The fluorescent lights of the supermarket flickered faintly as the night shift settled into its usual rhythm. The aisles were empty, the hum of the freezers steady, and only the soft chatter of your coworkers—Sharon, Matt, and Berry—kept the long night from feeling too lonely.

You were stacking cans near the end of aisle three when Ben Willis appeared, leaning lazily against a shelf, arms crossed.

“Hey,” he said, nodding. “Need a hand?”

You smiled, handing him a few boxes. “Thanks. You don’t have to, you know.”

“I know,” he replied, but his eyes lingered on you a moment longer than necessary. “I want to.”

It had started as casual friendship. Quiet conversations during breaks. Shared jokes about the weirdest customers. Comfortable silences when the store felt too empty. Everyone had noticed the chemistry, even Sharon, Matt, and Berry—they all shipped you. Everyone, except the two of you, that is.

Tonight, though, the air felt different. Maybe it was the way you laughed a little too loudly at something Matt said, or the way Berry elbowed you jokingly, making your eyes sparkle with amusement.

Ben’s jaw tightened. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, pretending to check stock but really… watching you. Feeling something he didn’t want to admit.

“Hey, I—uh…” he began, then stopped, shaking his head.

You glanced at him. “You okay?”

Ben sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Yeah… yeah, I’m fine.”

Inside, though, he was anything but. Because when Sharon had passed by a few minutes earlier, he'd overheard you confessing to her, in a whisper meant for nobody else:

“I… I think I’m in love with Ben.”

The words had hit him like a punch to the gut. Not because he didn’t feel the same—he did—but because he felt broken. Too broken for someone like you, someone who laughed easily and saw the best in people.

Now, watching you joke with Matt and Berry, the jealousy twisted in his chest.

Finally, he spoke, voice low and tense. “I… I need to tell you something.”

You looked up at him, curious and concerned. “What is it?”

Ben hesitated, eyes flicking away from yours. “I… I think I’m too broken for you. I shouldn’t… I shouldn’t even… I can’t—”

“Ben?” you said softly, taking a step closer.

He shook his head, voice breaking slightly. “I just… I heard what you said to Sharon. And I… I can’t be that for you. Not right now. Not like this.”