The thumping bass pulsed through William's chest as he navigated his way through the densely packed crowd in the living room.
 
Clutching his drink carefully, he tried not to spill a drop. Jayden had promised that this party would be a gathering of many acquaintances, but as William glanced around, he realized just how well-connected Jayden truly was. Half the faces here were familiar from school, and the other half were strangers to him.
 
He'd actually contemplated skipping the party altogether. House parties weren't his scene, and invitations to such events were rare for him. But Jayden's absence throughout the day had made William realize just how much he missed his friend. Normally, Jayden would have walked him home, and then they would have spent the day together, chatting and playing video games. Jayden's presence had become a comforting fixture in his life.
 
Shaking his head, William decided he would leave. He needed to prove to himself that he could survive a day without Jayden's company. He had been at the party for half an hour and had hardly spotted Jayden.
 
Once, he had glimpsed Jayden by the kitchen, sharing laughter with people William didn't recognize, and that sight had stirred an uncomfortable feeling in his stomach.
 
Of course, Jayden had other friends, and William was well aware of that. Still, the sight had made him feel oddly uneasy. He decided it was time to go home, but as he made his way toward the door, he bumped into Daisy.
 
"Whoa, sorry! Oh, it's you, William," she said, clearly flustered.
 
She looked up at him, her face flushed.
 
"It's fine," he replied, moving away from her and continuing toward the exit.
 
"Wait! Are you leaving?" Daisy cried, reaching out to grab his arm.
 
"Yeah," he shrugged off her hand, nodding noncommittally.
 
"The party's just getting started. You should stay a bit longer," she reasoned.
 
William raised an eyebrow but said nothing as he kept walking toward the front door. Daisy felt disheartened, but she tried not to let it show as she watched him leave.
 
Suddenly, Jayden came rushing down the stairs, nearly colliding with William.
 
"Will!" he called, happily. "You came!"
 
Jayden beamed at William and slung an arm over his shoulder, leaving onlookers slightly surprised to see the school's bad boy interacting so warmly with Jayden. Most were still amazed by the warm response Jayden received every time he spoke to William. When others attempted to engage William in conversation, he usually responded with a cold and uninterested tone.
 
William attempted to suppress his growing smile but failed as Jayden grinned widely and draped his arm over his shoulder. William had noticed that Jayden did that quite often, and perhaps he liked it more than he should. He could detect the scent of alcohol on Jayden's breath, which intoxicated him slightly as Jayden's face was so close to his own.
 
"Man, I'm so glad you're here! I've been looking for you all night!" Jayden laughed.
 
William wore a matching grin and asked, "Really?"
 
"Yeah, man! I couldn't find you anywhere. Come on, I want to show you something cool." Jayden proceeded to drag William out of the room and into Daisy's backyard, with the other boy following dutifully.
 
While most of the partygoers had lost interest in the duo, one person still watched them intently.
 
Daisy had hoped that William wouldn't leave so quickly, especially since she hadn't even had a chance to talk to him the entire time he was there. She hadn't confessed her feelings to him yet, but the memory of him holding her hand at the fair and standing up to the bullies still made her heart flutter. She had followed Jayden and William to the backyard, determined to speak with William alone.
 
Just as Daisy was about to reach the screen door leading to the backyard, a hand gently clasped her arm.
 
"Daisy!" a voice called, drawing her attention back.
 
Startled, she turned to see Shane, his hand on her arm.
 
"Shane!"
 
"Happy birthday Daisy!" he exclaimed, his grin lighting up his face as he released her arm.
 
Her smile was genuine. "Thank you! I'm so glad you came!"
 
"Wouldn't have missed it for anything," he replied, his gaze filled with admiration as he looked at her.
 
She returned his grin but shifted restlessly, her gaze flickering back to the backyard where Jayden and William stood beneath the soft glow of fairy lights they had set up years ago. While she appreciated Shane's presence, her eagerness to speak with the two boys outside was palpable.
 
"Well, I hope you enjoy the party," Daisy said, taking hesitant steps toward the screen door.
 
"Wait, Daisy. Can we talk for a moment? Maybe in private?" Shane asked, a hint of nervousness in his eyes as he held her gaze.
 
Daisy furrowed her brows, intrigued by Shane's request. "Sure. Would you like to go up to my room?"
 
Shane breathed a sigh of relief and nodded. As they climbed the stairs, his hands fumbled nervously in his pockets.
 
For days, he had been mustering the courage to confess his feelings to Daisy, believing this to be the perfect opportunity. Over the past week, they had grown closer, particularly since he had started walking her home. Jayden's busyness had given him the chance to spend more time with her, often making him forget about everything else when they were together.
 
During their walks, their conversations had deepened, allowing them to get to know each other better. Daisy's eyes would light up when she spoke passionately about her interests, and she always listened intently when he shared his thoughts. Her presence had left him breathless, often causing him to forget his words. His long-standing crush had now blossomed into undeniable love, and he knew it was time to confess.
 
Daisy led them to a halt at the foot of her bed, turning to face Shane in the middle of her room.
 
"What did you want to talk about?" Daisy asked, offering him a warm smile.
 
Internally, she did hope to return to the party soon, intending to expedite their conversation. It wasn't that she didn't care about Shane's words or didn't want to hear them; she simply desired to rejoin the others at the celebration.
 
"Oh... W-Well... You see..." Shane began, his voice trembling with nerves, his courage wavering.
 
Daisy's eyes filled with concern as she gazed at the boy before her, who seemed to be struggling.
 
"Shane? Are you okay? You can tell me what's wrong," she said, moving closer to him and reaching out to gently touch his arm in comfort.
 
Shane's breath quickened further, overwhelmed by the warmth of Daisy's gaze and her reassuring touch. He turned to face her, locking eyes with her directly. Daisy appeared momentarily taken aback by the intensity of his stare, but she responded with a comforting smile.
 
Staring deeply into her eyes, Shane couldn't hold back any longer. In a sudden rush of emotion, he blurted out, "Daisy, I think I love you."