The Distance Between Almost and Always

Willow Ramirez has never been afraid of talking to people. She greets strangers like old friends, adopts every junior under her wing, and talks to almost anybody like they've known each other all their lives.

Until she develops a crush.

And suddenly, the girl who could talk to anyone can't even survive a simple "hi."

Then there's Rafael Navarro, a first year dentistry student who somehow gets dragged into helping Willow win over someone else.

What starts as harmless schemes, awkward encounters, and one failed plan after another slowly turns into shared Saturdays, endless banter, and a friendship they didn't know they needed.

Because sometimes, love doesn't arrive all at once.

Sometimes it lives quietly in the spaces between almost and always.