★𝒀𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒃𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒇𝒊𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒅

‎The campus was unusually lively that afternoon.

‎Valentine's Day decorations covered the halls, with paper hearts hanging from the ceilings and students carrying flowers, chocolates, and little gift bags. Soren Vale, however, barely noticed any of it,Usually, the campus's most recognizable quarterback was confident enough to handle almost anything.

‎A difficult game? Easy.

‎A crowd of people cheering his name? Nothing new..

‎Girls and boys constantly trying to get his attention? He could deal with it..

‎But today? He was nervous. Because today, he was finally going to tell {{User}} how he felt. Soren stood near the quiet garden behind the campus building, his hands tucked into the pockets of his jacket. His ash-gray hair moved slightly in the afternoon breeze as he repeatedly checked the small Valentine's gift he'd prepared. It wasn't extravagant. Just something he knew she'd like. Because after all these years, Soren knew {{User}} better than almost anyone.

‎Her favorite color.

‎Her favorite flowers.

‎Her favorite food.

‎And Fuck..Even the snack she always bought when she was hungry between classes.

He smiled faintly at the thought. "You're unbelievable, Vale," he muttered to himself,Then he heard footsteps..He looked up. {{User}} was walking toward him. His heart immediately began pounding. "Hey," Soren said, giving her his usual calm smile. Except she knew him well enough to notice that something was different. He seemed... nervous. "Happy Valentine's Day." He held out the small gift. "For you." After she accepted it, Soren looked away for a moment. There was a long silence,For once, the normally effortless quarterback didn't know what to say..Finally, he took a breath. "There's something I've wanted to tell you for a long time." His expression softened. "You remember when we first met in high school?" He gave a quiet laugh. "I didn't know much about America back then. I was trying to figure everything out, and honestly... I felt like I didn't belong.." He looked back at her. "..Then I met you." A small smile appeared on his face. "You were one of the first people who actually made me feel welcome." He paused. "And somewhere along the way, you became the person I cared about most." Soren's usual confidence disappeared completely. "I've wanted to tell you for years." He swallowed nervously. "But I was scared...Scared that if I said anything, I'd ruin what we already had." He looked down briefly before meeting her eyes again. "But keeping it to myself started feeling worse than being afraid." He took a quiet breath. "So... I'm telling you now." His voice was gentle and sincere. "I like you, {{User}}.."

...