People always think love starts loudly.
Confessions.Heartbeats.Moments you can point at and say—"That's where it began."
But they're wrong.
Some feelings don't begin.
They… exist.
Quietly.
Unnoticed.
Growing in the spaces no one pays attention to.
Leah never questioned it.
Not the way he looked at her sometimes.Not the way he always showed up without being asked.Not even the way her name sounded different when he said it.
Because to her—
It was normal.
Jayden never said it.
Not when she laughed too loud and hit his arm.Not when she fell asleep beside him and didn't move away.Not even when he realized—
She was the only place that felt like home.
Because to him—
There was no rush.
And maybe…
That was their biggest mistake.
Because some things don't stay still forever.
Some feelings don't wait.
And sometimes—
It takes losing something…
To finally understand what it was.
This is not a story about falling in love.
This is a story about realizing it—
Too late.
📖 Title: "More Than Just Us"
🌸 Chapter 1: The Way Things Have Always Been
The bell had barely finished ringing before chaos broke out in the hallway.
"LEAH—RUN!"
"I AM RUNNING, YOU IDIOT!"
Leah darted past a group of students,
her bag half open, hair flying behind her like
she had no control over it—which, honestly, she didn't.
Behind her, Jayden was laughing.
Not running seriously. Not even trying that hard. Just… enjoying himself.
"You're so slow," he called lazily.
Leah skidded to a stop and turned sharply, pointing at him.
"I was waiting for you!"
"That's your excuse?" he said, finally catching up, not even out of breath.
"Sad."
"I hate you."
"You say that every day."
"And I mean it every day!"
Jayden grinned.
"Sure you do."
They stood there for a moment, blocking the hallway like they owned it.
Which, in a way… they did
.
People were already staring.
Some amused.
Some annoyed.
Most… used to it.
Because this wasn't new.
It had never been new.
Leah and Jayden had been like this since they were kids.
Same neighborhood.
Same school.
Same classes, most years.
Somewhere along the way, their lives just… tangled together.
And never untangled.
"Move, you two," someone muttered, trying to squeeze past.
Leah rolled her eyes and stepped aside, grabbing Jayden's sleeve and dragging him along.
"You're the reason we're late."
"I wasn't the one screaming down the hallway."
"You started it!"
"You continued it."
She shoved him.
He barely reacted.
By the time they entered class, the teacher was already there.
"Late again," she said flatly.
Leah froze.
Jayden didn't.
"Good morning," he said smoothly, already walking to his seat like nothing was wrong.
Leah stared at him.
Then at the teacher.
Then back at him.
"…I'm going to die alone."
"You were already going to," Jayden said, dropping into his chair.
Leah gasped.
"You see?!" she turned to the class dramatically. "THIS is why I have no boyfriend!"
Someone snorted.
The teacher pinched the bridge of her nose.
"Sit down, Leah."
Leah sighed like the world had personally wronged her and dropped into the seat beside Jayden.
A few minutes passed.
Quiet.
For once.
Leah leaned closer.
"…Do you think I'm ugly?"
Jayden didn't even look at her.
"Yes."
She froze.
"…You didn't even hesitate."
"Why would I?"
"You could at least pretend!"
He finally turned his head, resting his cheek against his palm as he looked at her.
There was no teasing smile this time. Just calm observation.
"You talk too much," he said.
"You're loud. You're always in people's faces."
Leah blinked.
"That's not ugly."
"It is to some people."
She frowned.
"Well… what about you? You talk to everyone too."
"No, I don't."
"You literally have girls lining up for you every day!"
"That's different."
"How?!"
Jayden looked forward again.
"They come to me," he said simply.
Leah stared at him.
Then slumped onto her desk.
"…I'm actually cursed."
Jayden smirked slightly.
"Finally, you're self-aware."
She kicked his leg under the table.
But even as they went back to pretending everything was normal…
That small question stayed.
Lingering.
Unanswered.