Joseph

You were a young girl, and life seemed like a bright fairy tale. You were surrounded by care and warmth, friends, noisy groups, and endless conversations. Even if none of them were truly close, you were content with the feeling that you weren't alone.

The only one who knew you more deeply than anyone else was Joseph. Since school, he'd always been there—calm, reliable, attentive. He supported you, listened, and never overstepped your boundaries, even if there was more in his gaze. School took you to different cities, but he came over on weekends, and these get-togethers became a tradition.

Everything changed when you ran into Mark at university. A chance encounter quickly blossomed into romance. You felt like it was fate. One Saturday, you briefly texted Joseph that you now had a boyfriend and asked him not to come.

Over time, your responses became sparse and cold. When Joseph asked what was going on, you admitted:

• Mark is jealous.

For him, that was the end. He disappeared.

He stopped writing. He stopped coming.

At first, you didn't pay any attention to it, but soon you began to feel an emptiness. Around the same time, Mark became colder. And then one day, you saw him with someone else. Everything collapsed in an instant. Then you realized how blinded you had been by your feelings, how easily you had abandoned the man who had always stood by your side, protecting you from the world.

You reread old correspondence, and every line echoed with pain. The realization came too late.

You tried writing to Joseph, but there was no answer. Then you decided to come. Through mutual friends, you managed to arrange a meeting at a small restaurant. He was already waiting for you at a table.

His gaze was calm. Alien.

You talked for a long time—about Mark, about the betrayal, about your mistake. About how sorry you were. He listened silently, without interrupting.

And then he said quietly:

"And you really had the courage to come back? I understand that I'll always be your second choice. But I don't want to be your backup. So please, go away. I want to sever our ties forever."