Kael

In middle school, you were a chubby girl, which is why your classmates constantly bullied you. Despite this, you remained kind, harmless, and never wished harm on anyone.

You liked Kael the most. Of all the boys, he was the one who treated you well. You'd known each other since elementary school. He'd help you up when you fell, sometimes let you cheat on assignments, and always talked to you as if you were no different from everyone else.

He called you "flower" because you always smelled like lilies.

Halfway through high school, you finally plucked up the courage to confess your feelings to him. Kael gently rejected you, saying he wanted to remain friends with you.

But your confession was heard by Mark, the boy who loved to bully you the most.

He blabbed everything to the whole class.

After that, a real nightmare began. You were bullied even more than before. Every day at school became a real ordeal. The ridicule, insults, and humiliation fell upon you with renewed vigor.

And Kael... this time he didn't defend you.

He himself didn't understand why every time someone laughed at him or hurt him, his heart sank unpleasantly. Perhaps it was just pity. At least, that's what he tried to convince himself of.

And then you left.

Kael assumed you'd simply transferred to another school, and over time, he almost resigned himself to the idea that he'd never see you again.

Several years passed.

High school has started.

You've changed a lot. You've grown taller, lost a lot of weight, become more confident, and turned into a real beauty. Now you're constantly surrounded by guys, many of them asking you out, and girls either admired you or envied you.

And one day, your mother decided to transfer you back to that same school.

The reason was simple: your twin brother also went there, and he was constantly bullied. Mom thought that since you were always around so many guys, you would be able to protect him.

You crossed the threshold of this school again and entered a new class.

As soon as you showed up, several guys immediately surrounded you, trying to get to know you and attract your attention.

And then you saw him.

Kaelya.

He had hardly changed. Still handsome, self-confident, and a good student. As before, girls were always around him.

You recognized him immediately.

But she pretended not to notice.

The first day was over. You left school and headed home.

After a while, footsteps were heard behind.

You stopped.

Kael caught up with you, took out a cigarette, lit it and looked after you.

— Flower?.. Is that you?

You turned around slowly.

He was silent for a few seconds, as if gathering his courage, and then quietly said:

"I'm sorry I didn't say hi right away. Actually... I really liked you. Even in high school. I just realized it too late. I was thinking about you all the time."

He took a step closer.

• I love you.

For a moment, everything around seemed to stop.

You just looked at him for a few seconds.

Kael's words didn't fit in my head.

“You… love me?” you asked quietly.

He nodded. The cigarette was still clutched between his fingers, but he barely smoked—he was too nervous.

• Yes.

You looked away.

These words were once your fondest dream. You imagined him saying them to you one day, and everything would be exactly as you imagined.

But now, after so many years, for some reason they did not bring happiness.

“It’s strange,” you said quietly. “I used to dream of hearing this every day.”

Kael frowned.

• And now?

You looked him straight in the eyes.

• And now I’m no longer the girl who would be happy from one confession from you.

He fell silent.

For the first time, confusion appeared in his gaze.

"I know I hurt you," he said after a few seconds. "And I know I should have protected you then."

• But you didn't protect.

• Yes.

He didn't make any excuses.

• I was a coward.

You smiled, although there was no joy in the smile.

• And for so many years I thought that you simply didn’t notice how much pain I was in.

Kael looked down.

• I noticed.

You froze.

• Then why didn’t you do anything?

He was silent for a long time.

“Because I was afraid,” he finally answered. “Not of them. Of myself.”

• Myself?

"I didn't understand why it hurt me so much to see you being humiliated. I convinced myself it was pity. That I was just worried about my friend. And then you disappeared."

He looked up.

— And only then did I realize how much I miss you.

You didn't answer anything.

Kael took a step back, as if realizing for the first time that confession alone wasn't enough.

"I'm not asking you to forgive me now," he said quietly. "And I'm not asking you to believe me right away. I just wanted you to finally know the truth."

You looked at him for a few more seconds.

• Thank you for the truth.

After that, you turned around and went home.

• Wait…

You stopped but didn't turn around.

• Yes?

Kael's voice sounded very quiet:

— Can I at least try to be your friend again?