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Tiffany let out a shaky breath as she lay back on the bed, staring at the ceiling. Her eyes burned, tears blurring everything as she sniffled. She reached for her phone with trembling fingers and dialed Alex.
"Why are you awake?" Alex asked. Then paused. "Wait, are you crying?"
"...Mark told me he still likes me," Tiffany sobbed.
There was a beat of silence.
"And why the fuck are you crying about that?" Alex snapped. "Please tell me you said you like him back."
"I wanted to," Tiffany cried. "But I can't."
"And why not?" Alex sighed.
"I don't want to be a burden," Tiffany whispered. "He already has so much on his plate. Being with me would just make everything harder. And long-distance relationships never work."
"First of all, shut up with that long-distance stereotype," Alex scolded. "Second, why would you ever think you're a burden to him?"
*
Mark sat on the edge of his bed, staring down at the hair tie looped around his wrist. Tiffany's hair tie.
He should give it back.
He needed to give it back.
But after what had just happened, he didn't know how to face her. Didn't know what to say without making things worse.
Maybe he'd ruined everything.
He stood up slowly and stepped out of his room, walking toward the door she was staying in. As he got closer, voices drifted through the thin wood.
Soft. Broken.
"I don't want to be a burden on him."
His steps froze.
*
"I told you about the surgery I had in middle school, right?" Tiffany said shakily. "For my leg."
"Yeah?" Alex replied cautiously.
"I used to limp," Tiffany whispered. "That's why I got bullied. I was always thankful they never really hurt me, though..."
"I don't like where this is going," Alex muttered.
Tiffany sniffled. "They didn't hurt me because Mark took all the beatings for me. Every single one. And he never told me. I only found out later."
Her voice cracked completely.
"I felt like such a burden, Lexie. I still do. I love him so much...I want to be with him, but it feels like everything around me just breaks."
"Did you tell him this?" Alex asked quietly.
"I did," Tiffany sobbed. "I told him I wasn't worth his time. That he has millions of girls who love him...that he could have anyone."
"And what did he say?" Alex asked.
Tiffany's breath hitched.
"He said..." she broke down again. "He said there's only one girl he loves."
Alex exhaled slowly. "And that girl is you."
Tiffany hummed weakly through her sobs.
"Listen," Alex said firmly. "He sounds genuine. And if he's saying these things, he means them. You need to talk honestly. Completely honestly."
"I tried," Tiffany whispered. "I just...I don't know what to do anymore."
"I don't think you told him everything," Alex replied. "Tell him all of it. Even if you end up just friends, don't leave things like this. Don't let yourself drown alone."
"...Are you sure?" Tiffany asked.
"Trust me," Alex said gently before hanging up.
*
Tiffany placed the phone beside her and sat up slowly. Her cheeks were wet, her eyes sore and heavy. She stared at her reflection in the mirror for a moment before wiping her tears away, inhaling deeply.
She had to say it all.
She opened the door and froze.
Mark stood right there.
Staring at her with sad, unreadable eyes.
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