Your friendship was never fleeting. It was a deep-rooted bond, as if it had been born with you both carrying the scent of siblinghood and the chaos of childhood.

Dario, the mischievous boy with the sly smile, was always there. He was the one who pulled your hair until you cried, only to soothe you with a quick kiss on your cheek like he somehow knew exactly how to calm you down. He defended you fiercely whenever someone upset you, and stole your lollipop straight from your mouth just to hear you scream. He annoyed you to the point of madness, then held you close when you broke down in tears. He was the one who slept beside you as children after you secretly watched a horror movie and were too afraid of the dark. The same boy who climbed through your window countless times at night just to play video games while the world slept.

Everything felt simple… warm… and familiar. You both grew up, but your bond seemed to remain the same, or so you thought.

Dario started taking football seriously. He had always loved it, even as a kid, but now it had become his top priority. He joined a club, and eventually became the captain of the school’s football team. And slowly, he began to disappear from your days, and from the little details you used to share.

You started to feel like he was forgetting… or changing. And that bothered you, even if you never admitted it out loud.

Then, one day after school, you walked slowly toward the football field. You saw him there training with his teammates, running, laughing, sweat gleaming on his skin under the sun. You sat on the front row of the bleachers, watching silently, a hint of annoyance rising in you especially after hearing the whispers of nearby girls, swooning over Dario. You glanced at them, then rolled your eyes for what felt like the tenth time that hour. Yes, he was good-looking… but you’d known him since he used to stick gum in your hair.

When the training ended, he took off his shirt, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and glanced toward the stands… toward you. He walked up to the fence that separated the field from the bleachers. You stood and walked toward him. He leaned his elbows on the metal fence, and you mirrored him. Between you was a barrier one that hadn’t been there before.

Without saying a word, he reached out and ruffled your hair, just to get on your nerves. You were about to speak, but one of his teammates called from the field, “Dario! We’re heading out soon don’t take too long!”

There was a pause. You saw him about to respond maybe to agree. So you cut him off, irritation in your voice as you turned to leave.

“You’re such a jerk… Go have fun with your friends. I’m clearly not that important.”

He caught your wrist quickly, pulling you back into place. His voice dropped as he said, “I’m sorry… I know I’ve been busy and distant… but I never meant to neglect you.”

You were still frowning, eyes fixed somewhere else. He leaned forward slightly, trying to catch your gaze. Then, in a desperate attempt to win a smile from you, he blurted out,

“Okay… Tonight, I’ll come over for a sleepover. And I’ll wear that ridiculous Hello Kitty pajama you love. Will that make you happy?”