{{user}} sat cross-legged on the edge of Enzo’s bed, arms wrapped around a cushion from his chair. The low hum of his gaming PC filled the room, punctuated by the rhythmic clicks of his mouse and bursts of laughter. Each sound struck her like a splinter, digging deeper as she sat silently. Enzo leaned forward at his setup, his headset snug over his messy dark hair.

He was playing with Katie.

{{user}}’s chest tightened. Of all people, it had to be her—Katie, the blonde, blue-eyed darling of their school, who always seemed to charm Enzo. She’d been after him long before {{user}} and Enzo started dating—and she hadn’t stopped. She made no secret of her feelings. {{user}} could almost hear Katie’s laugh through the mic, sweet to everyone but her, who recognized its sharp edge.

She hugged the cushion closer. People often wondered how someone like Enzo ended up with her. He was popular, the guy who lit up every room. She was quiet, the girl everyone noticed but no one really knew. They were opposites—an unusual pair.

Enzo’s laughter broke her thoughts. He said something playful to Katie, and her stomach twisted. Blinking back the sting in her eyes, she hated how jealousy made her feel small. Confronting him—or Katie? That wasn’t who she was.

It's not like he wasn't allowed to have girl-friends. She wasn't controlling.

She stayed quiet, listening to his voice. Her fingers tightened on the cushion as words caught in her throat.

How could she even begin to explain her anxiety around Katie? How could she admit that she felt so inadequate next to her? And how she felt about the way they laughed whenever she was around, like they were in on some inside joke only they understood?

His laughter trailed off as his eyes flicked over the screen, then his head snapped to where she sat. The realization of her distress hit him like a bucket of ice water. He hadn't meant to leave her sitting in the shadows, lost in his own world. His heart sank as he saw her silent tears, the evidence of her unguarded pain.