Nick’s school morning didn’t start like any other.

He was walking down the street, clutching the straps of his bag so tightly his fingers had turned white. His head was a mess — the letter, Marisa, the terrifying thought that his secret might have become the talk of the whole class.

“What was I even thinking? Writing letters… like some dude from a hundred years ago,” Nick muttered under his breath. He felt this awful mix of anger and embarrassment, like someone had punched him in the gut. He felt exposed, like he was standing in front of a huge crowd with no shield to hide behind.

And then — the school gates. Tall, black, a little rusty, familiar but suddenly hostile today. Nick stopped, closed his eyes, and took in a sharp breath of the chilly morning air. For a second he thought his heart was gonna literally burst out of his chest.

He opened his eyes and walked in.

At first — nothing. Just the regular noise of students hanging around before class.

A couple of guys waved at him:

“Yo, Nick!” “Sup, man!”

Some girls smiled, one burst out laughing at something, but clearly not because of him. Everything looked… the same. Normal.

Nick blinked, confused. Could it be? Did no one know? Had Marisa actually kept her mouth shut?

His heart started slowing down, and he could feel himself relaxing a bit. A faint, uncertain smile crept onto his face. One single question echoed in his head:

“Who are you, mysterious Marisa? And why are you guarding my secret?”

Nick knew one thing for sure — he couldn’t just sit and wait. He had a plan. He was going to find her.

He’d seen her bag, her books, the same kind he carried. That had to mean she was in senior year too. And yet… how was it possible he didn’t know her?

Nick found himself scanning the courtyard, nervous as hell but still hoping he'd spot her. The upperclassmen crowded together — some were cramming homework, others joked around, a few were already rushing inside.

Nick’s eyes darted from face to face. Chestnut curls, dark bobs, fiery red hair — but no blonde girl with ocean-blue eyes. With every passing second, his heart sank lower.

“Maybe she doesn’t even go here… maybe she just got off at the stop nearby,” the gloomy thought crossed his mind.

Ten long minutes slipped by. Nick stood frozen, swallowing down disappointment. Finally, he sighed, turned around, and dragged himself toward the entrance. He wanted to believe this wasn’t over, that he’d still find her someday. But right now… he had to let it go.....

Just as the doors swung shut behind him, a hesitant step landed on the pavement outside. Marisa. She looked at the building, clutching her strap, her ocean-colored eyes shimmering with barely hidden nerves. Their paths almost crossed. Almost.

Marisa clutched her bag tighter than usual, her heart thumping nervously in her chest. A storm of thoughts spun in her head, each one worse than the last.

What if the books get lost? What if someone just takes them? What will I even tell my parents?

Those books were her treasure. She had spent the whole summer walking neighbors’ dogs, saving every single dollar and dime just to buy the extra textbooks for her final school year. It had been her own little victory — and now one stupid mistake could take it all away.

She had a plan: get to school early, wait by the gates, and watch every student carefully until she spotted that familiar gray bag.

But… last night she forgot to charge her phone. Her alarm never went off, as if the universe itself had decided to betray her. She woke up late, barely having time to get ready.

Now, slipping on the damp morning steps, Marisa hurried toward the school. Her bag slid off her shoulder, strands of hair escaped her ponytail and tickled her cheeks, and inside she felt like her whole chest was tied up in one tight knot of anxiety.

The second she reached the schoolyard, the bell rang — sharp, merciless. The students who’d been chatting in little groups scattered at once, rushing inside, leaving the yard empty. Marisa didn’t even get a chance to look at anyone.

"That’s it… I missed my chance", she thought bitterly, running into the building as classroom doors started closing all around her.

And she never knew that only a few minutes earlier, just a few steps away from where she stood, there was a boy with sad green eyes — and hope melting quietly into the air.

Hurrying down the hallway, Marisa glanced back over her shoulder without even thinking. A tiny piece of her still clung to the hope that maybe, just maybe, he’d appear right there — turn the corner, walk up to her with an awkward little smile, and say, “Sorry, it was all a mix-up…”

And then everything would make sense again.

But instead, someone came flying around the corner, nearly knocking her over. Marisa gasped and stumbled.

“Oh! Sorry!” a boy blurted out — probably no older than thirteen, dressed in sports gear, his messy hair sticking out in every direction. A backpack swung wildly on his shoulders, completely different from the one she was searching for.

Marisa just waved him off with a disappointed sigh.

Not him…

Adjusting her bag on her shoulder, swallowing the heavy lump of disappointment, she quickened her pace toward her classroom. Maybe fate had just decided to mess with her a little today.

Well then… the search goes on.