until they settled on the one person who made his heart skip a beat—Summer. Summer is the girl Ryan has always admired, her face is what comes to his mind when he thinks of the word LOVE. He has liked her since many years, and still he hasn't managed to talk to her once,
Summer Collins was everything Ryan wasn't. Confident, outgoing, and effortlessly beautiful, she seemed to float through the hallways, leaving a trail of laughter and sunshine in her wake. Her long, wavy hair and bright blue eyes were the subject of many a daydream for Ryan, though he doubted she even knew his name.
The bell rang, signaling the start of their first-period English class. Ryan took his usual seat in the back row, his heart racing as he watched Summer enter the room and sit a few rows ahead of him. She chatted animatedly with her friends, her laughter like music to his ears. Ryan couldn't help but feel a pang of envy as he watched them, wishing he could be a part of her world, even if just for a moment.
Ms. Anderson, their English teacher, began the lesson, her voice cutting through Ryan's thoughts. He tried to focus on the discussion about Shakespeare's sonnets, but his mind kept drifting back to Summer. He often wondered what it would be like to sit beside her, to share inside jokes and whispered conversations during class. But he knew it was a far-fetched dream. Summer was popular, and he was just another face in the crowd.
Despite his attempts to concentrate, Ryan found himself glancing at Summer every few minutes. He admired the way she listened intently, her eyes lighting up when she raised her hand to answer a question. He loved the way she twirled a strand of hair around her finger when she was deep in thought. These small moments, unnoticed by anyone else, were treasures to Ryan.
When the class ended, Ryan lingered behind, pretending to pack his bag slowly so he could watch Summer leave. She walked out of the classroom with her friends, her laughter echoing in the hallway. Ryan sighed, slinging his backpack over his shoulder and heading to his next class.
Lunch was both the highlight and the heartache of Ryan's day. It was the only time he could catch a glimpse of Summer without feeling like a complete stalker, but it was also a reminder of the distance between them. He took his usual seat at an empty table in the cafeteria, pulling out his chemistry notes and pretending to study while stealing glances at her.
He knew it was foolish, this silent admiration from afar. But the truth was, Summer made everything seem brighter, and even if she never noticed him, Ryan found solace in these small moments of connection, however one-sided they might be.
But the moment he always waited for, finally arrives, Summer reaches out to Ryan.
What can it be?