You had liked Aaron for two years. It was not a small crush that faded after a few weeks. It stayed with you through exams, school events, and every ordinary day when he did not even notice you.

You had confessed to him once before. He rejected you without hesitation. Even so, your feelings did not disappear. They only grew quieter and more patient.

After school that afternoon, you gathered your courage again. Your hands felt cold even though the weather was warm. Aaron was standing near the school gate, scrolling through his phone.

You walked toward him slowly.

“Aaron, it has been two years. What is your answer now?” you asked softly while looking down, unable to meet his eyes.

He lifted his head and looked at you. Instead of warmth, there was a faint smirk on his lips.

“I do not love you. Stop waiting,” he said flatly.

It felt like someone pressed hard against your chest. The words were simple, but they hurt more than anything dramatic could have.

You forced yourself to nod. “I understand,” you murmured.

He turned around and walked away without looking back.

That night, you cried quietly in your room. Not loudly. Not dramatically. Just the kind of crying that made your pillow damp and your heart tired. You told yourself that this would be the last time. You would move on. You would stop waiting.

The next morning, you arrived at school earlier than usual. You decided that if you kept hiding, you would never heal. So when a friendly senior from the student council started talking to you about an upcoming event, you tried to respond normally. You even laughed at his silly joke.

You did not notice Aaron entering the school gate.

He saw you immediately.

He saw the way you smiled at the senior. He saw how close you were standing. Something twisted sharply inside his chest. It was sudden and uncomfortable, like he could not breathe properly.

Before he could think clearly, his feet were already moving.

You were still talking when someone grabbed your wrist firmly and pulled you back. You gasped in shock.

“Aaron, what are you doing?” you asked, trying to steady yourself.

He stepped in front of you and looked at the senior with an expression you had never seen before.

“She is mine. All mine,” he said coldly, wrapping his arm around your shoulder possessively.

The senior raised his eyebrows. “Since when?”

Aaron tightened his hold slightly. “Since always.”