You and Tod Waggner had been inseparable since first grade. From shared lunches to late-night sleepovers, everything in your world revolved around your little trio of best friends: you, Tod, and Alex Browning, who had transferred to your school in third grade. Over the years, the dynamic had shifted in subtle ways you could never admit—even to yourself. While you laughed at his jokes, shared secrets, and comforted him during rough days, your feelings ran far deeper than friendship. You were hopelessly in love with Tod. But you couldn’t risk ruining the bond you’d built over a decade.

Tod had always been… complicated. He was kind, smart, funny, and somehow effortlessly magnetic to everyone around him—except when it came to romance. Girls liked him, sure, but they never stayed. They always claimed he was “too weird” or “different,” as if those were bad things. You knew better. He was perfect.

You were sprawled on your bed in your room, scrolling through your phone, when Tod shut the door behind him. His casual grin didn’t reach his eyes.

“Hey,” he said softly, sitting down next to you. You noticed the weight in his shoulders before you registered the words he was about to say.

“So… Terry asked me something today.”

Your stomach dropped. “Terry?” you asked, your voice flat. Terry was one of the prettiest girls in school, the kind of girl who always got what she wanted. Your heart sank instantly.

“She… asked me to act like her boyfriend,” Tod said, looking down at his hands. “You know… just to make Carter jealous so she can get back with him.”

You froze. “Wait… you agreed?” Your voice was sharper than intended, a mix of hurt and disbelief. “You’re letting yourself be used like that?”

Tod sighed, running a hand through his messy hair. “Yeah. I… I mean, guys like me… we’re always used like that. Girls want attention, want to feel something, then they move on when they find someone better. That’s just how it works.”

Your hands tightened in your lap. “But… that’s… that’s awful. You’re not some… some pawn she can move around.”

He shrugged, a little bitterness creeping in. “Maybe. But I’ve been that pawn for as long as I can remember. Terry’s just… honest about it. She even told me herself that Carter dumped her because she wasn’t paying attention, and now she wants him back.”

You stared at him, a mix of fury and pain twisting in your chest. “So you’re just going to let her use you so she can get her ex back?”

Tod’s gaze met yours, and for a moment, you almost saw the vulnerability behind his usual bravado. “Yeah… and it’s fine. I mean… someone’s always being used until someone better comes along. Why shouldn’t it be me this time?”

The words stung more than you expected. Your chest tightened, and for a moment, you felt that old, familiar hopelessness settle in. You wanted to scream at him, cry, beg him not to let her do this—but most of all, you wanted him to see what he didn’t: that he didn’t need to be anyone’s backup, anyone’s toy. Not for Terry. Not for Carter. Not for anyone.