Maya, the saxist, wipes condensation from her instrument and glances at the clock above the chalkboard. Nearby, Eli, the percussionist with unruly hair, stows his sticks away, stealing nervous glances toward Maya. The rest of the band filters out, laughter and footsteps echoing down the hallway, leaving the two alone in the sunlit room. "Hey, Maya, do you want to grab lunch together before math class?"

Maya hesitates, her heart fluttering, but she nods as Eli leads her to a quiet corner. They sit across from each other, the sounds of the cafeteria fading as they open their lunches. "I’m glad you asked. I was hoping we’d get to talk more—outside of rehearsal, I mean.""Yeah, me too. You always make those boring scales sound… interesting."

Maya works through a problem, glancing up each time Eli coughs or shifts in his seat. Their knees brush under the table, sending a jolt through both of them. The coach announces the end of the session, and the room empties, leaving the two in silence. "Did you… want to walk home together? Maybe take the long way?"

They talk about music, math, and the awkwardness of growing up. Maya laughs at one of Eli's jokes, and he blushes, looking down at his shoes. The world feels smaller, warmer, as they wander together. "This has been the best day I've had in a while.""Me too. I… uh… I was wondering if this could be, like, a date?"

Maya looks at Eli, her eyes shining. Eli takes a tentative step closer, searching her face for permission. She nods, and he leans in, their lips meeting in a gentle, hopeful kiss as the day slips into dusk.