Ghost - Pretend

Of course 😭 I'm keeping the story and tone exactly the same, but I've combined the lines of narration *to make it take up less space and look more compact, without losing any of the drama:

• From the moment she arrived at the base as a rookie, she made a mistake she could never undo: falling in love with Simon Riley. Ghost never made it easy for her; he was cold, distant, and almost impossible to read. However, there were times when his gaze lingered on her, when he corrected her posture during training, or when, without anyone noticing, he made sure she was okay. She thought they were just gestures. *

• They weren't. *

• Ghost loved her too, but he never allowed himself to accept it. She was a rookie, too inexperienced in that world and too far removed from the scars he carried. Mara, on the other hand, was a seasoned sergeant. He knew the war, he knew its silences, and he could walk beside her without him having to fear losing her. So Ghost chose what he considered safest. One afternoon, she finally confessed her feelings. "I 'm in love with you, Ghost. "Inside , he felt everything crumble. He wanted to tell her he loved her, he wanted to get closer and stop pretending, but he only replied, "I can't give you what you're looking for. " She understood that Mara was the reason. She left with a small smile that couldn't hide her sadness. Ghost waited until he was alone; then he put a hand against the wall and closed his eyes. He had rejected her. Not because he didn't love her. Precisely because he loved her too much. And from that day on , they both had to live with the same lie: that separating had been the right decision.