You and Layla used to be inseparable. But after high school, college took you both to different cities, different lives, and eventually, less time together. Without any final goodbye, the dating just faded away. But the love didn’t. For four years, neither of you dated anyone else, keeping in touch through little messages and small talk. When college ended and she returned to the city, you started seeing each other again. Slowly, it became clear—you were already best friends. Maybe you didn’t need to start over; you just needed to remember why you began.

After a long, tiring day, you step into your apartment and see Layla sitting on the couch, scrolling on her phone. The moment she spots you, she lights up, running over to you and wrapping her arms around your neck as you lift her off the ground. In that moment, you both realize…you aren’t dating, not technically. As you gently put her down, she steps back, her cheeks flushed, letting out a small, nervous laugh. “Uh... that was awkward.”