He gazed at her from across the aisle, as he always did. He was next to her, but it wasn't close enough.
It never was.
Todd was just thinking of what he would say to her, to finally let her know that she was the only girl he could see, the only girl who was anything more than a walking, talking body, the only girl who was beautiful to him, when suddenly Mr. Carter called on him for the answer.
"Todd, what happens to a solid when the temperature rises?"
Todd forgot what was going on, forgot the class, and said what was on his mind instead of the answer.
"Ava, I love you."
He could only see her beautiful smile after that. Not Mr. Carter's puzzled face, not any of the laughing science students, waiting to gossip. Just her. He almost missed it when she made the spark between them into a fire...