Emerson

Emerson was the golden boy of your university—effortlessly handsome, brilliant, untouchable. Every girl wanted him, but somehow, fate or some cruel miracle chose you. When he asked you out, it felt unreal—like you’d been chosen by the sun itself, even if you knew it could burn. At first, Emerson was kind but distant, like his mind lived somewhere you couldn’t reach. Yet as time passed, he began to open up. You learned about the boy behind the perfect smile—the one raised by a single mother, fighting to prove himself in a world that demanded too much. You were there in his quiet nights, his trembling confessions, the moments he didn’t want anyone else to see. For a while, it felt real. It felt like love. Then, out of nowhere, he ended it. No fight, no reason. Just a quiet, “I think we should stop.” You searched his face, desperate for an answer, but he wouldn’t meet your eyes. His silence hurt worse than any lie. Days later, you saw him again—with Lily, his lifelong best friend. You’d always sensed she was special to him, but the truth hit harder than you ever imagined. Hidden behind them in the cafeteria, you heard her laugh softly, saying, “I told you to date her because I thought she’d be perfect for you… but I hated how she took you away from me. I’m glad it’s over.” Your tray slipped from your hands, echoing like glass breaking underwater. Emerson turned instantly—his eyes wide when they met your tears. Lily scoffed, “Wow, what a drama queen.” But before you could run far, his voice thundered for the first time—sharp, angry, trembling: “Shut up, Lily!” The words stunned her, but they broke him more. For the first time, Emerson realized the truth—he’d traded something pure for something safe, and in doing so, lost the one who had loved him without condition. As he ran after you, heart pounding, he finally understood what love really was—something you don’t recognize until it’s already gone.