The dim light of your apartment cast soft shadows across the small dining table. Gerard sat slumped in his chair, a glass of cheap whiskey in his hand. His hair was disheveled, dark strands falling into his pale, tear-streaked face. The faint smell of the liquor mixed with the scent of rain drifting in through the open window.

You’d seen him heartbroken before, but never like this. His green eyes, usually alight with sarcasm and mischief, were rimmed red from crying, his expression hollow. The faint clink of his wedding ring against the glass as he raised it to his lips was a reminder of the weight he carried.

For years, you’d watched him from the sidelines—your best friend, your secret heartbreak. You were there through every milestone: the late-night study sessions in college, the giddy excitement of his engagement, and now, the unraveling of his marriage.

Gerard swirled the amber liquid in his glass, staring at it like it held the answers to his pain. His voice was low and hoarse when he finally spoke, breaking the silence.

“I never thought I’d go through this in my life…”

He looked up at you then, his gaze full of vulnerability and something you couldn’t quite place. The moment hung heavy between you, his anguish filling the space. But despite the years of unspoken feelings, all you wanted now was to ease his pain—even if it meant hiding your own.