Chapter 1: The First Spark

Amir Prince Khalil

Yo. I don't even know where to start. I never thought I'd be one of those guys who'd be keeping a journal, but something about this—about him—just feels like it's worth remembering.

It started when Isaiah walked into class.

He wasn't like the other kids. Not the loud, obnoxious type that needs to be the center of attention, but not the quiet, invisible ones either. Nah, he was in-between—just... there. But not in a way that felt ordinary. It was like the air around him shifted a little whenever he moved. Like he was the kind of person who didn't need to say much, and people still noticed. And I noticed. Big time.

I'd seen him before, walking around the halls with that quiet confidence, his head slightly tilted like he was just... cool. But I never really thought much of it. People like that, they never paid attention to guys like me. I was always the one sitting at the back, just trying to get through the day without anyone remembering my name.

But today, Isaiah walked in, and it was different. His eyes found mine, just for a second, but long enough for my heart to do something it wasn't supposed to do.

"Yo, is this seat taken?" he asked, his voice low and smooth, but still carrying a sense of ease, like he wasn't worried about anything.

I just stared at him. My mind was blank. Was he seriously talking to me? I was just some regular kid, sitting in the back of class, hiding behind my hoodie like it could protect me from the world. But there he was, standing in front of me, waiting for an answer.

"Nah, you can sit," I said, voice barely a whisper.

He smiled, and man, that smile—shit. It hit me like a punch to the gut. It was too much, like he wasn't even trying. But it felt like he was saying something without words, like he already knew me in some way that I didn't even understand.

The rest of the class was a blur. I couldn't stop thinking about him. Isaiah. Why was it so easy for him to just exist? To walk into a room like he owned it, without trying? And here I was, hiding in the back like a fucking coward, scared of even looking up. I hated it.