May had always said she didn't believe in dramatic confessions. She'd roll her eyes when Pearl swooned over romance scenes, insisting, "If he likes me, he can just say it."
But when it happened, it was nothing like she expected.
It was a late afternoon, the golden hour draping the school grounds in soft light. May was sitting under the old banyan tree near the basketball court, tying her shoelaces, when Aaron jogged up, breathless from practice.
"Hey, you forgot your water bottle," he said, holding it out.
"Thanks," May replied, taking it, eyes narrowing when she saw how his hands were shaking slightly.
"May," Aaron started, rubbing the back of his neck, his hair damp, his eyes darting everywhere but her face.
"What?" she asked, sipping water, pretending to be casual, though her heart had started drumming.
"I… I like you, okay?" he blurted, words tumbling out too fast. "I've liked you since you scolded me in the chemistry lab for not wearing gloves and I couldn't stop thinking about how your eyes spark when you're mad."
May choked on her water, coughing as Aaron panicked, patting her back.
"You idiot," she managed between coughs, tears welling up in her eyes, though she was laughing now, wiping them away with the back of her hand.
"What?" Aaron asked, confused.
"I've been waiting for you to say that forever, you absolute dumbhead," May said, dropping her water bottle and smacking his arm, though her smile was so bright it made Aaron's breath catch.
"Really?" he asked, hope in his voice.
"Really," she replied, rolling her eyes, but her cheeks were pink, and she couldn't stop smiling.
Before he could think, Aaron hugged her, lifting her off the ground as May squealed, laughing, her arms wrapping around his neck. The world around them seemed to blur into the golden evening, the breeze warm against their laughter.
From a distance, Pearl and Sharon watched, leaning against the fence, Pearl's hand unconsciously clutching Sharon's sleeve.
"Finally," Pearl whispered, her eyes shining as she watched her best friend find her happiness.
Sharon glanced at Pearl, the way her hair caught the sunlight, the quiet smile on her lips, the way she held onto him like it was the most natural thing in the world.
"Yeah," he murmured, unable to look away, "finally."
And in that moment, Pearl felt something quiet and warm settle in her chest, a promise of hope, of maybe, of something waiting patiently between her and Sharon.
Something unspoken, yet already alive.