Stephen

While I did develop crushes on several boys, I'd like to focus on just a few. Around the time I started liking Elja, I also found myself attracted to someone within my own family. This happened at his sister's wedding, and I vividly remember him stealing glances at me. He even accidentally bumped into me twice when the lights went out during the couple's entrance. Initially, it didn't seem like much since he was my uncle, not a real brother of my mother but a far cousin, only four years younger than me, named Stephen.

We didn't have many opportunities to meet, maybe twice a year, as we were distant relatives. However, I always looked forward to those gatherings, and every time we met, I felt like he might have a special interest in me. Although, as I later discovered, that wasn't the case.

We weren't particularly close, but whenever we met, he would be the first to greet me and initiate conversations. I remember a time when I struggled to open a bottle, and he playfully teased me about it. To my surprise, the next bottle after this was too brought to me for trying to open it. On another occasion, he lied so close to me that if I had moved even an inch, our feet would have touched.

On my birthday, he sent me a follow request on Instagram after seeing a mention of me in someone's story. However, due to my strict parents, my mother didn't allow me to add boys on social media and advised me to decline the request.

Once i was at door greeting his family and idk man how but my hand automatically came forward while saying hi and he shook it. I went to different room with that blush on my checks and heart hammering against my chest. And couldn't go back to that room until i got normal.

He had a twin who, much like other distant cousins in my family, never really engaged in conversation with me. Perhaps that's why I perceived a spark, even though it was simply his friendly nature.

This crush persisted for eight years, and it only ended a few months ago. The details of how it ended, well, let's save that story for another time.