There was this girl I met through a family friend. She was pretty, just a year younger than me, but I never really noticed her. Honestly, I found her more annoying than anything else, especially when she insisted on tagging along whenever I hung out with her brother. It was only later that I realized she had a crush on me-a fact that seemed obvious to everyone but me. I tried to be kind, but I didn't want much to do with her. She was quiet, unremarkable, and lacked any real presence.
One day, her brother told me that she had been diagnosed with cancer, a form that spread in her blood. It was a tough time for him, watching his sister fight a brutal battle for months. She grew weaker, and it became clear that the cancer was winning. Eventually, we all knew she didn't have much time left. During this time, her brother became one of my closest friends, and I could see how hard it was for him to watch his little sister suffer.
I decided to take her on a date. She still liked me. I wanted to make her happy, to give her some comfort in her final days. I thought it might help her forget the pain, even if just for a while. We started spending more time together. I pretended to care, played the part of a loving boyfriend, saying the words she wanted to hear.
"I love you."
But it was a lie. I only felt sorry for her. A voice in my head told me it was wrong, but I couldn't abandon her now-it was too late. Her brother would have killed me.
Two months passed, and we saw each other every weekend. After school, I would visit her in the hospital. I took her to the beach, we watched the stars, we laughed. I knew she truly loved me. But I didn't love her back. I kept it to myself. I lied to everyone.
Six months into our relationship, her condition suddenly worsened. I hadn't expected it to happen so quickly. As summer came to an end, she passed away in the hospital with me holding her hand. The lying was finally over.
I didn't go to her funeral and lost contact with her family. Almost a year has gone by now. I sit at my desk, trying to study, but all I can think about is her. Tears running down my face, just like they do every night. But I don't miss her. I never loved her...
right?
