"Ryan, there's something I have to tell you," she began, her eyes sparkling with a mix of excitement and nervousness. "I've liked someone for a while now, and I think he might like me too."
Ryan's heart skipped a beat. This wasn't how it was supposed to go. He felt the carefully prepared words slipping away as he forced a smile. "Oh, really? Who's the lucky guy?"
Summer's smile grew even wider. "It's Josh. You know, from our history class. We've been hanging out a lot lately, and I just feel this connection with him."
Ryan's world tilted on its axis. Josh? The same Josh who had always seemed indifferent, who had never shown any signs of being interested in Summer? He swallowed hard, trying to keep his voice steady. "Josh, huh? That's... great, Summer. I'm happy for you."
Summer didn't seem to notice the strain in his voice. She continued talking about Josh, her words a blur in Ryan's ears. He nodded mechanically, his mind racing with all the things he wanted to say but couldn't.
Eventually, the conversation lulled, and Ryan found himself walking home in a daze. The evening air was cool, but it did little to numb the ache in his chest. He needed to clear his mind, to find some way to process the torrent of emotions.
He wandered to the park where they had spent countless afternoons. The swing set creaked gently in the breeze, a reminder of simpler times. Ryan sat on one of the swings, staring at the ground. He didn't notice the tears until they blurred his vision.
"Hey, are you okay?" a voice asked, startling him out of his thoughts.
Ryan looked up to see a familiar face—Jenna, his childhood friend who had always been there for him. She had a concerned look in her eyes.
"Yeah," Ryan lied, wiping his eyes quickly. "Just... needed some air."
Jenna took a seat on the swing beside him. "You don't have to pretend, you know. I've known you long enough to see when something's bothering you."
Ryan sighed, the weight of his unspoken feelings pressing down on him. "I was going to tell Summer how I felt today. But she told me about the guy she likes before I could say anything."
Jenna nodded understandingly. "That must have been tough to hear."
"Yeah," Ryan admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.
They sat in silence for a while, the only sound the creaking of the swings and the distant chirping of crickets. It was a comforting silence, a shared moment of understanding.
"You know," Jenna finally said, "it's okay to feel heartbroken. But don't let this stop you from being honest about your feelings in the future. You deserve to be with someone who feels the same way about you."
Ryan nodded, taking a deep breath. "Thanks, Jenna. I needed to hear that."
As they walked back together, Ryan felt a glimmer of hope. The road to healing would be long, but he wasn't alone. And maybe, just maybe, there were better days ahead.