HIGH SCHOOL CRUSH

Devie's heart thumped a frantic rhythm against her ribs, a hummingbird trapped in a cage. Miguel was laughing, his head thrown back, his eyes crinkling at the corners. He was so effortlessly charming, so effortlessly cool, and Devie was hopelessly, hopelessly smitten.

It wasn't just Miguel, though. It was Amara too, his younger sister, a whirlwind of energy and sunshine. Devie had fallen for their whole dynamic, the way they bickered and teased, the way Miguel's eyes softened when he looked at Amara, the way Amara looked up at him with adoration.

It all started with a shared locker. Devie, a quiet, bookish girl, had been assigned the locker next to Miguel's. At first, their interactions were brief, a shy smile, a mumbled "excuse me," a fleeting glance. But then, Amara, a vibrant, mischievous girl with a mischievous glint in her eye, started popping up.

"Hey, you're the girl who always smells like books!" she'd declare, her voice a melodic chirp. Devie would blush, stammering a response, and Miguel would chuckle, his eyes twinkling with amusement.

Soon, Devie found herself looking forward to those brief encounters. She'd spend hours trying to decipher Miguel's cryptic smiles, his playful banter, his casual touches. Was he just being friendly, or was there something more?