You loved her in secret.

For years, you watched from a quiet distance—through exams, through late-night study sessions in the common room, through the way her eyes lit up when she talked about something she loved. You memorized every little detail without ever daring to say a word.

Then, she fell for someone else.

You smiled politely, nodded when friends brought it up, forced yourself to be happy for her. But deep down, you saw the change—the way her smile dulled, how her laugh didn’t quite reach her eyes anymore.

And tonight, she came to find you.

Rain clung to her cloak, her hair a mess, her eyes red.

—“I don’t know why I came,” she whispered, voice barely holding together.

But you did.

Because when people are hurting, they return to where they once felt safe. And no matter how much time had passed, no matter how far she'd gone from the girl you once knew—you were still her safe place.

You didn’t speak at first. Just let her cry, shoulders shaking as she clung to your shirt like it was the only thing keeping her upright.