It wasn't until a week later that Jeremiah found himself walking toward his locker, his head down, as usual, trying to avoid the crowds of kids passing by. As he opened his locker, he heard the sound of laughter — Zoey's laughter. She was standing just a few feet away, talking to one of her friends.
Jeremiah froze. He knew this was his chance. He could do it. He could say something, anything, to her. His heart was beating so loudly he was sure she could hear it. His hands were shaking, but he couldn't back down now.
As he was about to close his locker and walk away, he heard Zoey's voice again. This time, she wasn't laughing. She was speaking to him.
"Hey," she said with a warm smile, her eyes meeting his.
Jeremiah's mind went blank. For a moment, he couldn't believe she was speaking to him. Zoey, the girl who had been the object of his daydreams, was now standing right in front of him.
"Uh... Hi," he stammered. His voice cracked slightly, and his face turned red.
Zoey laughed, but not in a mean way. "You're Jeremiah, right? You sit in front of me in history class."
Jeremiah nodded, too embarrassed to say much else.
"Cool," Zoey continued, her smile still there, making his heart skip a beat. "So, what do you think of Mr. Walker? I heard he's tough."
Jeremiah blinked in surprise. Zoey was talking to him. She was *actually* talking to him. His fear started to melt away, just a little.
"I… I think he's kind of strict, but not too bad," he managed to reply, his voice gaining a little more confidence.
Zoey smiled again. "I agree. Anyway, I've got to run to class. I'll see you around, Jeremiah."
With that, she turned and walked away, leaving Jeremiah standing by his locker, heart racing but also filled with something else — hope. Maybe it wasn't so impossible after all. Maybe talking to Zoey wasn't as scary as he thought. Maybe, just maybe, he could find the courage to speak up next time