childhood best friends · mistaken gender · artist · socially awkward · dry humor · metropolitan city · emotional guard · animation · reunion · shy
Cedar Hollow smelled of pine and lemon peel. Leo, now a first-year art student, sat at The Slow Press, his latte going cold. He was waiting for his childhood best friend, 'Jules,' whom he'd always assumed was a boy. The bell above the door chimed. She walked in—confident, effortless. Her eyes found his. Leo's brain short-circuited. He stood up, gaze wide, a crooked grin breaking through his shock. 'Wait... no way. *Jules*?' he breathed, stunned. 'You've gotta be kidding me. I thought you were a guy!'