When Hate Writes Back
Chapter 18 — First Steps
The hallways felt different now.
Not because the sun shone brighter, or the air smelled sweeter — no. It was because he knew. Keifer knew. My pen pal, the boy I'd loved in secret, was standing right there, looking at me in a way that made my stomach flutter uncontrollably.
"I still can't believe it," I muttered, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. "All this time… you."
He shrugged, smirking, but there was a softness in his eyes I'd never seen before. "I could say the same. You made it impossible to ignore my messages, even when I didn't know it was you."
My chest warmed. "You really didn't notice? Nothing?"
He shook his head. "Not a thing. But now… now I get it. Everything. And I'm not letting it go."
I blinked. "Not letting it go?"
"Not letting you go," he said simply, stepping a little closer. His gaze lingered on mine, teasing, daring, but gentle. "Online or offline… I like you. All of you."
Heat rushed to my cheeks. "I… I like you too," I admitted, barely above a whisper.
He grinned, that same smirk I hated and loved in equal measure. "Good. Because I plan on making this… fun."
"Fun?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yeah. I'm talking teasing, banter, maybe some late-night homework help… and definitely dates," he said, leaning casually against the locker beside me. "Starting with lunch tomorrow. Just the two of us."
I laughed nervously, heart racing. "Lunch… okay. I mean, if you promise not to annoy me too much."
He winked. "No promises."
And just like that, the tension between us shifted. The hate that had defined our offline interactions melted into something warmer, something electric.
Our first steps into real-life romance were slow, careful, and full of teasing sparks — but every glance, every brush of his hand, every smirk was a promise of more to come.
The boy I'd hated, the boy I'd loved online… was now the boy I was starting to fall for in real life.
And I couldn't wait to see what happened next.
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