Is My Crush Falling for Me Yet?

I stood there holding a pink envelope, facing the tall guy in front of me.

He was wearing a crisp white shirt, buttoned all the way up to the top, looking neat and meticulous.

I stammered, stealing a glance at the buzz-cut guy crouched behind the wall nearby, giving me an encouraging thumbs-up.

Clenching my eyes shut, I made a split-second decision, turned around, and bolted.

"What the heck, Savannah? Why are you running?!"

His voice, filled with frustration, echoed behind me.

I closed my eyes tighter and cursed under my breath. Raymond Jenkins, you absolute idiot.

I’m never liking you again!

Back in high school, Raymond Jenkins was the classic bad boy—the kind teachers dreaded.

He sported a buzz cut, had sharp features, and a perpetually intimidating expression. Everyone at school was scared of him.

But I knew better. Deep down, he was one of the kindest people I’d ever met.

I’ve had a crush on Raymond for six years. This year marks the seventh.

The first time I saw him was during my freshman year of high school.

When I found out where he was planning to apply for college, I secretly changed my own plans to match his.

Despite his rough looks and reputation, Raymond was surprisingly good at academics.

I, on the other hand, was average at best. I worked tirelessly to bring my grades up, just to get into the same college as him.

In high school, I never got the chance to get close to him. But once we started college, I finally did it—I became his friend.

Unfortunately, he treats me like a buddy. Even worse, he thinks I’m crushing on his friend, Brandon Langley, and now this whole awkward mess happened.

I finally stopped running, panting hard.

A hand tapped my shoulder.

"Hey, Savannah! I went out of my way to set this up for you, and you totally blew it! Not only did you run off, but you didn’t even give him the letter!"

I rolled my eyes internally, absolutely exasperated.

What’s the point? I thought. The person I like is YOU, dude.

There have been countless times I wanted to confess to Raymond, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that he didn’t see me that way at all.

I was terrified that saying it out loud would ruin everything, even our friendship.

So, instead, I forced a laugh and said, "I just got too nervous! My bad, haha."

Raymond rolled his eyes. "What’s there to be sorry about? No big deal. I’ll just set you up another chance next time! Come on, a new hot pot place just opened near campus. Wanna grab some?"

Please, for the love of everything, stop seeking these chances for me, dude.

You’re making my life so difficult.

"Sure, my treat! Since I wasted your effort today," I said, waving my phone at him with a grin.

He laughed, the smile softening his sharp features, and his almond-shaped eyes squinted slightly.

Then he casually threw an arm around my neck and said, "Nah, it’s on me today! Don’t feel bad, Savvy. Fill your stomach, and we’ll strategize for next time. If Plan A doesn’t work, we’ll go with Plan B. I’ll help you win Brandon no matter what!"

His breath brushed against my ear, and the warmth of his touch made my heart race uncontrollably.

Savannah Winfrey, you’re done for.

You’re doomed to fall for Raymond Jenkins for the rest of your life.