It was a bright, sunny afternoon when Saraph finally decided to share something that had been weighing on her heart.
We were sprawled on the cozy couch in my living room, iced teas in hand, casually chatting about everything: school, weekend plans, and, as always, the latest crush gossip.
But today felt different. Saraph's usually animated chatter slowed, her eyes flickering with a mix of excitement and nerves.
"Nuella," she began softly, voice barely above a whisper, "I have to tell you something."
I raised an eyebrow, sensing this was no ordinary update. "Okay, spill. You look like you're about to burst."
She took a deep breath, cheeks flushed, then blurted out, "You know how I've had this massive crush on Aaron forever?"
I smirked knowingly. "Forever's putting it mildly. You've been talking about him since, like, forever ago."
"Well…" Saraph hesitated, then grinned, "He finally noticed me."
I nearly dropped my iced tea. "Wait, what? Aaron? The Aaron? The basketball-and-video-game-obsessed one who barely talks to anyone?"
Saraph nodded, her smile practically glowing. "Yeah! We've been talking lately.
At first, it was just small stuff, homework, random nonsense, but now… we're close."
My face lit up with excitement and surprise. "No way! How did that even start?"
She gave me a playful look. "Hey, I'm telling you now, okay? Better late than never."
I laughed. "Fine, fine. So, what's the story?"
"Well, last week in math class, I was completely stuck on that impossible problem Mr. Carter gave us, you know, the one that makes your brain want to explode."
I groaned dramatically. "Don't remind me! And you didn't even tell me?"
Saraph smirked and tugged my leg teasingly. "Oh, I was stuck all right, but I figured I'd get help from my crush instead of my bestie."
I burst out laughing. "Seriously? Trading me for Aaron now?"
"Not at all," she said, grinning. "You're still my all in all."
We shared a laugh, the kind only best friends can.
"Anyway," she continued, "I was staring blankly at my notebook when Aaron just leaned over and asked if I needed help.
At first, I thought he was messing with me; he's never really talked to me before.
But he was serious! He patiently walked me through the whole problem."
"Wow, that's… pretty sweet," I said, wide-eyed.
"It gets better," Saraph said, her eyes sparkling. "Since then, we've been chatting more.
He asked about my favorite music and even recommended a band he loves.
And yesterday…" She paused, savoring the moment. "He asked if I wanted to hang out after school sometime."
I nearly choked on my iced tea. "Are you serious? This is like a dream come true!"
"It is," she admitted softly, a shy smile tugging at her lips.
"I've liked him forever, but I never thought he'd notice me like this. It feels… surreal."
I nudged her playfully. "Well, you deserve it. Aaron's lucky to have finally realized what a catch you are."
Saraph smiled gratefully. "Thanks, Nuella. I'm just nervous about what's next.
Like, what if this changes everything?"
I gave her a reassuring look.
"Change isn't always bad. Sounds like you two have a good thing going. Just be yourself, he likes talking to you for a reason."
She nodded slowly, comforted by my words.
"Yeah, I guess I just need to take it one step at a time and see where it goes."
As we continued chatting, sharing giggles and speculating about the possibilities ahead, Saraph felt lighter.
Sharing this with me made it all feel more real and less scary.
No matter what happened with Aaron, she knew I'd be there to cheer her on every step of the way.
For now, she was content to enjoy this thrilling new chapter, a chapter filled with hope, butterflies, and maybe, just maybe, a little romance.
A few days later, Saraph and I were back on the couch, this time with popcorn and our favorite show playing softly in the background.
But my eyes weren't on the screen; they were fixed on my friend, who was trying (and failing) to hide the rosy glow on her cheeks.
"So," I began, flashing her a mischievous grin, "How's Aaron doing? Still making you swoon over his mad math skills?"
Saraph rolled her eyes but couldn't suppress a smile. "Nuella, seriously. Stop. You're embarrassing me."
"Oh no, I'm just getting started," I teased.
"I mean, should I start calling you 'Saraph the Heartbreaker' now? Or maybe 'Queen of the Crushes'?"
She laughed, throwing a popcorn kernel at me. "You're impossible."
"But come on," I said, leaning in like I was about to share a scandalous secret.
"Have you started practicing your 'casual run-into' with him on campus? You know, the 'Oops, I didn't plan to bump into you' move?"
Saraph groaned dramatically. "I have not! And even if I did, I'd never admit it."
"Uh-huh, sure," I said, giving her a knowing look. "And what about those late-night texts? Bet you're over there crafting the perfect emojis."
She blushed harder and threw another popcorn kernel, this time hitting me square in the forehead.
"Okay, okay, enough!" she laughed. "I get it. You win. I'm crushing hard, and yeah, maybe I'm a little excited."
"That's my girl!" I said, giving her a playful nudge.
"Just remember, if you ever need a wing-woman, I'm your gal. Operation 'Help Saraph Score' is officially underway."
She grinned, her eyes twinkling. "Deal. But you better be ready for some serious competition, I'm not letting Aaron steal all the fun."
We both laughed, the easy joy of friendship filling the room.
Whatever came next for Saraph and Aaron, one thing was for sure: with me by her side, the adventure was only just beginning.