Crush ✓

Most of your pictures were with your soccer team, while some of them were of you taking shirtless selfies, and honestly, it was enough for me to keep swooning over you. Sometimes, I would feel guilty, but then again, you should've have kept your profile private if you didn't want everyone to look at your posts. But I was glad you didn't.

Time flew by fast, we were seniors now, and I still didn't have the guts to approach you. Hence, I came up with a weird idea to send you these compliment notes. Every day, I would slip a note into your locker, and then, I would hide somewhere so that I could see your reaction as you read my feelings on those little pieces of paper.

Of course, I didn't write 'I like you' straight away.

You see, Ryan, I had everything planned. I had already decided my first note was going to be – 'congratulations on your win last week'. Do you remember when I wrote 'you look cute in that blue shirt'? However, nothing seemed to work a magic on you. I mean, everyone loves to get compliments, but you were just...normal. You would read my notes and put them back in your locker before heading for your next period. I never saw your smile. Why didn't you smile, Ryan?

It was a regular day. I was standing in front of your locker, all set to slip the note, just like I had been doing for days, but before I could do that and run away, you caught hold of my hand. As I snapped my head in your direction, my eyes widened, and I swear, my brain went haywire.

Your jaw clenched and I gulped.

I didn't know what to do when your eyes were searching for an answer in mine.

"What are you doing?" you asked, narrowing your eyes at me.

I cleared my throat, but no matter how much I tried, no words came out of my mouth.

"I asked 'what are you doing?' Answer me."

"Ryan, I-I," I stuttered, "umm, I..."

You threw my hand back at me, and for a second I lost my balance, before steadying myself back again.

"What's your name?"

I blinked a couple of times.

"Chloe."

You took a deep breath, and then taking a step forward, you put your hand on your locker to my right.

"Look, Chloe, stop this already. Stop littering my locker with these pieces of paper. Do you get me?"

"Y-yes."

And then, without another word, you walked away.

Ryan, those were not just pieces of paper. Those were my feelings. Those were a way for me to pour my heart out to you.

Well, at least, now you knew my name. I hoped you wouldn't forget it soon.

Do you believe in karma, Ryan?

I kind of did. I believed that I had done enough good stuff in my life to deserve all the pleasant things.

That Monday, you took me by surprise when out of nowhere you came up and sat across me during lunch. Almost everyone in the cafeteria was eyeing us, looking for a reason as to why, Ryan Williams would sit with Chloe during lunch.

Without uttering even a single word, you punctured your juice-box with a straw, and I watched as you started sipping through it.

Finally, a minute later, you looked up and raised an eyebrow at me.

"Do you like apples, Chloe?"

"Huh?"

"Don't you understand English? I asked, 'do you like apples?'"