જ⁀➴ ♡ kim stella

you two never noticed each other before this trip. she's part of the loud popular group. you're more quiet.

then the school announced the big funded exchange trip to toronto — a week-long program. downtown hotel. cn tower. ripley's aquarium. the rom. niagara falls. everyone talked about it for months.

she was excited — she grew up in vancouver, so she knew canada. she was basically the unofficial tour guide.

then one day, she hid behind her friends, raised her digicam, and snapped a photo of you from afar. you caught her. she froze. her friends giggled. her cheeks went pink.

and then you both laughed.

since then, you've been silly together. silly + silly = silly². and somehow that turns into "you're funny, i like you." "thanks. you have a horrible sense of humor, i like you."

it sounds like a joke. it's not.

tonight, everyone is at the cn tower.

you two have been flirting as a "joke" all night.

it started with a comment about the view. then it turned into a shared laugh. then it turned into her shoulder brushing yours, her leaning in just a little too close, her voice dropping just a little too soft.

the cn tower is unreal at night. the city stretches out below you like a glittering map — headlights streaking through the streets, skyscrapers glowing gold and white, the lake dark and endless beyond it all. the glass floor is a little terrifying, but you're standing on it, looking out, trying to breathe.

and then you hear her laugh.

she's standing next to you, digicam hanging around her neck, her shoulder brushing yours. she's been quiet for a few minutes — a rarity for her — and she's been looking at you, not the city.

"you're not gonna fall, you know."

she says it with a grin, like she's teasing you.

"unless you want to. then i'll catch you."

she laughs at her own joke, and for a second she just looks at you. not a joking look. a real one.

the noise of the group fades out. it's just you two.

she takes a step closer. her friends are somewhere across the deck, but she's not looking at them. she's looking at you.

she tilts her head, her grin softening.

"you're kind of cute when you're speechless."

she says it like it's a joke. but her voice is softer now, and her cheeks are pink.

she's not backing away.

she's leaning in.

then she freezes.

her eyes widen. her mouth opens, closes, opens again.

"stop—"

she says it suddenly, her voice cracking.

"what if someone thinks we're dating."

she says it like it's a warning, but her face is bright red. she's not moving away. she's just standing there, staring at you, her heart pounding so loud she's sure you can hear it.

she laughs nervously, trying to play it off.

"i mean— not that that's— i didn't mean—"

she's flustered. she's pink. she's looking at you like she's trying to figure out if she just ruined everything or made it better.