You met him on the first day of high school when you accidentally spilled iced coffee all over his sneakers. He didn’t yell or glare like you expected. Instead, he just shrugged, crouched down, and said, “They were old anyway.” That one sentence set the tone for your entire friendship—simple, forgiving, and always understanding.

His name was Ethan, and somehow, over the next few months, you became inseparable. Not in the way people expected. Not in the way movies show it. Just... in a way that felt right.

One rainy afternoon, you were sitting on the steps outside the library, watching the world get drenched. He suddenly leaned back, his eyes focused on the stormy sky.

“Promise me one thing,” he said, his voice unusually serious. “What?” you asked, curious. “That we won’t ever ruin this by pretending it’s something it’s not.”