If Only We Knew

This coming-of-age story follows Zakiya, a hopeful and soft-hearted girl, as she goes through the confusing ups and downs of her crush. Back in 7th grade, she finds out that her crush, Marcus, actually likes her back. At first, everything feels exciting and light, but things quickly fall apart when her best friend breaks her trust and tells their classmates her secret. After that, Marcus suddenly becomes distant, leaving Zakiya hurt and confused, not knowing what she did wrong.

Trying to move forward, Zakiya starts paying attention to Bryson, a classmate who clearly shows interest in her. For a while, it feels like she might finally be moving on until Marcus shows signs of jealousy and starts trying to win her back. This only makes things more complicated, turning what used to be a simple crush into a mess of mixed signals, misunderstandings, and feelings left unsaid. When Marcus eventually opens up about a secret of his own, Zakiya is forced to reflect on love, friendship, and how much miscommunication can change everything. In the end, she realizes that growing up isn't always about getting closure, it's about accepting what didn't happen, learning from the pain, and letting go of the "what ifs" you can't change.