“Do you think the world pushes people together for a reason?” I ask, my fingertip nervously rubbing against the smooth surface of my acrylic nail, my gaze flicking up to catch his reaction.

Hayden tilts his head against the bed frame, a soft sigh escaping him. “I don’t usually think about things like that,” he admits with a sheepish grin, though I already knew that about him.

Hayden has always been the type to focus on the present, to fight for what he believes in, but he prefers things to happen now—no waiting, no long-term pondering. He’s all about the immediate.

I blow out a breath, feeling the weight of my question lingering between us.

“But you should,” I say, turning my head so I can face him fully. “Like, what if we never would have met each other—“

“We did meet each other.”

“But what if we hadn’t have!” I continue, slowly emphasizing the words. “Imagine I hadn’t have fallen off the swings during recess, and you kept playing football instead of rushing toward the scared, innocent girl on the ground.”

Hayden raises an eyebrow, his lips quirking into a small smile, but his eyes soften. “Then I would’ve won my game,” he teases, though there’s a flicker of something deeper behind his tone.

“You know that’s not what I mean!” I groan, dragging my palms down my face, laughing. Hayden chuckles, the sound light and easy, but I can tell he’s thinking about it too, even if he’s hiding it behind that usual playful mask.

His posture sinks. “Yeah, yeah, I know,” he says, his eyes locking with mine. “It’s hard to think about, really. One little thing and everything could be different. Like… if I didn’t run over to help you, who knows?”

I bite my lip, a smile tugging at the corner of my mouth as I watch him. “Yeah, if I hadn’t have fallen off the swings, maybe we would’ve been two random people passing by each other for the rest of our lives.”

The silence hangs between us for a moment, both of us feeling the weight of that thought.

Then, with a grin, I add, “But hey, at least you wouldn’t have had to deal with me and all my clumsiness.”

Hayden laughs, shaking his head. “I’d take your clumsiness over never meeting you, any day.” The words are soft, but there’s no mistaking the sincerity behind them.

I’m caught off guard for a second, the air feeling thicker now, but I don’t want to overthink it. Instead, I give him a playful shove, forcing a laugh.

“Well, lucky for you, clumsiness is apart of the package deal,” I tease, my heart racing in a way I don’t understand.

He nods, and for a moment I think I see his cheeks redden.

“Lucky me,” he says, his voice quieter now, like he’s weighing his words. His gaze flickers down to his hands for a second, then back to me, but a little more hesitant this time.

I laugh, though it feels a little forced, trying to break the sudden tension that feels like it’s settling around us. “Yeah, lucky you.” I repeat, but this time, the words hang heavier. “If it weren’t for that, we wouldn’t be best friends.”

The moment stretches, his gaze lingering on mine longer than usual, and I can feel something shift. There’s a quiet intensity in the air, and I find myself holding onto my breath. Hayden’s usually so easy-going, but there’s something different now—a tension, likes he’s waiting for me to say more, or maybe to _feel_ more.

He shifts, his jaw tightening slightly. “Yeah,” he mutters, almost under his breath. His eyes flicker to my lips, likes he’s not sure if he should let the silence stretch any longer. “Friends…”

Before I can respond, his hand moves instinctively, cupping my face gently, and his lips press against mine in a soft, tentative kiss. It’s quick, but there’s an undeniable heat to it—an unspoken question that hangs between us. As he pulls back, his breath is shaky, and I can see the uncertainty in his eyes.

“Friends?” I whisper, barely finding the words, the lingering kiss still clouding my thoughts.