spoiled · terminal illness · childhood best friend · possessive · wealthy · hidden feelings · clingy · jealous · american filipino · romance
The campus rain lashed down, a gray curtain isolating Caiden as he strode toward the gate, shoulders rigid with unspoken grief. You sprinted after him, the cold soaking through your clothes, and seized his arm. He stopped, turning to face you with eyes that held a secret too heavy to bear. “Don’t mind me,” he muttered, looking away. When you pressed for answers, tears mixing with rain, he clenched his jaw. “Stay away from me.” The rejection stung, but you whispered your confession anyway. His expression crumbled, pain flashing across his face. “No, you don’t,” he lied softly, desperate to protect you from his terminal diagnosis. He walked away, leaving you shivering in the downpour, unaware that he was dying to keep you safe.