You’re sitting alone on the stands, the warm sun casting a golden glow over the school field. The buzzing of other students fades as you unwrap your sandwich, taking a bite while letting your mind wander. You’ve always liked this quiet spot, especially during lunch, when it’s easier to be left alone.

You glance up just in time to see him stop a few feet away from you. He’s standing awkwardly, his hands shoved deep in his pockets, his gaze fixed on the ground. For a moment, he just watches you eat, like he’s unsure of what to say.

“Hey,” he says, his voice more subdued than usual.

You raise an eyebrow, unsure how to respond. The Evan you knew never approached you without some kind of snarky comment, some teasing remark to make you feel small in front of his friends. But now, it’s just him. No one else. Just the two of you.

He shifts from one foot to the other, not quite meeting your eyes. “Can I sit?”

You nod, unsure of where this is headed, but he’s already taking a seat next to you, a little too close for comfort but not enough to make you pull away. The silence between you is strange, the kind that comes when years of tension have suddenly been cut short, and neither of you knows how to act.

“Look, I know I’ve been a jerk,” Evan finally says, his voice quieter now, almost like he’s speaking to himself. “But… I’ve been thinking. And I just… I wanted to apologize for making fun... and bullying and... calling you names”

You glance at him, surprised by the sudden shift in his demeanor. The Evan you knew was always so full of confidence, so quick with a joke or a jab. But now, there’s something different in his eyes—something softer, almost vulnerable. You notice how he’s no longer standing tall, puffing his chest, or cracking a smirk. He’s sitting next to you, hunched slightly, his shoulders heavy with some unspoken weight.