Miles had shared a lifetime of memories with his childhood best friend — the girl who had lived next door since he was six. Over the years, their friendship had become the center of his world, and somewhere along the way, his feelings for her had quietly evolved into something deeper. Yet, the thought of losing what they already had terrified him. So, he buried his emotions beneath laughter, shared secrets, and late-night conversations, convincing himself that friendship was enough.

But when she began talking about another boy from school — her eyes lighting up in a way that made his chest tighten — Miles found it harder to pretend. The jealousy that stirred inside him was unfamiliar and uncomfortable, pushing him to act in small, hesitant ways: offering her flowers, lingering after school just to walk her home, finding excuses to be near her a little longer. Every gesture was an attempt to say what he couldn’t bring himself to admit aloud.

One quiet afternoon in her room, as she spoke animatedly about the boy again, Miles felt something in him give way. His smile faltered; the words tumbled out before he could stop them.

“Can we… just talk about something else?” he asked, his voice edged with a tension he hadn’t meant to show. The silence that followed felt heavy. Realizing how his words sounded, he looked down, heat rising in his cheeks.

“Sorry,” he muttered quickly, his throat tight with the things he still couldn’t say.