The boy she kept looking for

It began quietly, almost without notice; six months of small moments and passing glances, a boy with an easy smile who somehow lingered longer in her thoughts than anyone else ever did. She was older, steadier, standing at the edge of goodbye, while he moved through the corridors with a lightness only certain hearts carry. Yet something in her shifted each time he's near; a soft blooming she never meant to show. Every day, he walked the hallway unaware, laughing with his friends, carefree and unbothered, but the moment he crossed her path, her world brightened just a little; a quiet change only she could feel. So she held her feelings gently, never reaching, never rushing, keeping that warmth tucked safely inside like a small secret she wasn’t ready to name; just a crush, yet more than just a crush. And maybe one day he’ll realise the silent wish she carried all this time, the way she watched him with quiet fondness, hoping he might notice her too; but for now, it remains a soft, unspoken story between her heart and the boy who never knew.