Love After Time

The Unrequited Love Part 1

Sophie sat in her high school classroom, staring longingly at the back of Jack's head. She had been crushing on him since the beginning of the school year but never had the courage to tell him. Instead, she would sit with her two best friends, Emily and Sarah, and talk about him constantly. They would discuss every detail they knew about him, from his favorite color to his favorite band. They even followed him on social media but never dared to actually interact with him.

With only two months left before the end of the school year, Emily and Sarah had enough. They decided it was time for Sophie to finally confess her feelings to Jack. "Come on, Sophie, you can't just pine after him forever," Emily said. "If you don't tell him, you'll never know if he feels the same way."

Sarah chimed in, "Yeah, and what's the worst that can happen? He says no, and you move on. At least you'll know."

Sophie bit her lip nervously. The thought of telling Jack how she felt was terrifying, but she knew her friends were right. She couldn't keep living in this limbo forever. "Okay," she said, "I'll do it."

The weeks leading up to the end of the school year were filled with anxiety and anticipation for Sophie. She rehearsed what she would say to Jack over and over again in her head. She even wrote him a letter, pouring her heart out about how she felt.

Finally, the last day of school arrived. Sophie's heart was pounding as she made her way to Jack's locker. She saw him standing there, talking to a group of friends. As she approached him, her mind went blank.

"Hey, Jack," she said, trying to sound confident. "Can I talk to you for a second?"

"Sure, what's up?" he replied.

Sophie took a deep breath and handed him the letter. "I just wanted to let you know how I feel about you," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I've had a crush on you for a long time, and I couldn't leave without telling you."

Jack looked down at the letter and then back up at Sophie. "I'm sorry, Sophie," he said. "I don't feel the same way."

Sophie's heart sank. She felt embarrassed and rejected. She mumbled something about understanding and quickly walked away, tears stinging her eyes.

Ten years later, Sophie was working for a house location company. She had long since forgotten about Jack and her teenage crush. One day, as she was showing a house to a potential buyer, she saw him again. He was older and more mature, but she recognized him instantly. Jack, her high school crush, was standing in front of her.

But he didn't recognize her. Sophie was too stunned to say anything as he asked her about the house's features. She showed him around, trying to keep her composure, but inside, she was a mess. She couldn't believe she was standing next to him after all these years, but he didn't even remember her.

As he left the house, Emily felt a sense of loss. She had been hoping for a second chance, but it seemed like it was never meant to be. She watched as he got into his car and drove away, wondering if she would ever get over the disappointment of her unrequited love.