What we began

NOVA'S POV: “Dad, can you tell the driver to drop me at the salon after school? I need to get my hair done before practicals on Saturday,” I yelled from my room while tugging at a stubborn strand of hair. “Sure, sweetie,” Dad called back. “Just tell your mother too so she doesn’t start panicking that you’re not home yet. I’m too busy today to talk to her, and she’s probably at work doing… whatever she does.” I rolled my eyes. Mom always found a reason to freak out about nothing. Honestly, it was exhausting. Dragging my bag over my shoulder, I checked the mirror one last time. Hair almost manageable, outfit fine enough. Couldn’t wait to get to the salon and just… zone out for a bit. The car ride to school was quiet, Dad scrolling through his phone and the driver humming some song I didn’t know. I stared out the window, half-watching the city go by, half-lost in my own thoughts. “Wait… I didn’t know you were coming with me to school,” I said, glancing at him. “Had a meeting nearby, thought I’d drop you off too. Don’t worry, I won’t embarrass you,” he said, not looking up from his phone. And then I saw her. Leah. She was sitting on the steps near the entrance, backpack slung over one shoulder, head down, scribbling in a notebook like she was invisible. But of course, I noticed. Couldn’t help it. Something about the way she held herself small, careful, like she didn’t want to be seen, but also like she belonged there anyway made me pause. I rolled my eyes at myself. Great, Nova, now you’re staring like a weirdo. The car stopped, Dad waving me off, and I grabbed my bag. Leah looked up at the same time, eyes wide and just a little startled. I smiled faintly, a little awkward, and she quickly ducked her head back to her notebook. “New here?” I asked, leaning against the railing casually, though my heart wasn’t entirely calm. Her pencil paused mid-scribble. “Uh… yeah,” she mumbled, not looking at me. “Something like that.” “Don’t worry,” I said, shrugging. “You’ll figure it out. The school can be… confusing at first.” Her laugh was quiet, almost shy, but it caught me anyway. And I had a feeling I’d be thinking about it longer than I should. Classes started, but I couldn’t focus. Every time I glanced up, there she was, Leah, sitting at the edge of the lecture hall, notebook open, hair falling over her face like a shield. She wasn’t looking at anyone, not even the professor, but I couldn’t stop watching her. By mid-class, I noticed her shifting uncomfortably in her seat, leg brushing against mine when I reached for my notebook. I froze for half a second, heart racing. She didn’t look at me, but I could feel the tension, the tiny electric hum between us. I smirked to myself. Cute. Shy. Nervous. Perfect. After class, she stood up to leave, backpack barely slung over one shoulder, and bumped into me this time accidentally or maybe not. Her face went pink, and she mumbled something under her breath. “You’re… clumsy,” I teased, leaning casually against the wall, letting my fingers brush hers again as I took my bag from her. Just a light touch, but enough. Her eyes widened, and she jerked her hand back. “I-I’m sorry,” she stammered, voice barely above a whisper. “No need to apologize,” I said, voice softening, letting the tension linger a beat longer than necessary. “Just… pay attention next time.” She swallowed, cheeks still pink, and muttered a quiet “okay,” eyes darting away. I followed her with my gaze as she walked down the hall, noticing the curve of her neck, the subtle sway of her hips. Dangerous, I thought. Very dangerous. And I didn’t care. After Dad dropped me off at school that morning, I spent the day thinking about her Leah. Every class, every break, I kept stealing glances, wondering if she noticed me noticing her. By the time practicals ended, I reminded Dad to have the driver swing by the salon. I needed to get my hair done, and honestly… it was the only thing I could control right now. The stylist fussed over my hair, brushing, straightening, tugging at stubborn strands. I tried to focus on the mirror, but my thoughts kept drifting. Leah. The curve of her shoulders, the way she tucked her hair behind her ear. Dangerous, magnetic… impossible to ignore. When the stylist leaned back, inspecting her work, I ran my fingers through my hair, sighing. “Perfect,” I whispered, but it wasn’t really about my hair. I left the salon, stepping into the warm afternoon sun, and for a moment, the city felt quiet, like it was letting me think. A few days passed like that classes, library corners, hallways. Each time I saw her, Leah looked smaller, quieter, more guarded… and yet, each time, I felt the pull stronger. By mid-June, the pattern was clear. Leah was always just out of reach, cautious, shy, like she was daring me to try. And I couldn’t help it. I wanted to try. Slowly. Carefully. LEA'S POV: “You’re not gonna believe this,” I whispered to my best friend, voice low so no one around could hear. We were tucked into our usual corner of the cafeteria, tray of food forgotten in front of us. “What now?” she said, rolling her eyes. “There’s this… girl,” I said, lowering my voice even more. “New at school. Rich like, super rich and she smells… I don’t know, amazing. Every morning, her driver drops her off, and I swear… I can’t stop thinking about it.” My best friend gave me a look, half-amused, half-worried. “You mean, like… you like her?” “I… maybe?” I muttered, face heating up. “She’s… she’s gorgeous. Perfect hair, perfect everything, like she just stepped out of a magazine. And I… I don’t know. I just… I pray every morning that she notices me, even a little. But she doesn’t, and I’m too scared to say anything. And I’m pretty sure she’s… not into girls anyway.” “Of course she’s not,” my friend said knowingly. “She’s rich, confident… probably has every guy falling for her.” “I know,” I sighed, poking at my food I wasn’t even eating. “But she… she smiled at me today. Just once. And it… it made my whole day. I can’t stop thinking about her. I don’t even know what to do. I can’t talk to her, she’s… intimidating.” My best friend laughed quietly. “Girl, you’re in trouble. Big trouble.” “Yeah,” I whispered, hugging myself. “Big trouble.” I got home and dumped my bag on the floor, phone buzzing in my hand. It was my best friend. “Omg girl you won’t believe it!!” I practically screamed at the screen. “Whatt??!!” “Lea! You’re making noise!” my mom shouted from downstairs. “Sorry, Mom!” I yelled back, cheeks burning. I turned back to my phone. “What is it?!” “Remember the girl you were telling me about at lunch today?” I blinked. “Yeah… Nova?” I typed. “YES. NOVA!!” my best friend replied, all caps, obviously excited. “What’s up with her??” I hesitated, heart thumping. “Well… I was just going through Insta, y’know… she’s kinda famous and all… and I found out… she’s actually into girls.” “What??” I screamed into the phone, covering my mouth. My heart was literally hammering. “How did you even know??” “I saw a post of her ex. She dumped her ‘cause she cheated… and it was a girl!” I stared at the screen. My mind was racing. Oh wow… oh wow… I dropped onto my bed, phone still clutched in my hand, heart racing like crazy. I couldn’t stop thinking about it. She’s into girls… she’s into girls… My brain felt like it was on fire. I started scrolling through Nova’s Insta, trying not to freak out too much. Every post, every picture… damn. She was gorgeous. And now knowing… wow. My stomach did that stupid flutter again. I texted my best friend back, fingers flying. “Do you think she’d even notice me??” “Girl, obviously she will!!” came the reply almost instantly. “You just have to… you know… get her to see you. Be around her.” I groaned, burying my face in my pillow. Be around her… Easy for you to say. She’s Nova. She’s like… untouchable. Confident, gorgeous, perfect. And me? Shy, awkward, hiding behind my notebook like a loser. But I couldn’t stop thinking about her smile. That tiny little smirk she gave me the other day when our fingers touched… the way she looked at me, like she was curious too… My brain wouldn’t shut up. Maybe tomorrow I’ll sit somewhere she can see me… maybe I’ll actually talk to her… My heart was hammering just thinking about it. I sighed and flopped back, staring at the ceiling. Oh god… I’m obsessed. Totally obsessed. And she doesn’t even know I exist… yet.The next morning, I dragged myself out of bed, still thinking about Nova. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw that stupid little smirk, the way her hair caught the sunlight, that teasing look she gave me the other day. I got to school early, heart hammering. I picked a spot in the courtyard where I knew she’d walk past on her way to class. Sitting there, pretending to read, I tried to act casual but of course, my hands were shaking, fingers fumbling with the notebook. And then… there she was. Nova. Walking toward me, heels clicking on the pavement, bag swinging, hair shining like she was made of sunlight. My stomach flipped. She slowed down as she got closer, eyes glinting like she already knew I’d been waiting. My chest felt tight, like I couldn’t breathe. “Hey,” she said, leaning slightly against the railing, that faint teasing smirk back. “Early bird today?” I choked on my words. “Uh… yeah… I mean… kinda,” I muttered, voice higher than usual. She smiled wider, tilting her head, and I felt that ridiculous flutter again. She wasn’t just noticing meshe was looking at me, really looking. “Got your notes ready for class?” she asked, nodding at my open notebook. I nodded quickly, pretending to focus on it, even though I could barely read a single word. “Yep… all ready,” I mumbled. She laughed softly, that low teasing sound that made my knees weak. “Good. Don’t let anyone steal them,” she said, and then… she stayed for a second longer than necessary, eyes flicking over me like she was studying me. And just like that, she walked away, leaving me frozen, notebook clutched to my chest, cheeks on fire. Oh god… she’s really noticing me. She’s… into me, isn’t she? My brain screamed, but my body couldn’t move. I was sitting in the library, hiding in my usual corner, pretending to read, though honestly I was staring at my notes like they were some kind of life-saving scroll. My heart was still thumping from this morning… from seeing Nova again. And then… I felt it. A shadow across the table. “Hey,” she said softly, leaning over just a little, letting her hand brush mine as she pointed at a book on my desk. My stomach lurched. “Uh… hi,” I whispered, voice shaking. My cheeks were already on fire. “You’ve got all the notes here?” she asked, eyes flicking over my notebook like she was actually impressed—or maybe teasing me. I couldn’t tell. I nodded quickly, trying to focus on the page. “Yeah… um… I think so,” I stammered. She smiled, that faint little smirk that made my knees weak. “Mind if I… check something?” She leaned closer, so close I could smell that vanilla again. My notebook was practically melting under my fingers. “Sure,” I whispered, barely daring to look at her. She bent over, flipping a few pages with me, and I felt my whole body tense. Every brush of her hand, every little movement she made… it was like she was deliberately driving me crazy. “Wow,” she said, voice soft, playful, almost like a whisper just for me. “You’re… really thorough. I like that.” I choked on a laugh, hiding my face behind my notebook. “Th-thank you,” I mumbled. My heart felt like it would burst. She lingered a second longer, eyes locking with mine, before straightening up and giving that little teasing smile. “See you around, okay?” And just like that… she walked away, leaving me frozen, notebook clutched to my chest, cheeks burning, and mind racing. Oh god… she’s talking to me. She’s… noticing me. I can’t… I can’t breathe… TO BE CONTINUED....... guys if you really enjoy my story please kindly support me I love you all so much.<3