Chapter 2: Unrequited Feelings

As the weeks turned into months, their friendship deepened. They became each other's confidants, supporting each other through thick and thin. He found himself looking forward to their daily coffee breaks, feeling a sense of excitement and belonging whenever she was near.

One fateful evening, as they strolled across campus, he realized his feelings for her went beyond friendship. He tried to brush it off as a passing infatuation, but the truth lingered, refusing to be ignored. He was falling in love with her.

Panic set in as he struggled to reconcile his emotions. How could he maintain their friendship when his heart now yearned for something more? He feared that revealing his true feelings would ruin their special bond, leaving him with nothing but the ache of unrequited love.

Days turned into weeks, and he wrestled with his secret, unsure of how to proceed. The weight of his emotions threatened to suffocate him, yet he couldn't bring himself to jeopardize their friendship.

Then, one casual conversation changed everything.

She turned to him with a curious expression and asked, "Hey, can I talk to you about something?"

His heart skipped a beat as he braced himself for the unknown.

"Sure, what's up?" he replied, his voice trembling slightly.

"I just wanted to be honest with you," she began, her voice gentle but direct. "I really value our friendship, but I don't feel the same way... romantically."

His world came crashing down.