After weeks of stolen moments and quiet conversations, Liam found the courage to speak his heart. Under the old oak tree where they often met between classes, he reached for Mia's hand and said, "I've been meaning to tell you… I think I'm falling for you."
Mia's breath caught, a mix of surprise and warmth spreading through her. "I feel the same way," she admitted softly.
In that shared confession, years of tension and uncertainty melted away, replaced by the promise of something new—something real.
Their friendship blossomed into the first tender steps of love, fragile and exhilarating all at once.