Dan was moping around throughout the school day and what a dampening sight that was. Jacie refused to talk to him, our other friends didn't want to get involved – something about Jacie's Jack Russell personality.

So I offered to buy him dessert from a small place in town we'd usually go to as a group. It didn't take much convincing.

We took a seat at a colourful booth right by one of the building's large windows, protected from the pattering rain by the glass. 

“I don't want to hurt her, obviously. Why would I? But…ugh, Elvis, tell me what to do!” He grumbled, poking the hot, chocolate and cookie waffle he had ordered on my dime.

My mouth was too full to answer him, and he took that as an excuse to keep talking.

“She's just so much, all of the time. And if I don't match her mood then I'm being a problem! When have you ever seen me as happy and bubbly as her?”

I shrugged, trying to swallow my food so I could get a word in.

“Exactly. She knew what she was getting into.”

When I could finally speak, I held my hand up to pause Dan's rambling. “Have you spoken to her about this? Because she hasn't spoken to you about her feelings. And I think you guys just really need to talk.”

Dan's whole demeanour perked up. “She's told you about this? What did she say?”

I gave him a deflated look. “Why don't you ask her about it?”

“She isn't talking to me right now. She said she's giving me the space that I ‘obviously’ crave.” He said as he dropped his eyes back to his sad waffle.

It really wasn't my place to give out anything more than standard relationship advice, surely. They're both my friends and I want the best for both of them. But what if the best for both of them is permanent time apart? I mean, Jacie always had many little things to complain about, and Dan barely had anything ever to say about Jacie.

It may not be my place, but I voiced my thoughts anyway, albeit with a pinch of panicked hesitation. “Maybe if you guys won't talk, it'd be better for you to part ways.”

“You think we should break up?” Dan asked, brows raised and wide eyes fixed on me. But he was quick to redirect his attention back down as he poked his food.

I held the silence, giving him time to think. It looked like his little brain was working overtime before he finally started eating. 

“Okay.” He eventually said.

The shock that entered my body, I can't explain. “Okay? That's…that's it?”

“Well, she's clearly not happy with me.” He shrugged. 

“That's why you guys have to talk!”

“You just told me to break up with her, now you don't want me to?” He said, the faintest smile on his face. It was weird, but I wrote it off as pressure from a tense situation. Or he's making fun of me. 

I threw my fork down, tried not to cringe at the sound of it clattering against the plate, and crossed my arms. “I'm just giving you suggestions, not telling you how to live your life!”

“If Jacie and I did break up, that'd give you more time to hang out with me. This could've been your plan all along.” His smile had increased, becoming something smug that I could only roll my eyes at. 

“If that happened, we both know I'd be hanging out with Jacie more.”

“Hm. Hurtful.”

I laughed. “You’re the one living in denial. Anyway, Christmas break starts soon. What games are we gonna play instead of hanging out with family?”

Dan finally took a bite of his dessert, making me wait until he swallowed. “Homework.”

“Ew,” I replied, repulsed. “Never.”

It was later that night, while I struggled to compose yet another note for my extraordinarily elusive admirer, that Dan messaged me with an update.

Dear stalker,

My note started.

I thought I had finally figured you out. I thought my detective work was finally becoming world-class. I was very wrong.

But I totally get not knowing what to do when we leave. I feel lost when we’re even on our term breaks. I sometimes wish my life was planned out before me, with simple pathways to guide me through living. Maybe that’d be boring, though. But you keep things interesting, I guess.

I think I’ll miss these notes over Christmas break, but I hope you have a good one!

Is that a weird note? It seemed slightly off-topic. Should I even let my admirer know that I’ve been trying to figure it out? Ugh, who cared at this point.

My phone vibrated on my bed beside me, the light further illuminating my dimly-lit room. It was a message from Dan.

Dan, 22:43 Some news Jacie and I had a long talk…

It said. Before I could click the message and read the rest, a message from Jacie overtook my notification bar.

Jacie, 22:44 DAN AND I ARE BACK TOGETHERR!!

I felt bad for the resigned sigh I was glad Jacie and Dan weren’t around to hear. It was hard to feel happy for them when I could almost guarantee that their ‘talk’ probably didn’t involve many productive words. I know them both too well for that.

Jacie: a hopeless romantic who easily got stuck in her comfort zone, and Dan: much less of a romantic and not that great at listening. Or talking. 

But who am I to pass judgment on relationships? My love life consists of writing dumb letters to my unknown ‘stalker’.

I sighed again.