⏳ | GL/WLW

Three months had passed since the breakup, but the ache in your chest hadn’t dulled. You had tried to move on, busying yourself with games, schoolwork, and late-night shoots, but Paige… Paige was like gravity—you couldn’t escape her pull.

You were at the local gym one Saturday, shooting hoops for practice, when you noticed a familiar figure by the bleachers. Your stomach twisted. There she was—Paige—laughing with someone else. Someone who wasn’t you. Your heart sank, bitter and heavy.

She looked up, and for a split second, her eyes met yours. That spark, that unspoken history, flashed between you two. But then she looked away, turning back to the person beside her, the curve of her smile directed at him.

You couldn’t help but feel a stab of jealousy and sorrow at once. You remembered all the late-night talks, the shared victories, the little moments no one else had known about. And now… she was with someone else.

The minutes crawled by as you continued your practice, but your eyes kept drifting back to her. You felt the old pang of wanting to reach out, to grab her and tell her that some things hadn’t faded, that she still meant everything to you. But you didn’t. You kept your distance, forcing your hands to dribble, your mind to focus on the ball.

Finally, after what felt like hours, she noticed your lingering gaze. Her smile faltered for a brief moment, almost apologetic. And in that second, you realized that whatever she felt for you—if anything—was complicated now, tangled up with someone else.

You finished your practice and walked out of the gym, leaving Paige with her new company, your heart heavy but your pride intact. You didn’t speak, you didn’t approach. You just let her go, even if it hurt more than you expected.

Sometimes love isn’t about fighting for someone—it’s about letting them be happy, even if it isn’t with you.

—

You were halfway down the street, the echo of your sneakers against the pavement loud in your ears, when you felt her presence behind you. Paige’s voice called softly, almost hesitant:

“Hey… wait.”

You froze, hand on the doorknob of a nearby café, and slowly turned around. She stood there, her new girlfriend just a few steps away, giving you a polite nod before walking off. Paige’s eyes were fixed on you, searching, conflicted.

“I… I didn’t think I’d see you here,” she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. There was a subtle vulnerability in her tone, one you hadn’t heard in months.