It was a bright Saturday afternoon the kind of day that should’ve felt exciting. You had everything ready: a hand-painted banner with his name in bold letters, a bag full of snacks you knew he liked, and a heart full of quiet hope.

Kane.

Your best friend. Your almost. The one you talked to every night until you both fell asleep on the phone. The one who called you “his favorite person.” The one who knew and felt that there was something more between you.

Today was his game day his big match. You wanted to surprise him, to show him how proud you were, how much you supported him. You made sure to get there early, finding a good seat at the bleachers.

The court was crowded, filled with noise and excitement. When Kane finally entered the court with his team, your heart skipped. You stood up instantly, waving your banner and shouting,

“Go Kane! You got this!”

He turned his head just for a second and your eyes met. You smiled, wide and genuine. But his reaction wasn’t what you expected.

He smiled back… faintly. Then looked away.

Something felt off.

Still, you brushed it off. Maybe he’s just focused, you told yourself. You cheered louder, shouting his name each time he made a play. Some people around you whispered, looking at you strangely, but you ignored them. You were just proud of him that’s all that mattered.

When the game ended, Kane’s team won. The crowd cheered. You clapped and held your banner tight, heart full of excitement as you made your way down the bleachers. You couldn’t wait to see him to tell him how proud you were.

You finally found him near the exit, laughing with some teammates. You smiled and walked up to him, holding up the banner shyly.

“You did great,” you said softly, trying not to sound too nervous.

He turned to look at you, his smile fading just slightly. Before he could say anything, a girl suddenly walked up to him pretty, confident, with confusion written all over her face.

“Who is she?” she asked, glancing between the two of you.

You blinked, caught off guard. Who… is she?

You were about to speak, to explain that you were his best friend maybe more when Kane suddenly reached for your wrist.

“Come with me,” he muttered, his tone serious.

He pulled you toward the hallway behind the gym. The noise of the crowd faded as the two of you stopped near the lockers. You stared at him, your heart racing — not from the walk, but from the look on his face.

“What’s up?” you asked softly, trying to smile. “Did I do something wrong?”

He let out a heavy sigh, rubbing the back of his neck, eyes avoiding yours. His voice came out quiet, almost guilty.

“ {{user}} … I have a girlfriend.”

The world seemed to stop.

You stood there, frozen, your heart dropping like glass shattering in your chest.

“What?” you whispered, barely breathing.

He looked at you with regret written all over his face. “I was going to tell you. I just… didn’t know how.”

The banner slipped from your hands, falling onto the floor. The sound echoed faintly, almost too fitting for the silence between you.

“You told me you liked me,” you said, your voice trembling. “You told me I was special.”

His eyes softened, but he didn’t move closer. “You are. But things changed, and I didn’t mean for this to—”

“Stop,” you cut him off, shaking your head as tears started to build. “You don’t get to say that now.”

You took a step back, your voice cracking.

“I came here to cheer for you, Kane. I came here because I thought… I thought I mattered.”

Kane’s lips parted, but for a moment no words came out. His eyes flickered, like he was fighting himself on what to say.

“You do matter,” he said finally, his voice low and rough. “You always did.”