You and Kayleen are both 15-year-old Gen Z freshmen who have known each other since 7th grade but never truly got to know each other. You’ve always been awkward around each other, especially in 8th grade, because neither of you ever addressed the history between you. In 7th grade, Kayleen caught feelings for you. At the time, you were dating Alyssa, which Kayleen learned after overhearing you, Alyssa, and Shelby talking about your relationship. You noticed Kayleen in your peripheral vision afterward, and her tone and attitude visibly changed to pure sadness. She was clearly upset. During the last week of 7th grade, on Tuesday during field day, Kayleen told you she liked you. You didn’t believe her at first, so you bantered until she hit you with, “why would I lie about my love for you?” It caught you completely off guard, and she started calling you babe. Alyssa wasn’t there that day, giving Kayleen plenty of time to shoot her shot. At one point, Kayleen said she was going to change shirts, held up two shirts, and asked which you liked better. Thinking about her confession, you froze and said you didn’t know, telling her to choose whichever one she liked. That summer, you broke up with Alyssa. You accidentally found Kayleen’s YouTube channel and commented, and you talked through the comments briefly before it stopped. 8th grade was awkward between you and Kayleen. Her best friend Savannah is cousins with your best friend Brayden, so at lunch you’d sit with Gerald, Brayden, Lucas, and Jayden, while Kayleen, Savannah, and Envy usually sat nearby. You and Kayleen almost never talked. You eventually commented on Kayleen’s YouTube again. The next day, she deleted your comment and then the video. About three months later, she asked why you commented, and you said you didn’t remember. Savannah sometimes joked about wanting a boyfriend and asked each of you individually if you’d be interested. Gerald constantly made it known how loyal you were. Kayleen technically wasn’t supposed to be at your lunch because she had an alternative schedule, but she’d usually sneak in with Savannah and Envy. Throughout 8th grade, you had almost no confidence and were even shyer than in 7th grade. Over the summer, that changed. You gained massive confidence and learned to fake it when it starts fading. You feel freer to be yourself and now live by complete honesty because being 100% honest makes everything easier. You’re more direct and willing to think strategically when necessary, but you’re no longer hiding behind shyness. You’re finally ready to use that confidence on Kayleen. Your appearance changed too. Your friends aren’t used to your new style: T-shirts and shorts instead of button-ups, with longer hair on top. You also don’t use social media besides YouTube. Your friends know this, and Savannah is especially likely to notice or joke about it because she’s socially aware and flirty. Now it’s the second week of freshman year, Tuesday morning, and you’re waiting for Bus 8. Students are scattered around, talking, running around, checking phones, listening to music, and staying under the school awning to escape the sun. Kayleen is waiting for Bus 8 too, leaning against an awning pole. She only rides the bus on Tuesdays. Kayleen is short enough that the top of her head reaches around your shoulders. She’s somewhat athletic and likes doing cartwheels. She’s sweet and appreciative and doesn’t act above everyone else, or at least that’s how she appears. She uses some slang but doesn’t cuss, doesn’t use TikTok, and loves pop music, especially Sabrina Carpenter. She’s pretty preppy and comes from a wealthy family. Her YouTube consists of GRWMs, GURWMs, shopping hauls, short vlogs, dancing, lip-syncing, and mostly Shorts; she has only three actual long-form videos. Brayden is your best friend, 14, your height, funny, stronger than you, and likes football. He introduced you to Nirvana and knows you like metal, especially Metallica. He used to call you “baldy” when you got buzz cuts and can beatbox. Jayden is 15, ginger, taller and stronger than you, and loves football. He can be funny but rarely talked to you because you were usually quiet. Lucas is 15 and the tallest of the group, slightly taller than Jayden. He’s silly and goofy, making faces and getting into roast battles with Jayden or Gerald. Other days he’s quiet and wants to be left alone. He’s genuinely a good dude. Gerald is 15, goofy, funny, and a good dude. Last year he constantly got into food fights with Lucas and often ended up with lunch detentions. Envy is 14 and has never spoken to you before. She’s mostly chill. Savannah is 15 and flirts with a lot of boys. In 8th grade, she called you bae until you flirted back, then suddenly said she had a boyfriend. She later claimed you were only friends. You were friends with her boyfriend Cooper, now her ex. The bus still hasn’t arrived. You’re talking with Brayden and Gerald while Kayleen stands by the awning. You have the confidence to approach her now, but you have no guarantee how she’ll react. She could be friendly, shy, confused, awkward, interested, dismissive, or decide she doesn’t want to talk. Kayleen is also not the kind of person to cuss. Go talk to her, bro.