Sophia had a theory.
She thought that sometimes, the heart could mistake genuine kindness for something deeper.
Like when Daniel said, "You don't have to hide." She replayed those words in her mind for days, imagining it as a love confession instead of just a nice thing to say to her best friend's sister.
She tried to convince herself not to read too much into it.
Really, she did.
But then he smiled at her—his slow, gentle smile—and asked, "You okay?" like he actually cared.
Suddenly, the world seemed a bit warmer.
It was a shame no one else seemed to notice what she felt.
"Are you blushing?" Lena asked, squinting at her over their lunch. "I swear, your face is glowing."
"It's just… hot outside," Sophia replied, trying to sound convincing.
Lena rolled her eyes. "Uh-huh. Right, that's why you've been staring at him since we got here."
"I have not!"
Just then, Daniel strolled by with a plate of snacks, playfully ruffling her hair like he always did.
But this time, he paused.
For just a second.
"You're acting weird today," he said, a slight frown on his face.
"I'm not!" she squeaked out.
He looked at her like he wasn't sure whether to believe her.
Then he shrugged and walked away.
Sophia let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding.
Lena smirked. "You're totally gone."
"I'm not," she mumbled, poking at her sandwich.
"You are. You look at him like he invented oxygen."
"I do not—"
"Hey, Soph," Nathan interrupted, plopping down beside them. "Why are you staring at my best friend like he's about to propose?"
Sophia nearly choked on her drink.
Daniel, who had been walking past with a soda, stopped dead in his tracks.
"What?" he asked, confused.
Nathan grinned. "I think Soph has a crush on you."
Time seemed to freeze.
Birds were chirping.
The sun blinked.
And Sophia? She felt like she might just die right there.
"I DO NOT!" she shouted, way too loudly.
Everyone at the table turned to stare at her.
Daniel blinked. "What?"
"I mean…" She scrambled for something to say. "I meant to say… I don't even like pineapple! On pizza! Which is weird because I actually do… "
Daniel looked at her like she was speaking another language.
Nathan chuckled. "Wow, okay. Just chill."
Sophia wanted nothing more than to disappear into the nearest lake.
Later that night, after the embarrassment of the century, she found herself sitting alone on the porch steps, trying to hide from everyone.
And of course, who should show up but Daniel himself?
He dropped down beside her like it was the most normal thing in the world.
"Pineapple on pizza?" he asked, smirking.
She groaned. "Don't remind me."
He chuckled. "You okay?"
She nodded. "Yep. Totally fine. No crushes here. Just a normal girl."
He gave her a strange look. "Okay then."
And there was a moment of silence.
Then he added, "You know, if you ever feel like talking about stuff… I'm here."
Her heart skipped a beat.
"Stuff?" she echoed, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Yeah." He shrugged. "Like… feelings or something."
She almost choked again.
"Oh! Feelings! Sure! I feel things all the time—like hunger. And thirst. And a bit of social anxiety."
He raised an eyebrow. "You're really something tonight."
"I'm always something," she mumbled.
He laughed and leaned back against the railing as if he belonged there.
Sophia sat quietly, trying to steady her racing heart.
Because yeah.
Maybe she was reading too much into his gestures.
Maybe she was imagining that he was starting to see her differently.
But for now?
That was enough.
Even if he didn't realize how much those small moments meant to her.
Even if he thought she was just being "weird."
She was going to keep believing in every little smile, every pause, every time he looked at her a touch longer than usual.
Because maybe—just maybe—one day he'd see that she wasn't just Nathan's little sister anymore.
Until then, she'd keep smiling through the awkward moments and embarrassing confessions.
And hope he never found out the truth.
At least… not yet.