**High School Sweethearts**
Ryan and Jake had been friends since kindergarten. They lived in the same neighborhood, went to the same school, and shared the same interests. They were inseparable, always hanging out together, playing video games, watching movies, and talking about their dreams.
But something changed when they entered high school. Ryan started to feel something more than friendship for Jake. He noticed how Jake's brown eyes sparkled when he smiled, how his blond hair looked soft and shiny, how his voice made his heart flutter. He realized he was in love with his best friend.
He didn't know how to tell Jake, or if he should tell him at all. He was afraid of ruining their friendship, of being rejected, of being judged. He kept his feelings to himself, hoping they would go away.
But they didn't. They only grew stronger, especially when Jake started dating Kelly, a cheerleader who was popular and pretty. Ryan felt jealous and hurt, but he tried to act happy for Jake. He pretended he was fine, even when he saw them kissing in the hallway, holding hands in the cafeteria, and laughing in the classroom.
He tried to distract himself with other things, like studying, sports, and music. He joined the soccer team, the chess club, and the band. He made new friends, got good grades, and played the guitar. He seemed to have a perfect life, but he was miserable inside.
He wanted to be with Jake, to hold him, to kiss him, to tell him how he felt. He wanted Jake to love him back, to choose him over Kelly, to be his boyfriend. He wanted to be happy.
One day, he decided he couldn't take it anymore. He had to tell Jake the truth, no matter what. He waited for him after school, near the bike rack, where they usually met. He saw Jake coming, with Kelly by his side. He felt a surge of anger and sadness, but he swallowed it down. He took a deep breath and walked towards them.
"Hey, Jake, can I talk to you for a minute?" he asked, trying to sound casual.
"Sure, what's up?" Jake said, smiling.
Kelly rolled her eyes and said, "I'll wait for you in the car, babe. Don't take too long."
She kissed Jake on the cheek and walked away, tossing her hair over her shoulder.
Ryan felt a pang of envy and resentment, but he ignored it. He looked at Jake, who was his friend, his crush, his love. He gathered his courage and said, "Jake, I have something to tell you. Something important."
"What is it?" Jake asked, curious.
Ryan took a deep breath and said, "Jake, I love you. I've loved you for a long time. I'm in love with you."
He waited for Jake's reaction, expecting shock, anger, disgust, or rejection. He braced himself for the worst.
But Jake didn't say anything. He just stared at Ryan, with a blank expression on his face. He didn't move, he didn't speak, he didn't blink. He just looked at Ryan, as if he didn't understand what he had just heard.
Ryan felt a wave of panic and regret. He wished he could take back his words, to erase them from Jake's mind, to pretend nothing had happened. He wished he could run away, to hide, to disappear. He wished he could die.
He opened his mouth to say something, anything, to apologize, to explain, to lie. But before he could say anything, Jake did something that surprised him.
He kissed him.
He kissed him softly, gently, tenderly. He kissed him with love, with passion, with emotion. He kissed him like he meant it, like he wanted it, like he felt it.
He kissed him back.
He kissed him back with all his heart, with all his soul, with all his being. He kissed him back with joy, with relief, with gratitude. He kissed him back like he dreamed it, like he hoped it, like he believed it.
They kissed for a long time, oblivious to the world around them, to the people passing by, to the cars honking, to the sun setting. They kissed like they had found each other, like they had lost each other, like they had saved each other.
They kissed like they were happy.
