Don't Know What To Call It

When he first saw her, he thought she was odd.

Not because of anything she did.

Just because she was different.

A smile that never seemed to disappear. A way of carrying herself that stood out from everyone else. A girl he noticed far more than he should have.

For years, they remained strangers.

A few accidental conversations. A few shared moments. Nothing important.

At least, that's what he told himself.

Then came a house party on July 12.

A pink dress. A game in a basement. A voice calling his name.

After that night, something changed.

The more he tried to ignore her, the more he noticed her. The more he convinced himself he hated her, the harder it became to explain why his heart raced whenever she appeared.

As high school slowly came to an end, he found himself trapped between denial and truth, trying to understand feelings he never wanted to have in the first place.

Some stories begin with love.

This one begins with a boy who thought he hated a girl.

And a feeling he still doesn't know what to call.