It was a Thursday afternoon, the kind that coated the campus in gold and shadows. Lucas leaned against the bench near the art building. clutching a folded piece of notebook paper in his pocket. He wasn’t usually the dramatic type, but something about the day.. maybe the way her laugh had lingered in the hallway, or how she’d leaned her head on his shoulder while showing him her playlist. made his heart louder than usual.

Madeline had been texting him every day for the past two months. Sitting next to him in all their shared classes. Sharing snacks, secrets, stories. He didn’t want to read into it, but when she called him “the best guy I know” last week, he couldn’t help but hope.

She found him with a grin. “Hey, you said you wanted to talk?”

Lucas swallowed, suddenly aware of how warm his ears were. “Yeah,” he said. “Yeah, I… I do.”

They walked together to the edge of the quad, where the trees thinned out and the sun dappled the grass. She sat cross-legged. He stayed standing.

“I’ve been thinking lately,” he said; fiddling with the paper in his pocket “About us.”

Madeline raised her eyebrow, in a bit of disbelief. “Us?”

“I… I really like you, Mads. More than a friend.” He forced himself to meet her eyes. “I was wondering if-if you.. yknow.. wanted to go out sometime. Like.. on a date.”

There was a pause. A bird chirped above them, oblivious.

Her smile didn’t falter, but something behind her eyes shifted. “Oh”

The air tightened.

“I didn’t realize you thought of me that way,” she said gently. “I mean, I love being around you. You’re like… like my brother.”

The word hit harder than he expected.

“I thought maybe..” He stopped himself. “I thought the way you talked to me, the way we hung out… I thought it meant something.”

“It does mean something,” she said quickly. “You’re one of the most important people in my life. I just… I’ve never seen you that way. I’m sorry.”

Lucas nodded, mouth dry, heart trying to beat its way out of his chest. He gave her a small smile. more habit than feeling. and looked away.

“It’s okay,” he said. “I just needed to know.”

They sat in silence for a while. There was this.. feeling between them.. And for the first time, it didn’t feel like closeness.