The Best friend

The bell rang loudly, signaling the end of yet another high school day. Kiara adjusted her bag, tossing her long, dark hair over her shoulder as she made her way through the crowded hallway. Her sneakers squeaked against the polished floor, blending in with the hurried footsteps of students racing to escape the school gates.

She could already hear Kelly's voice from a distance—loud, warm, and unmistakably his. He was leaning against the lockers with a group of his friends, the popular crowd that had quickly taken notice of his charm and quiet confidence. Kelly had grown into the kind of guy every girl secretly hoped would notice her. He had a way of making you feel like you were the only one in the room, even if there were a dozen people around.

But Kiara didn't see him like that. She never had. Kelly was simply her best friend. The person who knew her more than anyone else. The person she could turn to for anything—whether it was math homework, a tough day at home, or the little details that made life seem a little less difficult. To Kiara, he wasn't the dreamy, swoon-worthy boy everyone else saw. He was just *Kelly*. Her Kelly.

Kiara smiled softly as she approached him, her heart settling in the way it always did when she was near him. The world had been a lot less complicated when they were younger, when friendship was the only thing that mattered.

"Hey," she greeted, slipping into the spot next to him as his group of friends dispersed, leaving him to himself for a brief moment. He looked over and gave her that familiar grin—halfway mischievous, but completely genuine.

"Hey, Ki. What's up?" Kelly asked, his voice carrying that casual ease that she loved. He was always relaxed, no matter what chaos was happening around him.

"Not much. Just trying to survive another round of history class," Kiara teased, playfully rolling her eyes.

"Ah, history," Kelly groaned dramatically. "Don't get me started."They both laughed, the sound of it ringing in the hallway like an old song they'd sung together a thousand times. It was easy. Effortless. *Normal.*

And yet… something was different now. Kiara could feel it. *The change.*

Over the past few weeks, there had been moments when she'd caught herself staring a little too long, noticing things about him she never used to—like the way his smile made her heart beat a little faster, or how his deep brown eyes seemed to catch her every time they met. She tried to brush it off, telling herself it was just a phase. After all, he was still the same Kelly. Still her best friend.

But there was this *feeling*—an ache deep down—that she couldn't ignore.

"Are you going to Cherry's party this weekend?" Kelly asked, snapping her out of her thoughts. His expression was casual, but Kiara could sense the subtle shift in his tone, like he was waiting for something.

"Cherry's?" Kiara frowned, her brow furrowing. "Isn't she the one who's always surrounded by half the school? Why are you going to her party?"

Kelly shrugged nonchalantly. "Why not? She's cool. You know, she invited me, and, well, I might as well show up. Maybe I'll finally get a chance to talk to her."Kiara felt an unexpected *stab of jealousy*, sharp and sudden. She quickly masked it, pretending to act indifferent, but inside, her heart was suddenly heavy. *Cherry.* The girl who had always been the center of attention, effortlessly beautiful, the one everyone wanted a piece of.

The feeling gnawed at Kiara as she processed Kelly's words. It was clear now—he was interested in her. *He was actually considering it.*

"You're going to date her, huh?" Kiara's voice was quieter than she intended. She didn't know why, but it felt like the words were harder to speak than usual.

Kelly blinked, surprised by the tone in her voice. "I don't know. We'll see. She's cool. Not like… some of the other girls around here." He shrugged again, his fingers absentmindedly fiddling with the strap of his bag. "But I know you don't like her that much. You think I'm wasting my time, don't you?"

Kiara opened her mouth to respond, but her voice caught. She didn't want to admit it. Didn't want to say that a part of her felt like she was about to lose him. It had always been the two of them—best friends, through everything. Now, everything felt like it was changing too quickly, and Kiara couldn't quite keep up."I'm just looking out for you," Kiara said finally, forcing a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Don't let her distract you from… you know, us. Your real friends."

Kelly chuckled lightly, but it didn't reach his eyes either. "You worry too much, Ki. It's just a party."

Kiara nodded, but her mind was racing. A feeling, something much deeper than friendship, was beginning to unfurl in her chest—something she couldn't ignore any longer. But she couldn't say it out loud. Not yet. It would ruin everything.

End of chapter 1