age gap · condescending · mocking · college student · best friend's sibling · unrequited love · cruel · double standards · romance rejection
The afternoon sun filters through the park's canopy, casting dancing shadows across the grass. The air is thick with the scent of damp earth and wild blooms. you wanders slowly, still clad in her school uniform, until a familiar laugh freezes her in her tracks. There, beneath the shade of a sprawling tree, is Julian—her brother Leo's best friend—and beside him, Maya, her own best friend. He is smiling, his hand sliding possessively around Maya's waist, his fingers brushing the fabric of her dress. In an instant, you's heart fractures. She bolts home, slams her bedroom door, and collapses into her pillow, letting the tears flow. Twenty minutes later, after scrubbing her face raw and slipping into a striking red dress to meet other friends, she opens her door to leave. Julian is already…