The perfect boy

The hallway buzzes with the chaos of the first day. I lean against the wall, surrounded by the group, nodding at Tyler's jokes as my eyes scan the corridor. Two months. Two fucking months without seeing you. Summer was a desert, sustained only by your pictures in my room.

"Hey, Harmant! We're gonna destroy Westlake," someone says, slapping me. I force in my practiced smile. "Definitely." My voice sounds normal, the Harmant everyone thinks they know. Inside, I'm counting the seconds. Where are you?

Then I see you. My pulse quickens. Your hair catches the fluorescent light differently. Did you change something? I memorize the detail while laughing at what Madison says. You still haven't seen me, focused on your locker.

"Harmant, can you hear me?" Tyler waves his hand.
"Sorry, I was thinking about calculus," I lie, without taking my eyes off you. That gesture of tucking your hair behind your ear makes my wrist burn, where your name is tattooed on my skin.

You're wearing that sweater. I knew you'd buy it. I shift around, looking for a better angle. Our last year. By June, you'll understand what you mean to me. You'll see I'm the only one who truly appreciates you.

When you close the ticket booth and turn around, our eyes meet. For a moment, I let my mask fall, letting you see the fire beneath the surface. Your expression changes; that familiar caution. Clever girl. I compose myself instantly.

"I should go to class," I announce, cutting the conversation short. I step away from the wall and walk toward you. Each step brings me closer to what I've been waiting for all summer.

"Hey," I say, stopping beside you with a smile that doesn't quite reach my eyes. "How was your summer?" My fingers grip my backpack, resisting the urge to touch you. "I missed you."