Then one afternoon, it happened.
I was walking past her group with Dennis, my bmf, the only person I actually opened up to. He was mid-story, probably clowning around like always, and I was just trying to look unbothered. Like I hadn't memorized Joana as we passed, her group suddenly lit up.
"Dennis!" one of the girls called out, dragging the name like it was some kind of inside joke. Another added, "A.k.a... Den-Den!" and the rest of them burst out laughing.
I glanced sideways. Joana had her hand over her mouth, trying to keep the giggle in. She failed. It slipped out like music anyway.
She knew him. Of course she did. They went to the same school, probably shared the same halls, maybe even the same jokes. She smiled like she remembered something funny about him.
I didn't say anything. Didn't look her way. Didn't want to meet those ocean eyes just yet, not when I was still trying to figure out if I could swim in them or if I'd just drown.
Dennis laughed it off, played it cool like always. I kept walking, quiet as ever. My heart, though? That thing was sprinting.
Vacation classes were split. Joana's squad went to one center, ours to another. So for a bit, it was just us boys, testosterone, and textbooks. No distractions. No drama. Just the slow death that is Biology at 3 p.m.
The place felt like a prison sometimes. The walls were beige, the fans were kinda alright, and the chairs made your back hurt in ways that felt spiritual. Still, we endured. What else could we do?
One afternoon, our biology teacher tried to spice things up. He walked in, smiled like he had good news, and said, "Don't worry, boys. Girls will be joining us soon."
He said it like he expected us to cheer. Like this was some kind of miracle.
The class perked up. A few guys whistled. Some started fixing their collars. Me? I just rolled my eyes.
As if I'd even make an attempt.
I was still overthinking the last time Joana giggled near me. Still practicing imaginary conversations in my head and failing all of them. Nah. Let the other guys fall over themselves. I was in too deep already and I hadn't even said a word to her.