Lychie Fajardo has been crushing on Ian Velasco for five years. Five. Whole. Years. She's conquered debate championships, topped every exam, and faced the scariest teachers without flinching, but when it comes to telling Ian how she feels? Total silence.

Now they're in senior high school, and nothing's changed. Ian's still his nonchalant, video game-loving, secretly smart self, completely oblivious to Lychie's feelings. And Lychie? Still overthinking every word, every glance, every accidental brush of hands.

It was just another Friday afternoon, and Lychie was pretending to be interested in the lecture. Her pen tapped against her notebook in rhythmic boredom, but her eyes? Well, they were very interested in something, or rather, someone else.

Ian.

He was sitting two rows ahead, laughing at something Cale had just whispered in his ear, completely oblivious to the fact that Lychie had spent the last thirty minutes pretending to take notes while actually memorizing every single detail of the way his hair fell perfectly over his forehead.

Anya: whispering  "Lychie, you've been staring at Ian for like... five minutes. Are you good?"

Lychie's face went red, quickly snapping her gaze back to her notebook, which she hadn't written on once.

Lychie: flustered  "What? I wasn't staring!"

Cale: loudly from across the room "Ian! I swear, if you don't stop looking at your phone and pay attention-"

Anya snickered, crossing her arms with a smug look.

Anya: teasing  "Oh, now you're not looking? You sure about that?"

Lychie shot her a look. She had tried...tried...to brush it off. But there was something about Ian, something that made her heart do a ridiculous flip every time he smiled or glanced her way. And as much as she didn't want to admit it, he was the one who had always been there, standing just a little out of reach.

Joyane: sighing dramatically  "Honestly, if you don't just tell him already, I'm going to explode. It's been what four years? At this point, even I know you like him!"

Lychie nearly choked on her spit, her face flushing deeper.

Lychie: "I do not!"

Nial: loud enough for half the class to hear  "Guys, stop making her say she doesn't like him. She looks like she's gonna explode."

Of course, everyone heard Nial. And of course, everyone turned to look at Michelle. The class, her friends, and, most agonizing of all, Ian himself.

For a split second, her heart stopped as he turned, meeting her gaze with those unreadable eyes. She quickly looked away, fidgeting with her pencil as if it was the most interesting thing in the world.

Anya: mocking  "Smooth. You're totally not obvious."

Lychie buried her face in her arms, groaning.

Lychie: grumbling "Okay, fine. I like him, alright? Happy?"

Joyane: grinning  "Finally! Now, you just have to tell him. Easy, right?"

But before Lychie could protest, the bell rang, signaling the end of class. Her friends, being the chaos-makers they were, immediately began discussing what Lychie should do next as they shuffled out of the room.

Cale: laughing "If you don't confess soon, someone else is going to beat you to it. Who knows? Maybe Kent will-"

Lychie: eyes wide "Don't even joke like that!"

But despite the playful banter, a part of her heart sank. She'd been carrying this crush for far too long, and the more she tried to ignore it, the more real it became.

As they walked out of the classroom together, Lychie kept her eyes on Ian's back, wishing for just a second that things were easier. That she could walk up to him, tell him how she felt, and maybe...just maybe...he'd say something that would make all her years of secretly pining worth it.

But the truth was, Lychie was terrified. Because what if the person she had wanted for so long didn't feel the same? And even worse...what if it was too late?

Nial: grinning as he nudged her "Come on, admit it. You're so in love with him. At this point, it's a crime to not make a move."

Lychie shot him a half-hearted glare.

Lychie: "I'm not saying anything, alright?"

Anya: teasing "Sure, Lychie. Keep lying to yourself. But we all know the truth. Everyone does."

The friends laughed, but Lychie couldn't help but glance at Ian one more time before he disappeared around the corner, her heart a little heavier than it was before.

-----------------------

Later that afternoon, the group was hanging out in the courtyard after class. They were sitting around a picnic table, eating snacks, and chatting as they did most days. Lychie, of course, was more interested in sneaking glances at Ian, who was sitting at a nearby bench talking to some friends.

Eddie: teasing, not missing a beat  "Lychiee, do you have something in your eye? Because you've been looking at Ian for the last ten minutes. You need a pair of glasses?"

Lychie: groaning  "Can you guys just leave me alone?"

Joyane: laughing  "Oh, it's too obvious, Lychie. You're practically drooling over him."

Cale: playfully  "Honestly, I'm waiting for the day when Lychie gets the courage to talk to him. I'll be the one to cheer her on from the sidelines, obviously."

Lychie: eyeing him suspiciously  "You're not planning anything, right?"

Cale: grinning  "Me? Never."

Just as the conversation started getting a little too real for Lychie's liking, Ian's group of friends stood up, and for a split second, Lychie's heart skipped a beat.

Ian: laughing at something one of his friends said, turning around, and...oh no...locking eyes with Lychie

For a moment, time seemed to slow. There it was again, the undeniable tension between them. He wasn't smiling like he used to, but there was that glimmer in his eyes that always made her wonder if maybe, just maybe, he felt the same.

But then, as if he hadn't noticed her at all, Ian turned and walked away with his friends, leaving Lychie breathless and a little crushed.

Anya: noticing  "You know, you could've said something to him there, right? It's like you froze."

Joyane: mock-serious  "Yeah, Lychie, just go up to him and be like, 'Hey, I've liked you for five years, no big deal!'"

Lychie: shaking her head  "You guys are impossible. It's not that easy."

Eddie: teasing  "Of course it is! You just need a little push. Maybe Cale can do the 'talking' for you, since he's so good at it."

Cale: acting offended  "Hey! I'll talk to him about other things, but I'm not a love coach!"

The group burst into laughter, but Lychie couldn't help the bitter taste in her mouth.

As they were all getting ready to head home, Lychie walked a few paces behind them, feeling the weight of her secret crush. Her friends would never let her live it down if she didn't do something. But even worse than that, she had no idea what to do. Did she have the guts to take a chance? Or would she let this secret love fizzle out, like so many others before it?

As the sun began to set, Lychie found herself staring at the horizon, wondering if this might be the moment she finally stepped forward, or if she'd let the years slip by, once again, waiting for the perfect moment that might never come.

------

It was another chaotic Monday morning, and Lychie couldn't help but sigh as her English teacher, Mrs. Santiago announced the new group project. She was one of those students who could juggle her academics without breaking a sweat, but she still hated being paired with people who were less organized. Luckily, her usual crew, Anya, Cale, Joyane, Eddie, and Nial were already a pretty solid team, and Lychie knew they'd breeze through this assignment without any issues.

However, there was one small problem. They needed a sixth member.

Joyane: squinting at her notebook  "I don't want to end up stuck with someone who'll slack off."

Cale: grinning  "Well, Ian is right there. I'm calling it, he's the groupmate who'll either ace the project or distract us all with his games."

Lychie couldn't help but glance at Ian. He had that lazy yet effortlessly charming vibe, always looking like he'd rather be playing games than listening to the teacher. But despite his laid-back demeanor, he wasn't dumb. When he actually did focus, he was surprisingly smart.

Anya: looking up from her sketchbook  "We can work with him. He might be all about the games, but he's not bad when he puts his mind to it."

Lychie: nodding  "Yeah, and I'm not worried about the project. It'll be fine."

Despite the teasing from her friends, Lychie still couldn't stop herself from stealing a glance at Ian every now and then. Her heart would skip a beat, but she quickly brushed it off. Focus, Lychie, she reminded herself. Academics always came first.

Mrs. Santiago: "Alright, your groups are mostly sorted. Ian, you'll be joining Lychie's group."

The room fell silent for a moment as Lychie's brain processed the words. She quickly looked away, trying to mask her surprise. Ian, noticing her reaction, shot her a casual grin as he walked over.

Ian: sitting down with a slight chuckle  "Well, guess I'm part of the gang now. Hope you guys can handle me."

Cale: laughing  "I'll be honest, Ian. If you start pulling out your phone every five minutes, I'll personally throw it in the trash."

Lychie: smiling faintly  "We'll manage. Besides, we need someone who can make this project interesting."

Despite her teasing, Lychie knew that while Ian was often distracted, he was surprisingly insightful when it mattered. It was no surprise that even with his focus on games, Ian still did well when he actually applied himself. But Lychie wasn't going to let herself get distracted. After all, she was basically a walking genius.

Joyane: to Lychie  "You okay with this? I know you weren't exactly keen on him joining the group."

Lychie: sighing  "It's fine. We'll be fine."

Later, During the Project Brainstorming Session:

As the group worked on the project, it was clear that everyone had their own strengths. Anya was working on the artistic presentation, sketching out ideas with ease, while Joyane meticulously organized everything and made sure all the details were covered. Cale was already tackling the math aspects of the project, his brain sharp when it came to numbers. Eddie was doing his best to contribute, and Nial was offering solutions to the more challenging problems.

And then there was Ian. While his fingers absentmindedly tapped on the desk, he was still listening intently to the conversation, chiming in every so often with unexpected insights.

Ian: grinning  "Okay, so maybe we do need a more fun angle for this presentation. We can use some game-based strategies to make it more engaging."

Lychie: rolling her eyes, but smiling  "You and your games. This is supposed to be a serious project."

Cale: teasing  "She says the genius who can do this in her sleep."

Michelle: shrugged nonchalantly. "It's all about balance. I have the project covered, the rest of you just need to keep up."

Ian: laughing  "Don't worry, I can keep up. I'll make sure it's done right."

Eddie: grinning  "I think we're all doing great. It's like a well-oiled machine."

As the discussion continued, Lychie was still in charge, guiding the project along with her keen intellect. She was quick to spot any flaws and always had a solution, but this time, she found herself paying attention to Ian more than usual. He wasn't just another person in their group anymore. There was something... different about him. And though she'd never admit it aloud, she found herself getting caught up in his energy.

Joyane: watching Michelle closely  "You sure you're okay? You're, like, extra focused today."

Lychie laughed, looking back at her friends.

Lychie: "I'm always focused. It's just that I have to make sure this project actually works."

As the group worked late into the night, Lychie continued to ace everything while also juggling her growing interest in Ian. 

-----------

As the weeks passed, Lychie began to notice something new in the way Ian interacted with their group. He wasn't just the quiet guy sitting in the back anymore. He started joining in on their banter, contributing ideas, and occasionally making them all laugh with his dry humor.

One afternoon, they were working in the library when Ian spoke up, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

Ian: grinning  "Alright, enough with the brainstorming. Let's just throw it all together and see what happens. If it's a disaster, at least we'll have a good story to tell."

Joyane: laughing  "That's the spirit!"

Cale: smiling "See? Told you he'd fit in. He's not so bad after all."

Lychie: softly, to herself "Not bad at all."

As the project neared its deadline, Lychie found herself genuinely enjoying the time she spent with Ian and the rest of her friends. What started as an uncomfortable situation, having Ian join their group unexpectedly, had turned into one of the most memorable experiences of her senior year.

Ian wasn't just the guy Lychie had admired from afar. He was now someone she laughed with, argued with, and shared her time with. And though the feelings she had for him were still there, Lychie started to see him in a new light, no longer just her long-time crush, but a friend, and maybe something more.