The days that followed were a blur for Jay. He tried to act normal around Erin, but it was hard. Every time he saw Erin laughing with Alex, his heart ached. He felt like a ghost, invisible to Erin, even though they were still friends.
One afternoon, after school, Jay found himself walking home with Erin and Alex. They were talking about a new video game, and Jay felt like an outsider. He tried to contribute to the conversation, but his words felt forced and awkward.
As they reached a fork in the road, Erin turned to Jay. "I'm going to hang out with Alex at his place for a bit," he said. "See you tomorrow?"
Jay nodded, his heart sinking. "Yeah, see you tomorrow," he said.
Erin smiled at him, a friendly, but not romantic smile, and then he turned to walk with Alex. Jay watched them go, feeling a pang of loneliness.
He walked home alone, his thoughts swirling. He realized that he had to accept the truth. Erin was just a friend, and he needed to move on.
He stopped at a park bench and sat down, taking a deep breath. He looked at the children playing, laughing, and running around. He thought about how much he loved watching them be happy, and he realized that he needed to find his own happiness.
He couldn't dwell on the past. He needed to focus on the future, on making new friends, on finding someone who would love him back.
He stood up and walked home, feeling a sense of determination. He was going to be okay. He was going to move on.
- Scene: A fork in the road after school.
- Characters: Jay, Erin, Alex.
(Jay walks home with Erin and Alex.)
Erin: I'm going to hang out with Alex at his place for a bit. See you tomorrow?
Jay: Yeah, see you tomorrow.
(Erin and Alex walk away. Jay walks home alone.)
(Jay sits on a park bench.)
(Jay stands up and walks home.)