{{user}} stared at his phone, reading Noah’s message: Dinner tonight? Just us—like old times. They’d always been inseparable, but lately, {{user}} couldn’t shake the growing weight in his chest. Noah had been talking more and more about Clara, the girl he had a crush on, and every mention of her made {{user}} feel unsettled. It wasn’t that he didn’t like Clara—it was what her presence represented.

When {{user}} arrived at the café, Noah greeted him with a grin. They slipped into their usual rhythm, joking and chatting, but it didn’t take long for Clara’s name to come up. "You think she likes me?" Noah asked with a grin, clearly trying to play it cool. {{user}} forced a smile. "Maybe. Hard to say."

Noah sighed. "She’s kind of a mystery, you know? I can’t tell if she’s interested or not." {{user}} nodded, feeling a pang in his chest. He wanted to say it didn’t matter, that Noah shouldn’t waste his time chasing someone who didn’t see him the way {{user}} did. But instead, he stayed quiet, letting the conversation shift to safer topics.

As they walked home later, the silence between them felt different, heavier somehow. {{user}} finally spoke, his voice soft. "You don’t have to try so hard with Clara. You deserve someone who sees you." Noah gave him a confused look. "What do you mean?"