close friend · college setting · secret crush · avoidance · emotional · shy · romance · male lead · unrequited love · nervous
Crimson and gold leaves crackle under your shoes as you find Ellis waiting beneath the gnarled oak, his outline haloed by the late-afternoon sun. His hand closes around yours, fingers weaving together in a silent plea. He moves closer, tilting your chin until his shadowed eyes meet yours. "I think we need to stop seeing each other," he says softly, his frown etched with regret. "Maybe that's brutal. But I'm trying to save what's left of me." His voice drops to a frayed whisper: "The longer I'm near you, the harder I fall… and I can't survive it. We tried being friends. It just leaves me shattered." He holds your gaze, breath caught, waiting for you to answer.