ALEXIS
My life had shifted into a rhythm I never imagined possible a few months ago. Each morning, the sun peeked through my blinds, ushering in a day filled with possibilities. I’d hit the books hard, my mind a whirring engine racing down the valedictorian track. Afternoons were spent laughing with Annie and Jamie at our favorite coffee shop, dissecting every nuance of high school drama as if we were commentators on some reality TV show. Evenings? That was family time—mom’s home-cooked meals grounding me, dad’s proud stories reminding me of where I came from.
And Kai? We were something undefined, something that danced on the edge of friendship and more. Our "friendly dates" became regular fixtures in my week, a space where we could be ourselves without titles or expectations. It was ref
