...This is the story of a young girl named Sofia, who lives in a small city. She’s just ten years old and studying in 5th grade. Sofia is the spark of energy in her family, always bubbling with enthusiasm. She has an older sister, Rose, who is sixteen. Rose is beautiful, intelligent, and consistently ranks among the top in her class, usually around the 5th or 6th position, and sometimes even 3rd. Sofia, on the other hand, is more of an average student, though she’s incredibly creative. She loves activities like playing, drawing, and dancing—anything except studying! Although she doesn’t excel academically like her sister, she has a big dream: she wants to be an astronaut. At her young age, Sofia doesn’t know much about space science or even what it’s called. She just tells everyone she wants to be a “scientist” when she grows up. Not many people know about her dream, except her best friend, Bella. Bella has been her friend since 1st grade, and they live in the same neighborhood, so they often play together and have sleepovers. They’re a funny duo; sometimes, they put cucumber slices over their eyes, lying on the floor pretending they’re at a spa. Bella dreams of being a singer one day and is always humming or singing her favorite tunes. The two often share their hopes for the future, imagining all the exciting things they’ll do. Sofia is a bit shy about sharing her dream job, worried that people might make fun of her ambition to explore space. So, she only confides in Bella, knowing her friend would understand and cheer her on....

One day, Sofia’s sister, Rose, announced to the family that some of her senior classmates were coming over to meet everyone. Sofia didn’t know any of them, since she rarely visited her sister’s school and had never met Rose’s friends. So, this was an exciting surprise for her.A few hours later, the group of five boys arrived and gathered in the living room. Sofia, feeling a bit shy, watched them from behind a door, peeking out curiously. Her mother and sister noticed and encouraged her to come out and say "hello." Nervously, Sofia stepped into the room and managed a quick "hello" before retreating a bit. But then, one boy caught her attention entirely, standing out from the rest. She couldn’t stop glancing at him, even though she tried to be discreet.After the boys left, Sofia ran to her sister, eager to know more about the boy who had captivated her attention. She asked, "Sister, who was the boy sitting in the corner on the left? What’s his name?"Rose noticed her excitement and smiled knowingly. "Oh, do you like him? That means you have a crush on him," she teased.Sofia’s cheeks turned pink as she blinked in surprise. "What does ‘crush’ mean, sister?" she asked, curious.Rose explained, "A crush is when you secretly like someone. You know it, but they don’t."It was the first time Sofia had heard the word "crush." She didn’t know much about love or liking someone in that way—after all, she was only ten. But in that moment, she learned a little something new about herself.

Time passed, and Sofia was now a 6th grader. She often found herself sneaking glances at her sister Rose's phone, hoping to catch a glimpse of a particular photo of him. One day, Rose scored 91 marks on her final exam in 10th grade, and as a reward, their grandpa gifted her a laptop. Sofia wasn’t allowed to use it on her own because she wasn’t familiar with how it worked, so she’d watch Rose closely whenever her sister used it, secretly hoping to learn. Rose lived in her school’s hostel, so she had to leave the laptop behind whenever she returned to school. Before leaving, she transferred some photos to the laptop and left it at home for safekeeping. About a month later, Sofia decided to try her hand at using it. She carefully powered it on, thrilled by the idea of exploring the laptop. She started by playing a few games, enjoying the fun of doing something “grown-up”. But soon, curiosity took over. She decided to try out the camera and took some funny selfies and videos with her best friends. Afterward, she went to the gallery to see how the photos turned out. While scrolling through her pictures, she suddenly stumbled upon a group photo that wasn’t hers. At the front of the group, she spotted him—the boy who had caught her eye months ago. Her heart skipped a beat, and a shy smile spread across her face. She stared at his picture for what felt like five minutes, feeling a warmth she couldn’t quite explain. After that, visiting the laptop became a little secret routine. She’d play games, take pictures, and then, once everyone left, she’d find herself looking at his picture again, a little smile on her face. One day, while listening to her sister chat with their brother and a friend, she finally learned his name—Sammy. Hearing it made her heart flutter. She kept this little crush completely to herself. Sofia had a special knack for hiding her feelings, and she protected this secret with a quiet confidence .

Beyond the Sports Field"

As Sofia grew older, life became busier. Between friends, family, and school, she found herself more focused on her studies, inspired in part by her big sister Rose’s encouragement. Rose had taught her how to study effectively, and by the 8th grade, Sofia enjoyed learning more than ever before. Her newfound dedication made her a standout in class—teachers noticed her, and so did her classmates. The girl who once sat quietly in the back now sat confidently in the front, answering questions and embracing the challenges of each lesson. For the first time, Sofia felt like a top student, surrounded by friends and fully immersed in her studies.She even joined an after-school sports class, adding a healthy balance to her academic life. Each day, after practice, she would go home, take a short break, and then continue her studies, waking up around 4 or 4:30 a.m. each morning to review her notes. She was focused, determined, and feeling accomplished.However, there was one small distraction. In her sports class, she noticed an older boy—a senior who wasn’t particularly handsome but had a way of capturing her attention. She admired how passionately he played, and her friends soon picked up on her quiet crush. They teased her about him, giggling and whispering whenever he was around, making her blush and laugh, even as they made her feel a little nervous.After a year of secretly liking him, Sofia felt ready to tell him how she felt. She shared her plan with her friends, excited yet anxious. But one day, as she arrived early to sports class with her friends, they saw him with another girl. To Sofia’s surprise and heartbreak, he was proposing to her—a girl from Sofia’s own class. The sight made her heart sink, and she struggled to hold back tears. Later that night, she cried hard, the pain of unspoken feelings and disappointment overwhelming her.The next day, Sofia asked her friends not to bring up his name or tease her anymore. They sympathized with her and respected her wish, quietly supporting her through her sadness. To fully focus on her studies, she eventually decided to leave the sports class, pouring all her energy into schoolwork and slowly moving on.