*Nate's POV*
Months have passed since Ashley and I broke up. Only those in our close circle knew. We never made some grand announcement, and neither of us had any intention of parading it to the world. It wasn't necessary, and neither of us wanted the attention.
It still feels strange, thinking about it. The sting of betrayal had lingered for a while, but eventually, it turned into a distant ache. Surprisingly, Ash and I managed to remain good friends. Once the dust had settled and emotions weren't so raw anymore, she even introduced me to her new boyfriend, Jesse. I won't lie... at first, it stung.
But when I met the guy, I realized he was actually a decent person. And honestly? He treated her the way she deserved to be treated, in a way that, looking back, maybe I never could. That realization hurt, but it also made it easier to accept things. And when I saw how happy she was, I knew I had to let go of whatever resentment was left. So, I did. I let her go, genuinely wishing her well.
As for me? I wasn't looking for anything or anyone. I was just trying to pick up the pieces, moving forward one step at a time. After everything, I felt too drained to even think about being in another relationship. I was exhausted... emotionally. I figured it was best to take my time, focus on healing, and steer clear of relationships for now. I needed to put myself back together before I even thought about anything else.
So I focused on friendships, on school, on just existing without the constant push and pull of emotions that had defined my past months.
But if I was being honest, I had one regret.
A friendship I had let slip through my fingers.
Sam.
It had been months, and still, here we were.
Strangers to each other.
It's funny how things changed. A few months ago, she would look at me with this quiet hope, waiting for me to acknowledge her. And now? Now, when we pass each other in the halls, she doesn't even spare me a glance. Like I'm just another face in the crowd. Like I never meant anything.
And now, I was the one waiting... waiting for a look, a nod, anything to tell me that maybe, just maybe, I wasn't erased from her life entirely. But that look never came.
And I guess I deserved that.
I wanted to talk to her. God, I wanted to talk to her. Every time I saw her, I thought about walking up to her, apologizing, telling her how much I regretted everything.
But every time, I hesitated. It had been too long. And she seemed... fine. No, more than fine. She looked happy. Content. Like she had moved on from whatever pain I had caused her.
And the last thing I wanted was to ruin that for her again. I just didn't want to be the reason for her sadness and tears again.
So I kept my distance. I let her ignore me. And I told myself this was for the best.
Still, it hurt. Every time we walked past each other like we were nothing, it was like a knife to the gut.
Maybe this was for the best. Maybe we all needed to heal. Maybe, one day, she would forgive me. And maybe, when that day came, I could finally make things right.
For now, I was content with watching from afar, making sure she was okay.
And I thought that was fine. I thought I could live with that.
Or at least, I thought I was content.
Until Josh freaking Moore came into picture.
I noticed it a few weeks ago, how he was suddenly everywhere Sam was. Following her around like a damn puppy. It pissed me off, though I had no reason for it to. Sam was free to be with whoever she wanted. She could be happy with someone else. But really, that guy?
It was infuriating. He was always next to her, always making her laugh, always inserting himself into her life. They weren't even close before. So why now? What was his deal?
I didn't trust him.
And the worst part? I had no right to be angry. No right to feel this way. But I did.
The other day, I found myself in the library, trying (and failing) to focus on my readings. That was until I heard Sam's laugh.
That laugh.
It had been months since I'd heard it up close. I should've walked away. Should've ignored it. But I couldn't. Instead, I stayed frozen in place, listening.
"Josh, stop, you're ridiculous!" Sam's voice rang out, light and teasing.
"Hey, I'm just saying, if we don't start outlining now, we'll end up cramming again. And I know for a fact you do not function well under pressure," Josh replied with a chuckle.
"Excuse me? I am surviving first year just fine," she shot back.
"Yeah, barely."
I clenched my jaw, gripping the strap of my bag tighter. Since when did they have inside jokes? Since when did Josh Moore know Sam better than I did?
"You're the one who barely made it," Sam teased. "I still remember you panicking over our midterms. You looked like you were about to pass out."
Josh groaned. "Don't remind me. I was dying."
Sam laughed again... genuine, carefree.
That used to be me. I used to be the one who made her laugh like that.
My stomach twisted. This was exactly why I never approached her. She seemed better off without me.
"So," Josh continued, his voice dropping slightly, "what are your summer plans?"
Sam hummed. "Not much. Cass and Millie have been bugging me to go on a trip with them. Maybe I'll finally give in."
"Sounds fun," Josh said. "You should go. You deserve a break."
And for some reason, that simple statement made my irritation spike. It wasn't even that different from something I would've said to her back then. But hearing it from him, hearing how close they'd become, made my blood boil.
I turned my head slightly and caught sight of them through the glass panel. Josh was sitting way too close to Sam, grinning at her like she was the only person in the world. And she wasn't moving away.
I had seen enough.
I exhaled sharply and forced myself to walk away.
This was my punishment.
For all the times I had ignored her, for all the times I had pushed her away, this was karma slapping me in the face.
But damn, it hurt.
And I didn't know what was worse: the fact that I had lost her or the fact that she didn't seem to care anymore.
Still, I couldn't help but hope.
Hope that one day, when we had all healed, when the wounds weren't so raw anymore, she would look at me again the way she used to.
Hope that one day, we could laugh together again.
Hope that one day, it would be me making her smile again—not Josh, not anyone else.
But for now, I could only watch from the sidelines, pretending it didn't hurt, pretending I was okay. For now, this was all I had.
And maybe, just maybe, waiting for my chance to make things right.
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