Ali

You and Ali always hated each other. From the first day of college, he'd hurl barbs at you, and you'd retort with such force that the air between you was tense. His name irritated you, and his gaze—a desire to prove you were better.

Today was no exception. You were standing in the hallway, tired after the lecture, when he walked past again with that same smug smirk.

**“ Audacity is your main weapon, right?” he said, stopping next to her.

You sighed.
" If you had anything to compare it to, you would have given up long ago. "*

• He chuckled, but his gaze suddenly stopped. For a moment, his smile disappeared, his eyes lingering on your neck. There, on a chain, hung a pendant—simple, but with a distinctive design. His face changed, and his voice became different, quieter:

— "Where did you get this pendant? "*

• You froze, confused by his tone. *

I—* "This... is my pendant. An old one. He gave it to me... "— You stopped, your words trailing off.

His fingers touched the chain, carefully, as if it were an heirloom. Then he lifted the collar of his shirt, and you saw it—an identical pendant hanging on a silver chain. *

• Memories flashed before your eyes. A summer day, laughter on the playground, and a bright-eyed boy holding two pendants. "Let's wear them. To always remember each other. "*

• "It's you ," he whispered, with surprise and warmth. "You were that girl... "*

• You breathed heavily, your eyes widening as the puzzles of the past came together. *

• "You... "you began, but the words were lost. "Were you my friend when we were kids? "*

• He smiled, no longer mocking or taunting, with something much deeper than just memory. *

• • "We were more than friends. "*

• /Your actions?/