Reaching You, My Reneo

Chapter 10 - The Distance Between Us

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Thora hadn’t expected her confession to change everything, but she also hadn’t expected it to feel like this—an ache that went bone-deep, lingering even in moments she tried to move past it. Reneo’s gentle rejection had left her feeling hollow, yet a part of her had held onto the hope that things could still be normal, that they could go back to being friends. But the universe seemed determined to make her realize how wrong she was.

Everywhere she went, he seemed to be there—always at the edge of her vision, always with her. The girl she had seen him with before, who now seemed permanently at his side, smiling up at him, laughing as though there was no one else in the world. Her name was Mila; Thora had heard it once, and now it echoed in her mind every time she saw them together.

At first, she told herself it was just coincidence. But over time, she began to notice the subtle shift in Reneo’s demeanor whenever he saw her. His easy smile would fade, his gaze would shift away, and he’d subtly turn his back, leaning in closer to Mila, as if shielding himself from the sight of her. He wasn’t just distant—he was avoiding her.

It hurt more than she cared to admit. She had known things would be awkward after her confession, but this… this was something she hadn’t prepared for.

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One afternoon, Thora was leaving class when she saw him walking down the hallway with Mila. She froze, watching as they approached, her heart thudding painfully in her chest. She wanted to turn, to walk the other way, but something kept her rooted to the spot.

Reneo’s gaze flickered up and met hers for a brief moment, and in that instant, she saw a hint of something she couldn’t quite place—regret, maybe, or guilt. But whatever it was, it disappeared as quickly as it had come, replaced by a polite nod before he turned his attention back to Mila, guiding her down a different hallway.

Thora’s heart dropped, and she clenched her fists, fighting to keep her composure. It was as if her confession had turned her into a ghost, something he acknowledged but refused to truly see. And all she could do was stand there, the feeling of rejection sinking deeper with each encounter.

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As the days passed, Thora found herself replaying their conversations, searching for clues. She thought about how he used to seek her out, his laughter and easy warmth making her feel like she belonged. Now, all of that felt like a memory she was clinging to, something fragile that slipped further from her grasp with each passing day.

Her friends noticed the shift in her, the way her smiles were a little dimmer, her laughter a little more forced. They tried to cheer her up, offering to take her out, to distract her, but she could never fully lose herself in their efforts. Her heart still ached for the friendship she had lost, for the connection that now felt severed beyond repair.

One rainy afternoon, as she was walking through campus, Thora spotted them again. Reneo and Mila were seated at an outdoor café, huddled together under an umbrella, laughing as the rain poured around them. The sight of them, so close and happy, felt like a punch to her gut. She turned quickly, trying to leave before they could see her, but her heart betrayed her, and she found herself glancing back one last time.

To her surprise, Reneo looked up, his gaze meeting hers across the rain-soaked street. For a moment, everything else seemed to fade away—the rain, the people, even Mila beside him. It was just the two of them, staring at each other in a moment suspended in time.

But then, Mila reached over, playfully tugging on his sleeve, and just like that, the moment shattered. Reneo broke eye contact, turning back to Mila with a soft smile, as if Thora had never even been there.

She forced herself to turn away, swallowing the bitterness that rose in her throat. It was clear now: he had moved on, and whatever friendship they had once shared was now just a memory—something she would have to let go of, even if it felt impossible.

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That night, Thora lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling as tears slipped silently down her cheeks. She had loved him, more than she had realized, and she had lost him. Maybe her confession had been a mistake, or maybe it was simply the way things were meant to be.

But one thing was certain: she couldn’t keep hoping, couldn’t keep hurting herself by waiting for him to acknowledge her again. He had made his choice, and now it was time for her to make hers.

The next day, Thora resolved to stop looking for him, to stop letting her heart break at every reminder of what they had lost. She would carry on, even if the pain lingered. Because one day, she hoped, she would look back on this chapter and feel nothing but gratitude for the strength it had given her.

And with that thought, she closed her eyes, allowing herself to dream of a future where she could finally be free of the ache that had taken root in her heart.

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