---- Chapter 8 Joel's POV I watched Anna walk away, feeling like a boulder had dropped on my chest. The moment I got home, I collapsed with a fever. People were strange. When they had something, they took it for granted. Only after they lost it did they realize how much it had meant-and then they couldn't stop looking back. Michael and I lost our parents when we were six. The Brooklyn family and the Murphy family-both known for their charity work-took us in and sponsored the two of us. I still remember the first time I saw Anna. She wore a fluffy pink princess dress with a tiny crown perched on her head. She looked like a porcelain doll-perfect and untouchable. I was too young then to know what it meant to feel ---- inferior. All I knew was that she didn't belong in the dusty, muddy village we were standing in. And I was so dirty, so ordinary, I couldn't even lift my head to meet her eyes. After the Brooklyn family took me in, I ended up in the same school as Anna. She was beautiful, kind, and adored by everyone-teachers, classmates, anyone who met her. She never looked down on me. She shared her snacks and toys, stood up for me when I got picked on, and always brought me back little souvenirs whenever she went on trips. Anna's kindness was countless. Falling for her was inevitable. By the time we were in fourth or fifth grade, a lot of our classmates were getting into puppy love. I started to realize I'd developed feelings for Anna too. I began studying harder, started caring about howI looked, and tried to carry myself with more grace. ---- She liked badminton, so I practiced. She enjoyed watching basketball games, so I joined the team. She loved indie songs, so I learned to play guitar. I just wanted to become someone who deserved to stand beside her. Starting in middle school, I was always at the top of my class. Some even joked that I was the school heartthrob. Anna started to blush when she saw me. She began fixing her hair when we passed each other in the halls. I spent months carefully crafting a love letter by revising every line. When I finally copied it out and slipped it into her hands, my face was burning. In eighth grade, we started dating. We held hands in secret, letting our palms brush "by accident". Every little touch felt like a tidal wave. At the end of our first year in high school, we shared our first kiss. It was just a soft press of the lips, but my heart almost burst out of my chest. In the latest episode of ReelTalk, titled "Queen Bee Meets Queen Bee," the infamous Daniela Couso reunites with Sarah Moliski for a buzzworthy discussion. Dive into the world of these legendary villains as they unveil the realities behind their captivating personas. Exploring themes of power, rivalry, and intrigue, this ongoing romance series delves deep into the complexities of characters like Daniela and Sarah. Witness the clash of two formidable personalities as they navigate love, ambition, and deception in a world where nothing is as it seems. What sets this narrative apart is its intricate character dynamics and the magnetic pull between its leading ladies. Experience the allure of forbidden desires and hidden agendas in a story that promises twists at every turn. Ready to uncover the secrets that bind these queens together? Available to read at CrushReel for those eager to unravel the mysteries within.