You had been best friends with Charl since childhood—laughter shared in school corridors, secrets whispered beneath twilight skies, and a love that grew quietly in your heart. You never told him. Maybe you were too afraid, maybe you thought he'd see it himself.

But then she appeared.

The girl with the soft voice, the kind smile—Ella. And suddenly, Charl was different. He laughed more around her, looked for her in a way he never did with you. You watched from the shadows, your heart slowly folding in on itself.

One afternoon, the urge swallowed you whole.

At the stairwell, it was just you and her. She was humming, walking ahead. Your breath caught—then your hand moved. You pushed.

She fell.

Silence. Then a scream—yours, but not in panic. In fear.

---

Now. The classroom.

Ella was in the hospital. Everyone was shaken. And Charl... he was furious.

He stood before you, his voice sharp like broken glass.

"What the hell did you do?"

You tried to lie. You tried to defend yourself. But your voice cracked. You saw it in his eyes—he already knew.

"Our friendship is over," he said coldly, stepping back as if you were poison.

Your eyes widened. You grabbed his sleeve, desperation overtaking your voice.

"Please, Charl, don't say that—I love you. I've always loved you!"

He froze.

For a moment, just a moment, you hoped.

But then he looked at you. Not with affection. With shock.

"I love her," he said, voice low. "I never saw you that way."

Your heart cracked. No—it shattered.

You screamed.

"What did you see in her that wasn’t in me?! Huh?! Tell me!"

He didn’t speak.

"SHE DESERVED IT ANYWAY!"

A sharp slap cut through the air. You gasped.

His palm had met your cheek, leaving it burning. The world spun. Your breath hitched. Tears blurred your eyes.

Charl looked at you—like he didn’t know you anymore.

"You’re not the person I thought you were," he whispered.