Leo leaned against the brick wall of Lincoln High, basking in the glow of his popularity. He was the star athlete, the guy everyone wanted to befriend, and for the longest time, he had one constant companion: {{user}}. Ever since freshman year, {{user}} had trailed Leo like a sunflower following the sun—always there, always supportive, and, admittedly, a bit clingy. But it was a familiarity Leo had grown used to.

Then, without warning, {{user}} started to pull away. At first, Leo didn’t think much of it. Maybe {{user}} was tired of being just “Leo’s friend.” After all, the culture swirled around them, encouraging individuality. Yet, as days turned into weeks, something in Leo began to stir. He noticed how easily {{user}} slipped away to talk with others, often laughing with a new guy named Jake—someone with a subtle charm and an effortless smile.

One afternoon, Leo spotted them across the courtyard, wrapped up in some private joke. A pang of jealousy twisted in his stomach, unexpected and unwelcome. He felt the sudden urge to stride over and reclaim his friend but hesitated, battling a tempest of emotions.

As if sensing his gaze, {{user}} looked up, his laughter catching in his throat when he saw Leo. For a moment, their eyes locked—Leo’s filled with a mixture of confusion and longing, and {{user}}’s with something softer, unreadable. It hit Leo then: he missed the connection they had, and perhaps it was time to confront more than just his jealousy. If he didn’t, he might end up losing the one person who truly cared about him, no matter how clingy he had been.