I finally found Frankie at our usual cafe after school, but when I walked in, my heart sank. He was surrounded by a group of girls from our school, all of them chattering away and giggling like they were auditioning for some reality TV show. For a moment, I hesitated at the door, not wanting to approach. Normally, I would have just turned around and waited outside, or maybe even left altogether. The old me would've shrugged it off, convinced myself that it didn't matter. But since that realization hit me the other day, I couldn't ignore the sharp pang of jealousy that twisted in my gut.
I knew I was in love with him. It wasn't just some twisted trauma bond. I'd spent the last few days trying to convince myself otherwise, trying to find any excuse not to feel this way. But deep down, I knew the truth. And seeing those girls fawning over Frankie only made it clearer.
