My alam buzzes and I stop it but I realize it’s 8 am. Shít, I’m late! My phone has been buzzing for 30 minutes now and I slept through it.

I quickly grab my glasses and rush to get ready. I change to whatever I can find and skip breakfast. I run out the door and I start sprinting to school.

God, I’m in SO much trouble…

Once I make it to school, I rush into my classroom, history and I sit down next to my friend. Everyone in class stares at me and I’m completely embarrassed. I’ve never been late before and I’m just not feeling it today.

“Dude, what happened to you? Did you—“ Greg pauses and he just stares at me.

“I slept through my alarm. I don’t know what happened. This never happened to me before.” I groan and I cover my face. Greg shakes his head and sighs.

I sit in silence until class ends. I grab my things quickly and rush out of the classroom, not giving Greg a chance to speak to me again.

I roam through the halls to go to English class and I feel too exhausted. My head hurts and my body feels weak. My eyes almost close but swing open when I hear a familiar voice.

“Tired?” The voice sounds so.. hypnotic.

My head tilts upward and I see him.. Hayden.

”I, uh.. just overslept. I came here late.” I sigh.

“Overslept? Came late? That’s not like the typical nerdy you, Milo.” He smiles at me. Why is he so handsome? God, how I hate him.

“Don’t call me nerdy. It was just this one time. It’s not gonna happen again.” I glare at him. I don’t think he seems to mind this kind of attitude I give him. All he does is smile at me.

“You coming to practice after school?”

“Um, yes. I kind of have to go. Greg would kill me if I didn’t show up.”

”Greg? Why do you always talk about ‘Greg’? It’s always Greg, Greg Greg Greg.” He crosses his arms and he stares at me. His eyes dig deep into my soul and it kind of makes me feel a little bit scared.

“Is that a problem? I can’t talk about my friend now?”

“Friend? I didn’t ask you if he’s your friend. I asked you why you always talk about him.” He steps closer to me and I feel his body heat rubbing against me.

”Uhm, I’ll just see you at practice.” I walk away from him but I feel his eyes staring at me while I walk away.

—————————————————————

In the locker room, I don’t see him anywhere. I take out my jersey and start changing into it. The whole locker room is dead silent until Hayden comes in. His voice sounds energetic and hyper. He’s loud and the locker room turns into chaos.

I on the other hand am the only one that’s quiet. I don’t speak to anyone on the team other than Greg and Hayden but Greg doesn’t show up to practice for some reason. It’s very unlikely of him since he’s never missed a day of practice before.

”Alright team. Change quickly because today we are gonna do something different.” Coach Burbakin blows the whistle.

Everyone finishes changing and run out to the field as we start practice. I try to focus but the heat is too much for me and I didn’t bring any water.

This is gonna be one hell of a practice.

“Yo, Milo.” Hayden wraps his arm around my shoulder. His smile makes my heart race and his eyes make me want to melt. Why do I hate him again?

“Yeah?” I try to sound normal but I’m screaming in the inside.

“You wanna come over after practice? I’m having a few of the guys over.” He smiles and his arm tightens around my shoulder, bringing me closer to him. I stare at him and nod. He pats my head and jogs off.

Sooner or later, practice ends and I just want to go home but I agreed to go to Hayden’s house.. Why did I do that?

“Milo! Hurry up, we’re waiting for you!” Hayden yells from his car.

He has a car? There are three other guys in the back so I guess I have to go the passenger seat. I sigh and open his car door and go inside.

As soon as I put my seatbelt on, Hayden start driving and puts on music. He has the music really loud and with the windows down. My hair gets all messy but I don’t mind since the air is refreshing.

I lean my head over the opem window and just take in the fresh air from the outside.

—————————————————————————

Once Hayden parks in his garage, that’s when I realize how rich he is. He lives in a luxurious white mansion and it’s absolutely mesmerizing.

All his friends rush inside but I take my time to look around.

I walk inside his house and all the furniture is luxurious. It's marble and it looks golden.

"Guys, come outside. Y'all are sleeping over too." Hayden excitedly runs over to the door and runs outside.

I pause when I realize that he actually invited me to “hang out” with his friends. Since when?

Later during the day, all of his friends had left early for some reason which leave just me and him. I can tell how disappointed he is and by his look, he is a little sad.

“Uhm, Hayden?” I tap his shoulder while my hand shakes slightly. He’s sitting on the couch, pretending I don’t exist.

“What?” He growls.

“Why did all your friends leave so early?”

“Don’t worry about that, Milo.” He stands up and hovers over me. He puts his phone in his pocket and whispers in my ear. “It’s just us now.” His voice was low and seductive. I don’t know why but it kind of turned me on.

My lips twitch and burn with desire to touch his.

I quickly look away before I lose control and back up. “So uh.. Does this mean I’m the only one sleeping over?”

He smirks at me, looking intensely into my eyes. “Yes, it does.” His voice still low and and gentle.

I nod and sit down on the couch. I fidget with my fingers and lay my head back.

It’s really awkward now. Hayden sits next to me and turns off the television. He just stares at me.

“It’s almost 10.” He whispers.

“So?”

“I think you should lay down and sleep.”

“I’m not tired.”

“Your eyes say otherwise. You’re eyes are already closing. Don’t even lie to me.”

I roll my eyes and close them. I quickly open them and lean on the couch more on my side. Hayden is silent, I don’t like that. I open my eyes again but he’s gone. I’m so confused, where did he go?

I sit up and see him coming back with a blanket covering him. He looks half asleep. I quickly lay down and pretend to be asleep.

I feel movements over me and it suddenly gets really hot. Oh my god…

The movements are more clear. I can feel hot breath tickling my throat. What’s he doing? Suddenly, it gets hotter. My eyes open and find him on top of me. My heart starts to race, hoping he doesn’t notice. He’s covered with a blanket and he’s asleep. Is he?

“Hayden..?”

“Mmm..?” His voice is soft and groggy. He’s definitely half asleep.

“What’re you doing?”

“Sleeping.” He mumbled into my body, his voice was raspy and sleepy. I didn’t know what to do.

I closed my eyes and the second i opened them again, it was morning. The sun was shining on my face and Hayden was still sleeping on me. I can hear is soft and calm breathing. He looks so peaceful and calm.

The door opens and some of his friends walk inside while talking loudly causing Hayden to stir.

“Hayden..” I whisper to him, gently shaking his shoulder.

“mm….” His soft “mmm” made me sigh. He didn’t wanna wake up.

“Hayden, your friends are here.” I whisper back.

His eyes slightly open and he picks up his head. He sees his friends in the kitchen and realizes that he was supposed to hang out with them. He groans and buries his face back onto me.

“What’re you doing?? Hayden!”

“I wanna sleep.” He murmured.

“But your friends—“

“Dude..” His friend Michael raises an eyebrow. He smirks and takes a photo. He whispers to his other friends and they all leave the house.

I sighed, wrapping my arms around Hayden and rubbing his back lightly. He was like a child refusing to wake up.

"Hayden," I said again, my voice still soft, "Your friends came all the way over here to hang out. You gotta wake up."

He groaned slightly and burrowed his face further into my body. I couldn't help but chuckle at his childish behavior.

I ran my fingers through his hair, "Come on, sleepyhead. It's time to wake up."

He mumbled something indecipherable into my chest, holding me closer. God, he can be so stubborn sometimes.

"Hayden," I said, my tone now a little firmer, "Your friends are waiting outside."

He finally lifted his head, rubbing his eyes. "They can wait," he muttered sleepily, nuzzling his face into my neck.

I rolled my eyes, unable to suppress my grin. Despite his stubbornness, there was something cute about how clingy he could be when he was half-asleep.

"You can't just keep them waiting forever," I laughed gently. "Come on, get up."

"Fiiiinneee." He groaned, slowly untangling himself from me.

He sat up, his hair tousled and his eyes bleary. I suppressed a laugh, seeing his usually put-together demeanor replaced by a rumpled, groggy mess. Still, he looked adorable.

"You look like a little kid," I teased, trying to hold back my laughter.

He shot me a mock glare and ran a hand through his messy hair. "I don't appreciate your snarky comments," he said, his voice still rough from sleep. "I'm perfectly fine, you don't have to say I look terrible."

"Oh, come on," I smirked, sitting up as well, "You're being dramatic. You don't look terrible. In fact, I think it's kind of cute."

He rolled his eyes, "Yeah, yeah."

I leaned over and ruffled his hair even more, messing it up further.

"Hey! Stop that!" He protested, trying to swat my hand away, but couldn’t help the small smile that tugged at his lips.

I just laughed and pushed him lightly, "You look better with messy hair. More carefree."

What’s wrong with me?

As I playfully pushed at Hayden, I couldn’t help but wonder why I was acting this way with him. We were just friends, right? But there was something about the way he looked – messyhaired and sleepy – that tugged at my heartstrings.

Why do I feel this way around him? Why is my heart racing every time he’s this close to me?

I tried to shake off the thoughts, telling myself it was just because he looked cute right now, nothing more. But as he looked up at me with his dark, sleepy eyes, I knew it wasn’t that simple.

Why does he look at me like that? Like I’m the only person in the room? It’s like he’s looking right through me…

I pushed the feelings down, not wanting to admit the truth to myself. We were just friends. It didn’t mean anything more… right? But there was something about the way he leaned into my touch, the way he smiled sleepily that made butterflies flutter in my stomach.

This is ridiculous. I should just ignore these feelings. They’ll go away eventually. Maybe…

I stepped away from Hayden, trying to distance myself a bit. It was getting harder to deny the strange emotions I felt around him.

Why can’t I just act normal? Why does being around him make me feel this way?

I watched as he tried to fix his messy hair, his fingers running through the dark locks, and my heart gave a little skip.

I turned my gaze away, feeling a little flustered. Why does he have this effect on me? It’s like he can make my heart race with just a smile or a look.

But I had to remind myself - we were friends. Nothing more.

Just friends, I repeated in my head, trying to convince myself. But as I watched him again, a part of me was starting to wish for more.

"Are you alright?" Hayden's voice broke through my thoughts.

I quickly composed myself, giving him a shaky smile. "Yeah, of course," I replied, my voice slightly hoarse. "I'm just tired, that's all."

He looked at me, his dark eyes studying me for a moment. It was like he could see right through me. He knew I wasn’t being truthful.

"Are you sure?" He asked, his tone gentle yet firm. "You're acting a bit weird."

I shifted uncomfortably under his gaze. I wasn't ready to face my own feelings, let alone talk about them. "I'm fine, really. Just need some coffee or something," I replied, avoiding his gaze.

Hayden didn't look completely convinced, but he didn't press the matter further. He just nodded slowly, letting it drop, although I could sense he didn’t fully believe me.

We stood there for a moment, a mix of comfortable silence and unspoken tension between us. I could feel the weight of my own emotions pressing down on me, and I had to fight the urge to say something, to confess.

But what could I even say?

“Hey, I think I might have feelings for you, but I don’t know how to deal with them”

No, that sounded ridiculous in my head.

“I've been acting strange because I get butterflies every time I see you…”

That sounded even worse.

I swallowed hard, trying to push these thoughts away. It was just a silly crush, right? It would pass eventually. It had to.

But looking at Hayden, the way his messy hair fell over his forehead, his dark eyes filled with concern and curiosity, I couldn’t help but wonder if there was something more between us.

I desperately wanted to say something, anything, to break this awkward atmosphere. But the words stuck in my throat, as if they were trapped behind a wall of my fears and insecurities.

Hayden looked at me again, his eyes still piercing through me, like he was waiting for me to speak up, to say what was on my mind. But the only thing I could manage was a shaky nod, pretending everything was fine.

The silence between us grew heavier with each passing moment. I could sense Hayden’s impatience, his frustration at my reluctance to speak honestly. But what could I say?

I was too afraid to even admit my feelings to myself, let alone to him. I needed time to think, to understand what I was feeling.

But the longer I stayed silent, the more I could see the hint of hurt in his eyes, the way his gaze darkened slightly. And it made my heart ache.

Finally, he let out a frustrated sigh, running a hand through his already messy hair. “Milo, I can tell something is bothering you. You’ve been acting strange ever since I woke up. Just tell me what’s going on.”

His words struck a chord within me. He could see right through me, as always. I knew I couldn’t avoid this conversation any longer.

I took a shaky breath, trying to calm my racing heart. "It’s nothing, really. I’m just tired and a bit confused, that’s all."

Hayden raised an eyebrow. "That’s definitely not all. You’ve been avoiding my gaze, fidgeting, and acting like you’re hiding something from me. Spill it, Milo."

His tone was stern, his dark eyes fixed on me, demanding the truth. I couldn’t avoid it any longer.

I swallowed hard, my hands clenching into fists at my sides. This is it. There’s no going back now.

"I’ve been feeling...different lately," I started, my voice quiet and shaky. "Different when I’m around you."

Hayden's expression shifted from impatient to curious. He tilted his head slightly, a hint of confusion in his dark eyes. "Different how?" he asked, a slight edge of wariness in his tone.

The question hung in the air, my own breath caught in my throat. I didn’t know how to explain the strange mix of emotions I was feeling.

"I...I don’t know," I managed to answer finally, my voice barely above a whisper. "I just feel different when I see you, hear your voice...even when you touch me."

Hayden's eyes widened slightly at my admission. He took a step towards me, his gaze still fixed on me. "What do you mean, different? Tell me." His voice was softer now, laced with a hint of concern.

"It's hard to explain," I admitted, my eyes drifting away from his intense gaze. "It's like my heart races every time you're near, I feel butterflies in my stomach when you smile, and I get so tongue-tied around you. I’ve never felt this way before."

Hayden's face contorted into a mix of surprise and repulsion. "You...you have a crush on me?"

I nodded silently, not meeting his eyes. This was not the reaction I had hoped for. His expression grew stern, and he stepped away from me, creating distance between us.

"Milo, I'm sorry, but this is just too weird for me. I don't feel that way about you, and frankly, this makes me uncomfortable," he stated firmly. "I think it'd be best if you left."

I could feel my heart breaking as the words sank in. I had hoped for a different response, a chance that maybe he felt the same. But Hayden’s reaction made it clear that my feelings were not reciprocated.

"O-okay," I managed to say, my voice barely above a whisper. "I'll go."

Without another word, I made my way to the door, feeling a mix of embarrassment and pain. I glanced back at Hayden once, but his expression was distant and cold.

It was over before it even began.

The stinging pain of rejection still haunted me days after being kicked out of Hayden's house. His cold gaze and distant demeanor haunted my thoughts and dreams, a constant reminder of my unrequited feelings.

I tried to move on, throwing myself into my studies and hanging out with friends, anything to distract myself from the ache in my heart. But no matter what I did, I couldn’t shake off the memory of Hayden...

It didn't help that I saw him almost every day in class. He sat right in front of me, his dark eyes and messy hair taunting me with what I couldn’t have. Every time he turned around to talk to someone, I could feel my heart rate quicken, my palms getting sweaty. I desperately wished for a fraction of his attention, but he barely gave me a second glance.

At nights, I found myself lying awake, staring at the ceiling and replaying our last conversation in my mind. I couldn't help but wonder what went wrong, where I had made a mistake. Was it my feelings that scared him off, or was it something else?

I tried to convince myself that it was for the best. After all, if he didn't feel the same way about me, it was better to move on. But my heart refused to listen, still stubbornly clinging to hope.

It was a typical day, the sun shining and the birds chirping outside. But my heart felt heavy as I walked into class and saw Hayden already in his usual seat, chatting with his friends.

“Hey.” Ben, one of my friends, came up to me, noticing my distracted expression. “You seem a bit down. Everything okay?”

I forced a smile and shrugged, not wanting to admit my true feelings. “Yeah, just tired," I lied. "Didn't sleep well last night.”

Ben gave me a sympathetic look. “That sucks. You know if you ever want to talk about anything, I’m here for you, right?”

"Yeah, I know." I appreciated Ben's offer, but I couldn't bear the thought of talking about my feelings right now.

I took a deep breath and made my way to my seat, steeling myself for the sight of Hayden in front of me once again.

As I sat down at my desk, my mind still preoccupied with thoughts of Hayden, I felt someone tap my shoulder.

“Hey, Milo.” It was Daniel, another friend of mine. “You gonna make it to soccer practice today?”

I had forgotten about our regular soccer practice after school. The thought of running around a field and trying to focus on the game seemed impossible in my current state.

“I don’t know,” I admitted, sighing. “I’m really not feeling up to it today.”

Daniel raised an eyebrow, looking at me with concern. “Are you sure? You’ve been quiet lately, and you’d be the only one missing from our team.”

I knew he was right. Our team relied on each other, and having one player absent could mess up our game. But the idea of being around Hayden and acting like everything was normal sounded like a nightmare.

“I just need a break," I mumbled, not looking at Daniel. “My head’s a mess right now.”

He studied me for a moment, sensing the turmoil beneath my words. “This has got something to do with Hayden, doesn’t it?” he asked, his tone gentle yet knowing.

I tensed up at his words, my heart skipping a beat. I had never outright admitted the reason for my distraction, but it seemed Daniel had figured it out.

I looked away, not wanting to confirm or deny his suspicion. The last thing I wanted was for my friends to know about my crush or the rejection that followed.

He seemed to understand my reluctance to talk about it, and thankfully, he didn’t press the issue. “Alright, just let me know if you change your mind about practice,“ he said finally. “We’ll miss you if you don’t show up.”

I nodded silently, grateful for his understanding. As he walked back to his seat, my eyes darted to the front of the classroom, where Hayden was laughing with his friends, completely oblivious to the effect he had on me.

Frustration and sadness welled up inside me once more. How could he be so carefree, while I was a mess because of him? It didn’t seem fair.

My fingers gripped the edge of my desk tightly, as I tried to push down the negative thoughts. But the more I looked at Hayden, the more my heart ached, reminding me of what I could never have.

As the class continued, I tried to focus on the lesson, but my mind kept drifting to Hayden. I was so preoccupied that I didn't notice a few of the guys in the class glancing my way.

Suddenly, one of them, a cocky jock named Jake, leaned over towards me. "Hey, Romeo," he mocked, a sneer on his face.

I glanced up, irritation and embarrassment already flaring in my chest. I had a history with Jake and his friends, always targeting me with their jokes and teasing.

"What do you want, Jake?" I asked, trying to keep my voice even.

He chuckled, leaning back in his seat. "Oh, nothing. Just noticed you’ve been staring at Hayden over there like a lost puppy. Got a little crush, do ya?"

My heart skipped a beat as heat rose to my cheeks. I tried to hide my reaction, but it was too late. The other guys were already snickering, having overheard our exchange.

"Aw, look at him blushing," Jake teased, a cruel smirk on his face. "Is that why you’re so distracted in class lately? Can’t focus on anything but your little crush?"

I clenched my fists, a mixture of anger and humiliation coursing through me. "Shut up, Jake. It’s none of your business," I retorted, trying to sound confident but failing miserably.

The guys around us broke into laughter, amused by my weak response. Jake just grinned wider, enjoying every moment of my embarrassment. "Oh, come on, don’t be like that," he mocked. "I’m just trying to understand what’s got you all lovestruck."

As the guys continued their jokes and teasing, I noticed Hayden looking back at me, his gaze filled with a mix of curiosity and concern. It was like he knew something was happening, but didn’t know how to react.

After a few minutes, the teacher started the lesson, and the guys in the class reluctantly settled down. Hayden leaned back in his seat, still watching me from the corner of his eye. I tried to avoid his gaze, not wanting to draw any more attention to myself.

But a few moments later, I felt a tap on my shoulder. I looked up, expecting to see Jake or one of his friends, but it was Hayden.

He leaned in a bit, his expression serious yet gentle. “Can we talk after class?” he asked quietly.

My heart skipped a beat as his voice sent a shiver down my spine. I had to remind myself not to let my feelings show.

"Um...yeah, sure," I managed to respond, trying to act casual.

He nodded and straightened back up in his seat, not saying anything more. The rest of the class felt like an eternity, my mind racing with possibilities. Why did Hayden want to talk to me? Did he know about the teasing and wanted to say something about it? Or was this about my feelings for him?

As the bell finally rang, I slowly packed up my things, my heart beating faster with each passing second. I glanced over to see Hayden putting away his things too, his expression unreadable.

Everyone else hurried out of class, eager to start their Friday plans. But Hayden and I stayed behind, the room suddenly feeling smaller as it was just the two of us.

He waited until the last student had left, closing the door behind them, before he spoke. "Can I ask you something?" his tone serious and cautious.

My heart felt like it was about to burst out of my chest, but I tried to keep my voice steady. "Yeah, sure. What is it?"

He took a few steps closer, his dark eyes studying me closely. "I've noticed you've been kind of...distracted lately. And today, those guys were giving you a hard time. What's going on?"

This was not what I had expected him to say. I had assumed he would bring up my feelings for him, not the guys' teasing. I hesitated, unsure of how much I should admit.

"It's nothing," I said, forcing a reassuring smile. "Just...been a little stressed with school lately, that's all."

He didn't look convinced, his eyes searching my face. "Are you sure that's all it is? You seemed pretty upset earlier."

I sighed, realizing he wasn't going to let it go that easily. "Yeah, I was just annoyed with those guys, that's all. They like to mess with me sometimes," I said, my voice a bit strained.

He nodded, understanding, his expression softening a bit. "I see. Have they been picking on you a lot lately?"

I shrugged, not wanting to admit how often they targeted me. "Sometimes. It's not a big deal. I can handle it."

Hayden’s eyes narrowed, clearly not thrilled with my response. "Just because you can handle it doesn’t mean you should have to. They shouldn’t be picking on you like that."

I was surprised by his protectiveness. Why did he care so much? "It’s fine, really. I’m used to it," I assured him, trying to keep my tone light.

He shook his head, a determined look in his eyes. "It’s not fine. It’s not right. You don’t deserve to be treated like that."

I was touched by his words, but also confused. This wasn’t the reaction I had expected from him. I had assumed he would brush it off as insignificant, like everyone else did. But he seemed genuinely concerned about my feelings.

“Why does it matter to you so much?” I finally asked, meeting his gaze head-on.

His eyes held mine for a moment, and I could see a flicker of hesitation in them. "Because...because you’re my friend,” he responded eventually, his voice soft. "And I don’t like seeing my friends being treated badly."

My heart skipped a beat at his words. Friend. That’s all he saw me as. But a small part of me had hoped for something more. I pushed that thought away, reminding myself that he didn't feel the same.

"Thanks for your concern, but I really am okay," I said, forcing a smile though my heart was aching. "Those guys don’t bother me too much. I’ve got thick skin."

He scrutinized me for a moment, as if trying to see through my facade. "Alright, if you say so," he replied, his tone still a bit uncertain. "But if they ever do something that really bothers you, let me know. Okay?"

I nodded, touched by his offer but knowing I would never take him up on it. Admitting my feelings for him was too risky, and I didn’t want to lose his friendship. "Sure thing,” I said, feigning nonchalance. “And thanks, I appreciate it."

He smiled faintly, seeming relieved to see that I was okay. "No problem. Friends look out for each other, right?"

I swallowed the bitter taste in my mouth as he referred to me as a “friend" once again. "Yeah," I agreed, forcing a smile. "That's what friends are for."

Later that night, Hayden sent me a text asking if I wanted to come over. As I read the message, my heart skipped a beat. Why did he want me to come over again? Was it just as friends, or was there something more to it?

I hesitated for a moment before replying, my fingers hovering over the screen. Part of me wanted to say yes, but I knew that spending more time with Hayden would only make my feelings for him grow stronger.

But curiosity and a hint of hope won out, and I typed a response, saying yes. I tried to convince myself that it was just a friendly hangout, nothing more. But deep down, I couldn't help but wonder if maybe, just maybe, something else would happen tonight.