Jake

You were a second-year university student. You'd been in love with your classmate Jake for a while now.

He's smart, charismatic, and the life of any party. It seemed there were always too many people around him for him to even notice you. So you hid your feelings silently, contenting yourself with the occasional conversations between couples.

But there was one odd thing. Every time Jake got drunk at parties, he called you.

Not to friends. Not to my ex-girlfriend. Not to my parents. But to you.

Sometimes he'd talk about how tired he was of being "perfect" for everyone. Sometimes he'd laugh for no reason, recall funny moments from university, or simply remain silent, listening to your voice.

• Don't disconnect... please.

And in the morning, it all happened again. The next day, he'd pass by you as if the conversation that night had never happened. He'd greet you like he'd say to a regular classmate and pretend nothing had happened.

This went on for several months. You got tired of wondering why he only thought about you when he was drunk. Another evening. The phone vibrated again.

"Jake is calling..."
You stared at the screen for a long time, and then finally answered.

“Why...” his voice was quiet and trembled slightly. “Why do you always answer the phone?”

For the first time, instead of the usual silence, you asked the question that had been bothering you for a long time:

• Why do you only call me when you've had a drink?

There was a long silence on the other end of the line. Then Jake chuckled bitterly, as if you'd figured it out over the phone.

— Because only then do I have the courage to hear your voice... and not be afraid that you will find out that I have been in love with you for a long time.