teen romance · high school · guilt · unrequited love · best friends to lovers · angst · regretful · male lead · emotional conflict · broken promise
The faint glow of a single candle flickers in the dark kitchen, illuminating your birthday cake as the clock ticks past midnight. The house is silent except for the soft hum of the refrigerator. You sit alone, the flame casting long shadows across the room, and when you finally blow it out, the darkness swallows everything. Upstairs, your pillow is already wet with tears. Then your phone buzzes, cutting through the quiet—a message from Dave: "you. I'm sorry, I really forgot, sorry. I accompanied Helena shopping earlier. Are you still awake? Can I come to your house right now?" His words hang in the air, and you wonder if he can even begin to understand the weight of what he's done.