The sun broke through the blinds like a spotlight right onto Brandston's face.
He groaned, pulled the pillow over his head, and debated dropping out of life for the day.
Meanwhile, on the top bunk, Joel was already awake, humming loudly and scrolling through his phone like he didn't have a care in the world.
Brandston finally sat up, rubbing his eyes, hair messy.
"Man...why are you so loud this early?" he mumbled.
Joel, without missing a beat, replied,
"It's a good day to fall in love, bro!"
He threw a sock at Brandston's head for extra emphasis.
Brandston caught it midair and tossed it back harder.
"Keep dreaming," he said.
Still, as he got ready, brushing his teeth and tossing on a clean hoodie, he couldn't deny it —
his heart was already moving faster just thinking about maybe — maybe — seeing Audrey today.
By the time they got to class, it was the same old boring routine at first:
lectures, Joel doodling random anime eyes on his notebook instead of taking notes, Brandston barely paying attention.
But after second period, something changed.
Audrey walked right past their classroom door with two of her friends, laughing about something.
Brandston, for the first time, felt a real urge to move — like his body was just going before his brain could say "nah bro, stay safe."
Joel caught him looking and nudged him with his elbow.
"There's your queen, bro. Go get your crown."
He wiggled his eyebrows dramatically.
Brandston rolled his eyes but stood up.
He was just about to take a casual step into the hallway — when BAM — he bumped straight into Allan.
Of course.
Allan gave him that fake, evil smile.
"Yo, pretty boy. Still chasing after crumbs?"
Some of Allan's boys laughed behind him.
Joel, sitting at his desk, whispered loudly,
"Don't let him cook you like that, bro!"
Brandston didn't even reply to Allan.
He just gave a small smirk and brushed past him like he was nothing.
That stung Allan way more than any insult.
Brandston made his way out toward the courtyard where a lot of students were chilling during the break.
Audrey was shooting hoops with a few other girls at the far end of the court, her ponytail bouncing as she moved.
Brandston leaned against the wall, trying to look natural, like he wasn't totally spying—uh, "observing."
Then fate — or maybe Joel's bad luck aura — struck.
Someone threw a bad pass, and the basketball smacked Audrey right in the back of her head.
BONK.
The whole court gasped.
Brandston was just about to rush over when — guess who got there first?
Allan.
He jogged over with fake concern on his face, offering Audrey his hand like he was Prince Charming or something.
"You okay, beautiful?" he said, way too smooth.
Audrey, rubbing her head, looked annoyed more than hurt.
She gave him a half-hearted "I'm fine," and got up without even taking his hand.
Brandston, from the wall, nearly laughed out loud.
Joel, who had magically appeared beside him (holding two sandwiches somehow), whispered,
"Bro got rejected twice haha."
They both had to hide their laughs.
Meanwhile, Allan tried to play it off cool and strutted back to his friends like he just saved a princess, even though everyone saw the L.
Brandston stayed where he was, hands in pockets, smirking quietly.
He didn't have to force anything.
He didn't have to fake being a hero.
He just...watched.
And for the first time, when Audrey turned around, her eyes landed straight on him.
No accident.
No coincidence.
Just a small glance.
But it was enough to make Brandston's heart beat harder against his chest.
Enough to know:
This wasn't over.
Not even close.