“Yo, Katie Cat, over here!” Ryder’s voice cut through the morning air.

Lucas snapped out of his thoughts, glancing down the road to see two boys standing and waiting for them. He recognized Ryder, but the other one was new to him. Katelyn perked up beside him, her hand still firmly in his, and waved to them.

“Hey guys! Long time no see, Zach.” Katelyn smiled warmly. “Where were you yesterday? I didn’t see you at school.”

Zach shrugged, a playful grin on his face. “Oh, you know, here and there. We got back from vacation a day late because of my dad’s job.”

Katelyn nodded. “Well, welcome back.”

Ryder cleared his throat, his eyes narrowing slightly as he took in the sight of Katelyn’s hand intertwined with Lucas’s. “Umm…who’s this?” he asked, pointing at Lucas.

Katelyn blushed, turning shy. “This is Lucas, Aunt Rachel’s son. Do you remember him? We were all really young when he lived here.”

Ryder squinted, trying to recall. “Aunt Rachel’s son…no, I was probably too little. But, nice to meet you, man.” He offered Lucas a friendly nod.

Lucas nodded back. “Nice to meet you too.”

Zach raised an eyebrow and smirked. “Katie Cat, why are you holding hands? Does he need a guide to not get lost?” He chuckled, but there was an edge to his voice.

Katelyn’s face turned crimson. “No, it’s not that... umm…”

Lucas cut in, his voice steady. “She’s my fiancée.”

The words hung in the air like a bombshell, and both Ryder and Zach stared at them, jaws practically dropping.

“Engaged?!” Ryder echoed in disbelief.

Katelyn glanced at Lucas, still feeling the shock herself. “Yeah... apparently, we’ve been engaged since we were babies. Our moms told us over breakfast this morning.”

Zach’s expression darkened, a sadness flickering across his face. “So, you just... agreed to this?”

Katelyn hesitated but then nodded. “Yeah. Why not?”

Ryder crossed his arms, still processing. “Maybe because you two hardly know each other. I mean, do you even like each other?”

Lucas didn’t miss a beat. “We’ve already agreed we’re attracted to each other. And I enjoy being around her.” His smile deepened as he looked at Katelyn.

Katelyn blushed, her cheeks heating up at his words. She looked down at her feet, hoping to hide her embarrassment. “I... I enjoy being with him too,” she mumbled, her voice soft. “So we’re going to give it a shot.”

Zach’s irritation flared. “That’s crazy,” he muttered, his tone sharp. “I never thought you’d just date someone because your parents said so.”

Before Katelyn could respond, Zach turned abruptly and walked away, his steps quick and angry. She watched him go, her eyes wide with confusion.

“What was that about?” she asked, turning to Ryder for answers.

Ryder shifted uncomfortably. “Umm... I don’t know.”

Lucas’s eyes flickered with understanding, and he spoke up, his voice calm but knowing. “I can take a guess.”

Katelyn looked at him, puzzled. “What guess?”

Lucas glanced in the direction Zach had disappeared. “He likes you.”

Katelyn blinked in disbelief. “What? No, he doesn’t. We’ve been friends since we were little kids.”

Lucas gave her a sympathetic look. “Hate to break it to you, but he does. That’s why he seemed so upset.”

Katelyn turned to Ryder, her voice filled with uncertainty. “Really?”

Ryder shrugged, giving her a small nod. “Yeah. I just thought you knew.”

Before Katelyn could respond, Samantha came bounding up to them, her eyes wide with curiosity. “Knew what?”

Katelyn sighed, shaking her head in frustration. “Did you know Zach liked me?”

Samantha blinked, as if the answer was obvious. “Yeah, it’s been pretty clear for a while now. You seriously didn’t know?”

“No!” Katelyn exclaimed, her frustration turning into disbelief.

Samantha shrugged, giving her a teasing smile. “I just figured you didn’t want to hurt his feelings and were pretending not to notice.”

Katelyn sighed, feeling a wave of guilt wash over her. How could I have been so blind? she thought. Before she could dwell on it too much, Samantha’s eyes shifted to Lucas, noticing the hand-holding.

“Ugh, who’s this?” Samantha asked, pointing at him.

Katelyn’s expression softened. “This is Lucas... the surprise that was waiting for me at home last night.”

Samantha’s eyes grew wide. “Wait—you’re the new kid from school?”

Lucas nodded politely. “Hi, I’m Lucas.”

Samantha shot him a grin. “I’m Samantha, Katelyn’s best friend.” Her eyes flickered to their clasped hands, and she raised an eyebrow. “And what’s this, Katie?”

Katelyn smiled shyly. “We’re dating. He’s... well, he’s my childhood fiancé.”

Samantha’s jaw dropped. “Seriously?!”

“Seriously,” Katelyn confirmed with a playful grin.

Samantha gasped, her excitement bubbling over. “OMG!”

Ryder rolled his eyes playfully. “Hate to break up girl time, but we’re going to be late.”

The four of them hurried toward the school, Katelyn’s heart still fluttering from everything that had happened. She glanced down at her hand, still firmly held by Lucas. The feeling of his warmth against her skin made her feel safe and happy in a way she hadn’t expected. But amidst the happiness, a question tugged at the back of her mind.

As they neared the entrance, Katelyn spoke quietly, her voice barely a whisper. “Lucas... are you sure you’re okay with all of this?”

Lucas looked down at her, his smile soft but reassuring. “Yes. Are you?”

Katelyn nodded, feeling a rush of warmth spread through her chest. “Yeah... I’m okay with it, my fiancé.”

Lucas chuckled, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. “My fiancée,” he echoed, the playful tone in his voice sending a shiver of excitement through her.

As they stepped into the school, Katelyn couldn’t help but smile, her heart light. For the first time, she felt like everything was falling into place. But even as she savored the moment, she couldn’t help but hope that Lucas felt the same.