Sia had left me with her friends for a while, saying she had something to do. I stood there awkwardly, shifting on my feet, unsure of what to say or do.

“Hi,” I mumbled softly, expecting cold silence, maybe even anger—especially from Riza. After all, she had every reason to still resent me.

But to my surprise, Riza smiled brightly, stepping closer. “Relax, Sam. You don’t have to be so stiff around us. You’re a good person. And… a really talented artist, too.”

Her words stunned me. And before I could react, she curled herself around my arm, her tone playful. “No need to be shy. We’re all friends here now.”

Something about the sudden warmth felt… suspicious. Too easy. Too perfect. But I didn’t dwell on it. Relief drowned out doubt. If this meant no friction for Sia’s sake, if it meant her friends accepted me, I would take it. I smiled faintly, nodding along.

When Sia returned and saw me laughing lightly with them, her face lit up. “See? Told you Sam’s amazing!” she said proudly, as if presenting me to the world. My heart fluttered at her words.

For a moment, it felt like everything was fine. Maybe even perfect.

But deep down, I didn’t know—was it, really?

Days blurred into weeks. We all grew closer. For the first time in my life, I wasn’t the lonely shadow on the sidelines. I laughed, I teased, I joined in. I felt… seen. Changed.

But my heart never changed. Every stolen glance, every fleeting brush of her hand—it was still only Sia. She was my gravity, the secret I locked away. I never told her. I couldn’t. I didn’t want to risk the fragile, beautiful bond we had.

Then, one afternoon at lunch, when the others had gone ahead, Riza leaned across the table, her eyes gleaming.

“So, Sam,” she began casually, “you like Sia, don’t you?”

Her words hit like lightning. I froze, choking on my breath. “W-what?!”

“Oh, come on.” Her smile was sharp, knowing. “I’ve been watching you. The way you look at her, the way you always hover near her—it’s obvious. To me, at least.”

I swallowed hard, panic clawing at my chest. “It’s… it’s just my feelings. That’s all. I know what my place is. I’m happy being her friend.”

Riza laughed bitterly. “Such a fool. Did you really think she could ever like you back? That you could have her?”

My fists tightened under the table. “Hey… why say it like that? Did I do something wrong to you?”

Her voice dropped, low and cutting. “Your mistake was mistaking her kindness for something more. She only pitied you, Sam. You were alone, desperate… and she felt sorry. That’s the truth.”

Her words sliced me open. “Riza… do you hate me that much?”

“No,” she said coolly. “I don’t hate you. I just don’t want you here—taking what was mine. She was my best friend. She chose you over me.”

“Riza…” I whispered, pained. “That was one project. One moment. You’ll always mean more to her.”

Her eyes flared. “Don’t tell me what I am to her.”

I tried to steady my voice. “Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?”

Her lips curled into something that wasn’t quite a smile. “Yes. Let me get to know you more. Maybe then I’ll trust you with her.”

“Okay… like what?”

“You’ll see.” She leaned closer, her tone laced with warning. “But don’t ever mention this to Sia.”

I nodded weakly, though unease knotted my stomach.

Over the next days, Riza turned… different. Too nice. Clingy, playful, always by my side—laughing at my jokes, brushing her hand against mine, leaning into me as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

And she made sure Sia saw.

At first, I didn’t think much of it. But soon, I noticed the change in Sia. Her smiles were dimmer. Her laughter around me grew scarce. She stopped seeking me out like before.

One day, I couldn’t take it anymore. I cornered her after class, my heart pounding.

“Sia… what’s wrong? You’ve been avoiding me. You don’t talk to me like before. Did I do something?”

She didn’t answer. Silence pressed heavy between us.

“Please,” I begged, “tell me if I did something wrong. I’ll fix it.”

Finally, she looked at me—her eyes clouded, her lips trembling.

“Sam…” Her voice cracked. “You’ve changed. You’re not the same anymore.”

I blinked. “What? Changed how?”

Her chest rose sharply as if holding back tears. “Riza told me everything. That you pity me. That I’m pathetic. Overreacting. Since I always clinging and be there always around you. She said you told her all that. And that you started to hang out with her because you’re sick of me."

My world crashed. “No, Sia! That’s not true! I would never—”

“Don’t lie to me!” she snapped, pain lacing her voice. “I see you with her all the time—laughing, letting her touch you, clinging to her. And then she tells me what you said. What am I supposed to think?”

I shook my head desperately. “She twisted it all. She told me she wanted to test me, to know if she could trust me with you. That’s the only reason I—”

“Entrust you?” she interrupted, her voice sharp, wounded. “With me? What does that even mean? Do you hear yourself, Sam? You sound ridiculous.”

“She’s lying, Sia. From the start she never wanted me with you. Please, you have to see that!”

“Stop it!” Sia’s voice rang through the empty hallway, cracking with hurt. “Stop dragging her down to cover yourself. I trusted you, Sam. I thought you were different. But you’re just like everyone else.”

Her words gutted me.

“Sia,” I whispered, my throat burning, “please. You mean everything to me. How could you think I’d ever—”

“Enough.” Her voice broke, but her eyes stayed cold. “If you ever cared… stay away from me. From us.”

I stood frozen as she turned away, each step tearing the ground out from under me.

The air around me was cold, suffocating.

For the first time, I let the thought settle, heavy and merciless:
Maybe I was never meant to be loved.

And as the distance between us grew, all I could do was whisper her name into the emptiness, knowing she would never hear it—
knowing I had already lost her.

Trust shattered. Hearts broken.

Sam is left standing in the ruins of what once felt like love, questioning if she was ever worthy of it at all. But is this truly the end—or the cruel beginning of something even more painful?

💔 Thank you for reading this emotional rollercoaster. If you’re still rooting for Sam and Sia, drop a ❤️ below—I promise the journey is far from over.