Almost, Always

School Years: Almost, Always

Charlie never believed in love at first sight-not that it mattered. Because when he first saw Ian, it wasn't love. It was annoyance. At least, that's what he told himself.

Starting Grade 9 after years of online classes, Charlie finds himself navigating the chaos of high school once again. New faces, old routines, and the lingering feeling that he's been left behind. He's used to blending in, making friends with ease, and keeping things light. But Ian? Ian is loud, effortless, and frustratingly everywhere.

Thrown together in classes, group projects, and their shared friend circles, Charlie and Ian orbit each other in ways that feel both inevitable and impossible. Their relationship is filled with sharp words, careless jokes, and something unspoken, something lingering in the spaces between.

It's not love. It's not a crush.

It's almost something.

And sometimes, almost is worse.