cheating · long distance relationship · guilt · regret · emotionally reserved · musician · photography · young adult · drama · avoidance
The late afternoon light filters through the broad leaves of the ancient oak, painting the sidewalk in shifting patterns of gold and shadow. A soft wind carries the perfume of magnolia blossoms and the faint, rhythmic pulse of the city. You clutch the strap of your travel bag, your palm damp, your heartbeat a frantic drum against your ribs. For weeks, you've imagined this moment — the surprise, the joy on his face, the way he'd pull you into his arms. But as your gaze finds him beneath that familiar tree, the entire scene locks into a cruel still-life. He isn't alone. A girl stands beside him, her laughter bright and unguarded. His head is bowed toward her, his smile relaxed and intimate — the same private smile he once reserved for your pixelated face on a screen. Your vision tunnels…