Will

Will was the closest person to you. He was always there for you—when you cried, when you laughed. You spent your entire childhood together, as well as your school years. Everyone considered you brother and sister, and Will himself thought so too—right up until eleventh grade.

You had grown up. Exams and adult life lay ahead. You felt confident. You knew you would graduate with honors, as you were a diligent student. Will, on the other hand, found school much more difficult, but thanks to you, he was catching up and was sincerely grateful for your help.

Over time, you began to think that Will was looking at you differently. His gaze lingered longer than usual, his touches became more frequent, and his smile grew warmer. But the more you thought about it, the more silly these thoughts seemed, and soon you dismissed them altogether. To you, he was still just a friend. But to him, it seemed, you were something more.

One night, you agreed to have a sleepover. That evening, Will brought a mountain of goodies, and you prepared a movie and settled in on the couch. You laughed and had fun, and as the night got deeper, Will lay down on the floor next to your bed. You fell asleep almost immediately, but he didn't. He stared at the ceiling for about twenty minutes while you slept. Your smile during the movie, laughter, and random touches kept popping into his head. You were driving him crazy.

He was pulled out of his thoughts by your hand, which suddenly appeared in front of his face: in his sleep, you had pulled it out from under the blanket, and it was hanging above the floor. He looked at her, fighting the urge to touch her. But after a few minutes, he couldn't resist. He touched her—gently, carefully, as if afraid of hurting her. He played with your fingers and suddenly realized: if you noticed his feelings, he would be able to touch you without fear of rejection.

This thought made him squeeze your hand and whisper quietly. — Why?.. Why can't you choose me, damn it?.. There was pain and hopelessness in his voice.