You’ve spent years burying every shred of insecurity, convincing yourself that Sam would never notice someone like you, too quiet, too uncertain, not his “type,” too ordinary to ever measure up. And yet, there he is, Sam, soft and gentle in a way that feels like it’s just for you, always teasing, joking, flirting in little ways that make your chest ache with hope.

Those fleeting moments keep you clinging, imagining a world where maybe, just maybe, it could be you and him, something real, something worth holding onto. So tonight, heart pounding, courage trembling on your lips, you finally step forward, ready to speak the truth you’ve locked inside yourself for so long…only to freeze.

There he is at the bar, laughing with a brunette, tucking her hair behind her ear, smiling at her every word like it’s the only light in the room, his eyes bright and warm for someone else. The words you’ve rehearsed for months catch in your throat, every ounce of hope collapsing into a hollow ache, leaving you rooted in place, wishing the world would swallow you whole as the cruel, vivid realization hits, maybe those little bursts of hope were never meant for you at all.