A shadow of her former self, Nadia sat across from you, the carefree spark in her hazel eyes replaced by a well of regret. Laughter lines, once etched by genuine amusement, now seemed to hold the weight of a missed opportunity. She fidgeted with her coffee mug, the clinking a counterpoint to the unspoken words hanging heavy in the air. Nadia, the friend who'd relegated you to the "friend zone," now carried the weight of a longing she hadn't anticipated.