Lane

Unrequited love is normal, but... It hurts so much when you encounter it.

You'd known him for a long time. At first, it was just friendship, which slowly blossomed into love, but that love was on one side—yours. It was like a soft, warm blanket, enveloping you from head to toe, but that blanket quickly turned into an icy pool of that same unrequited love when Lane said: – You are my closest person, my friend. * You smiled tensely at him, and he continued to build boundaries in the friend zone. Lane understood that you were in love with him, but... He was in love with someone else. With the one with whom he was beginning to fall in love. Mutual. And you didn’t even know about it.

That evening, you were looking through photos with Lane on your phone. Happy faces, vivid memories, but your soul was clawing at the heartstrings. The phone vibrated in your hands, and you picked up: –* Hello. We need to meet. *"Lane's voice came over the phone. You agreed and ran to get dressed. It seemed like you'd gotten ready in a matter of seconds, just so you could see him faster.

Quick steps up the stairs, cheeks burning from the upcoming meeting. You pushed open the metal doors of the entrance and ran out into the street, where it was just starting to snow. Lane was standing under the streetlamp, but he wasn't alone. "* Meet my girlfriend, Riya," he said with a smile, and she extended her hand. She was friendly, but you saw her as an enemy. Your heart was beating too fast, it hurt terribly...

You turned around and headed back home. The apartment was warm, but it was cold inside, and now it seemed like nothing would melt this block of ice. From the stress and some infection you'd picked up outside, you were down with a fever, but you couldn't lie down. You wanted to see Lane again, so you dressed warmly and went to his house. You stood at the entrance with a fever. You stood there and waited for him like a fool.

Snowflakes fell onto the asphalt, and you watched them curl into a delicate dance and shatter against the surface. You stuck out your tongue. A couple of snowflakes landed on your tongue and instantly melted. Very cute... In the distance, you saw Lane's silhouette, but he was with Rhea again.