He had been in love with her since high school.
Not the kind of love you just think is love — the real, stomach-flipping, heart-thudding, can't-stop-staring kind of love.
Her name? Mia.
Mia with the long dark hair and the easy laugh. Mia with the sparkly eyes and the way she tucked her hair behind her ear when she was shy. Mia, who was somehow friends with everyone. Including him… but just as a friend.
She was the girl in high school who had the purest of heart. Who always helped everyone even if she was already tired herself. She always went the extra mile – and that made him pine for her.
What made him start obsessing over her was the fact that she's not like anyone else. She was always sincere, always helpful. It hurt his heart that people can take advantage of her.
He still remembered prom night like it was yesterday.
He had been nervous, sweating in his too-tight suit, adjusting his crooked bowtie over and over again. And then — she asked him to dance. His heart almost exploded right then and there. They swayed to the music, her perfume soft and sweet in the air, her hand light on his shoulder. They had some small talk, just about random things in school. He was captivated by her beauty, as she danced close to him.
It was the best three minutes of his life.
The next week in school, he looked for her, hoping he could find her at her usual spot in the library. He wanted to have more chances to talk with her, even just for a bit. Maybe he could comment on the book she's borrowing. Maybe he could recommend more books to her.
But of course, there was always that other guy.
The tall, athletic guy who always made her laugh a little too hard. He started seeing that guy sitting beside her during lunch, walked with her between classes, and somehow always showed up in her Instagram stories.
She was just too precious not to attract the attention of other guys.
Even after high school, even after they went off to college, he couldn't stop thinking about her. He followed her on every social media platform. Every post, every update, every selfie she posted felt like a window into her world, and he was always watching.
"Oh, she's reading that new fantasy book everyone's talking about," he'd note.
"She's binge-watching that K-drama on Net-TV… I should watch that too."
"She recommends that skincare brand? I bet it smells like her…"
His fascination only grew.
He knew where she studied. He knew she still lived in the same city.
And one day, casually over dinner, he told his parents,
"Wouldn't it be nice if we moved closer to the city? Better job opportunities, more excitement…"
Of course, what he didn't say out loud was: Mia lives there.
Every time he went out, he secretly hoped he'd run into her.
At the mall, at the café, maybe at the bookstore where she sometimes tagged herself.
He imagined the moment over and over again:
She would spot him, wave excitedly, and say, "Hey! Wow, I haven't seen you in so long! Want to grab a coffee?"
And then they'd sit and talk for hours. Maybe she'd realize he wasn't just that quiet guy from high school, but someone worth knowing, someone worth liking.
In his mind, Mia was the perfect woman.
She was beautiful — but not just in the glossy, magazine-cover way. She had this glow, this charm, this something that made her shine brighter than anyone else.
He admired the way she worked hard at school, the way she took care of her little cat (he'd seen plenty of adorable posts), and the way she always had something funny or thoughtful to say online.
He knew he sounded a little… obsessive.
But it wasn't like he was doing anything weird, right? He wasn't stalking her in real life. He just liked staying updated.
He just wanted to know what she was up to, what made her happy, what music she was into this week.
The truth was, he missed her.
Even though they were never really together, he missed her presence in his life.
He missed the way her laugh made the air around her sparkle.
He missed the way she used to tease him gently in class, or how she remembered little details about people — like their favorite snacks or the band they liked.
"If only I could see her again," he thought.
"If only I had the courage to talk to her."
But every time he thought about reaching out, his heart pounded too hard, and his fingers froze over his phone.
What if she didn't remember him?
What if she thought he was just another random follower?
What if she already had a boyfriend — maybe that tall, athletic guy from high school?
He sighed.
Sometimes he wondered if he should just let go.
Move on, focus on his own life, stop living in the past.
But then Mia would post another photo — maybe sipping coffee at her favorite café, or smiling with her cat at the park — and his heart would skip a beat all over again.
He needed a plan.
He needed a way to see her again, naturally, without seeming like a weirdo.
Maybe he could start going to the same places she went — not in a creepy way, just… increasing the odds. Maybe he could casually comment on one of her posts, something funny or thoughtful that might make her remember him.
His mind buzzed with ideas late into the night.
One thing was clear: He wanted — no, needed — to get closer to her.
Maybe, just maybe, fate would give him a little push.
Maybe one day soon, he'd turn a corner and there she'd be, smiling and waving, saying,
"Hey, I was just thinking about you!"
Until then, all he could do was watch, wait, and hope.
James was not giving up easily on her