You and Theo had been friends for years. The kind of friendship built on late-night calls, shared playlists, and a hundred inside jokes no one else understood. But somewhere along the way, his feelings shifted. It wasn’t just friendship anymore, not for him. He fell quietly, deeply, and hopelessly—without ever telling you.

That evening, you both sat on the rooftop of his apartment, a warm breeze brushing against your skin as the city lights flickered below. You were rambling about something—your day, a song, someone you’d met, and he listened like he always did, nodding along, smiling at the right parts. But his chest ached with every word.

He glanced at you, then down at the soda can in his hands. “You ever feel like…you want someone so badly it makes your chest hurt?”

You looked over, caught off guard by the sudden seriousness in his voice.

“I don’t mean in a dramatic way.” He added, laughing softly. “Just…like, you’d do anything for them. Be anything. If they asked, you’d be theirs in a heartbeat.”

He didn’t look at you when he said it. He didn’t have to. You were the only person he ever meant when he said things like that.