It's funny, the small things that come back to you. Like the way he was always waiting by my locker after third period, leaning against the wall with that crooked smile, acting like he'd just happened to be there at the exact moment I was. Or how he'd trace circles on the back of my hand, quietly, like it was some big secret only we knew. We were seventeen then, a mix of nerves and bravado, dreaming of everything our lives could be, together or apart. Neither of us thought we'd end up here, ten years later, still feeling every one of those small moments like they were yesterday. Now, as I look across the room at him-still leaning against a wall, still with that same easy smile-it hits me. Every choice, every missed chance, every whispered promise... it all led us here. And the hardest part? I'm not sure if that's something to smile about or something to mourn. In Before Us, follow their journey through love, heartbreak, and the unbreakable bond that kept them coming back to each other, year after year. With a story told across a decade, this is a friends-to-lovers romance that asks the question: Can love stand the test of time, or do some people walk away for a reason?