I get that this isn't a Sotam-ish chapter, but I wanted to share this art with you guys...(I did draw this, the crossed out signature just had my real name in it)

Something in my heart had changed for the first time since I met her. I didn't have a crush on Sophie anymore. Where it went, when it went? I had no idea. All I knew is that there was someone else, but I didn't know who. It was still confusing to think about. I wanted to still have a crush on Sophie. But after so long of her not returning what I felt for her, the feelings faded away. I started to feel dizzy and put my head down on my desk. In the blackness of my arms, something flashed across my mind, followed by a tingle of warmth. But the face was gone too fast for me to see.

After a few minutes, morning announcements began. I idly spun my pencil around on my desk, half listening too the same boring announcements.

 "The boy's basketball team lost 5-0. A pink cell phone was found in the girl's locker room. The downstairs bubbler is clogged again so please do not use it," the same tired voice drabbled on. "And for a final announcement, we will be hosting a school dance for grades six through eight. Permission slips are at the main office. Have a nice day!"

 I grabbed my books and raced the other students to the door like I did every morning, but my mind was elsewhere. I had to figure out who the mystery girl was- and before Thursday.

~Time Skip~

I sat down in my usual spot at our table at lunch, between Sophie and Linh. Linh was telling a story about her new kitten's adventures, with Tam chipping in every now and then to correct her exaggerations.

"We were looking all over for her, and she was sitting right there, on top of the fridge, mewing her head off! Poor thing was afraid of heights! How she got up there, I don't know, the fridge is, like, six feet tall-"

 "No, it isn't," Tam put in.

 Linh paused to look at him, as if daring him to interrupt her again. Then she continued. "There's no way a tiny cat like her could get on top of that fridge. And I think someone put her there." She glared pointedly at Tam. He put his hands up in the air.

"What makes you think I would go out of my way to put your annoying cat on top of the fridge so it could meow its little head off and drive us crazy until we found it?" He asked desperately.

Linh scrunched up her face. "How did she get up there, then?"

Tam shrugged. "Probably jumped? I don't know! How do cats work?"

The argument continued, and, seeing it would get nowhere, I put my head down in my hands. I stated like that for a few minutes before someone, most likely Linh, as the poker was on the left side of me, poked me.

I looked up, confirming that it was Linh, up and into the most beautiful pair of eyes this world could contain. And then a million butterflies broke out of their cocoons and there was no more mystery regarding the girl I loved.

"You okay?" Linh asked.

"Um, yeah. Just... thinking."

"About what?" Linh pressed.

"About how I was going to ask you to the dance," I said. It wasn't totally a lie. If she had left me there much longer, that would've been my next thought.

The whole table went silent. Not just quiet. Silent.

 "Okay..." Linh whispered, like she was afraid the words would break if she said them too loud. "I wasn't expecting that..."

I stared at her. "You were going to say yes, right?" I asked, feeling for what may have been the first time in my life unsure.

She nodded, but said nothing. I realized that she needed me to actually ask the question before she could answer it.

"So, Linh. Would you like to go to the dance with me?"

She smirked a smirk that belonged to me. "No. I'd love to."

For whatever reason, it wouldn't let me do a dedication, so I'm doing it down here! This chapter was dedicated to: that_random_fandom_user (not a real account), a Leefe shipper from fandom. I know you're reading this, and I want you to know that your words touched my heart (No seriously I cried)!