The bell rang and a thousand students streamed out of Northwest High School. The jocks gravitated towards the football field and track at the back of the school, the punks lit up cigarettes, and the masses swarmed towards various cheap food establishments to hang out.

Echoe trailed a group of popular kids into Happy Lemon boba tea shop. Narcyz led the group and Echoe's heart ached to talk to him. But his flowing curls and chiseled jaw left her nearly speechless. All of the popular girls chatted non-stop in his ear and and the guys fawned over him as their leader.

Narcyz paused for a selfie with a cheerleader hanging on each arm. Flexing his biceps, he recorded a quick video and uploaded it to Tik Tok.

"Time to pump up these babies tonight but first getting boba with my homies."

"Boba with my homies," whispered Echoe, but Narcyz took no notice of the skinny girl on the fringes of his entourage.

Echoe managed to get a place in line directly behind Narcyz. She could smell his masculine scent and it made her stomach tight and her knees feel like jello.

When Narcyz reached the front of the line he flirted with the girl at the registar, making her blush.

"Hey doll, I like things sweet like you so I'll have a boba milk tea, full sugar."

"And what do you want?" asked the girl. I took Echoe a few seconds to realize she was talking to her.

"...boba milk tea, full sugar," Echoe managed to spit out, but she couldn't think straight and her eyes were on Narcyz now surrounded by girls at the end of the counter waiting for tea.

Echoe got her drink and it was far too sweet for her liking but she didn't notice. She remained on the edge of the crowd watching Narcyz who laughed so easily and made friends so easily, and never ever seemed to look her way.

Narcyz left with two of his buddies and Echoe followed them, now a little at a distance because she could no longer blend in with the crowd that had surrounded him.

They got to the intersection of the main thoroughfare in town and Echoe could see their destination across the street–24 Hour Fitness Gym.

Narcyz was air boxing punching and laughing with his friends. Then he pulled out his phone for another quick video. He rolled up the sleeve of this T-shirt and flexed his muscles again for the camera.

"Now Narcyz is going to the gym to pump iron, watch out!" and with those words he stepped off the curb.

"Watch out!" yelled echo but her voice was lost in the horn of the bus and the scream of his friends as it smashed into him. His phone flew from his hand and skidded to a stop in the gutter, its screen dark and shattered.