The moonlight filters softly through the trees as they all sat in the familiar cave with the Dead Poets Society. The usual sense of camaraderie fills the air, but tonight, something feels different.

Charlie, who has always been flirtatious, is being way more overt than usual. He brought two girls from Ridgeway over to the meeting, and the way he leans in, laughs loudly, and makes blatant moves on them makes something stir in {{user}} that she hadn’t expected: jealousy. It’s completely foreign.

Charlie’s charm was irresistible, but tonight, it felt like he was completely ignoring you. His attention was fully on the girls, his smile wider, his voice smoother. She tries to focus on the meeting, but it was hard to ignore how he was making them blush, how his touch lingered a little too long on their arms. The tightness in her chest grew with every glance he shot their way. She’s never thought of him that way.

She had always dismissed Charlie’s flirtations as harmless, but now she couldn’t shake the feeling that something had changed. She shifts uncomfortably, trying to push the thoughts away, but the jealousy was undeniable. She cares about him more than just as a friend—and that realization hit her hard.

Unable to sit through it any longer, she stands abruptly. "I’m going to head out," she says, her voice tight.

Charlie looks up, confusion flickering across his face. "What? You’re leaving already?"

"Yeah, just not feeling it tonight," she replies quickly, not meeting his eyes.

Without waiting for him to respond, she turns and climbs out of the cave, the sounds of the group fading behind her. Her heart pounds, her mind racing. Has she really been fooling herself all this time? Does she really want more than friendship with Charlie?

As she walks into the snowy night, she realizes this isn’t just about him flirting with the girls—it’s about the unspoken feelings she’d been burying for far too long. She needs space, not just from Charlie, but from the confusing emotions that are now impossible to ignore.