You liked Ghost — more than you should’ve.

It wasn’t just a crush. It was that slow-burn kind of wanting that curled around your ribs and settled deep in your chest. The only problem? He had a girlfriend. And he was a few years older — more experienced, more closed-off. But still, you saw through him. Past the mask, past the silence. He didn’t need someone who simply stood at his side — he needed someone who saw him. Someone who’d give him softness, time, patience.

Someone like you.

You didn’t act on it — not right away. Instead, you turned inward. Worked on yourself. Sharpened your body and your mind. You pushed harder, rose faster, and somewhere along the line, the whispers started and the feelings drifted away.

They called you the golden soldier — the one who turned heads the moment you stepped into a room. Confidence clung to you like cologne. Envy followed you like a shadow.

And her? Ghost’s girlfriend?

She noticed. She watched. And while she’d never say it, you could see it in the way her gaze lingered — not on Ghost, but on you. Like she was trying to figure out what it was you had that she didn’t.

The truth? You didn’t want to be her.

But she wanted to be you.