The boy she never reached

Before that busy school morning, he walked up to her with a quiet question, and something small inside her fluttered awake. She showed him the way, but the moment stayed longer than she expected. After that, she found herself searching for him in crowded halls, hoping to catch even a second of his gentle face and soft smile, little things that made her heart move. One evening, when the world felt still, their paths crossed again. He paused, looked at her, and for a silent moment it felt like time held its breath. She wished she had spoken… but the moment slipped away rapidly He moved ahead in life, and she quietly wished him well, feeling proud from a distance. On a day filled with goodbyes, she hoped for one more chance, but he was surrounded with friends; and that chance never came. It’s been a year now, yet some part of her stays the same; still holding onto a soft, quiet feeling for a boy who was never hers.