acee_hil
Gabriel Fernandez has carried a quiet hope for Catherine Ramirez since they were ten years old when she shared her lunch with him on an empty stomach. Now in senior high, they're just two sections apart, and every glance down the hallway, every liked Instagram story, feels like a sign that maybe tomorrow will be the day he finally talks to her. When he works up the courage to invite her to a study session at their favorite café, Cofepe, Gabriel spends hours preparing baking her favorite cookies, reviewing notes, and imagining how their conversation will go. But when the day arrives, Catherine doesn't show up. Left with untouched drinks and unspoken words, he's forced to face the painful question: Is holding onto "almost" enough to keep waiting... or will he find the courage to turn his silent wishes into something real? This story weaves together friendship, first crushes, and the bittersweet truth that sometimes the people we're waiting for are fighting their own battles too.