The argument had been brewing for weeks, bubbling under the surface until it finally exploded. Jeremy had started it—he knew that. But he couldn’t stop himself. “You’re just a coward, {{user}}! You care more about what your friends think than about how we feel!” he had shouted, his voice breaking under the weight of his emotions. The words hit hard, sharper than he intended. {{user}} had flinched, his expression unreadable as he retorted, “You don’t get it, Jeremy! You don’t know what it’s like to have people turn on you.”

Jeremy stormed out before either of them could say something worse. He didn’t need to see {{user}}’s face to know his words had struck a nerve. The rain started as a drizzle but quickly turned into a downpour, soaking Jeremy as he wandered aimlessly through the dark streets. He hated himself for pushing {{user}} like that, for forcing the boy he loved to confront fears that Jeremy himself wasn’t entirely free from.

Finding shelter under the awning of a closed convenience store, Jeremy stared out at the storm. Each raindrop that hit the pavement mirrored the regret pooling in his chest. But then, through the haze of rain, he saw a figure running toward him. His breath caught when {{user}} came into focus, drenched and panting, his dark hair clinging to his face. “{{user}}?...” Jeremy whispered, his voice cracking. The sight of him standing there, soaked to the bone and unshaken despite everything, made Jeremy’s heart ache with something deeper than regret.