𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐘𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐅𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐬

𝑶𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝑶𝒏𝒆 𝑭𝒐𝒓 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝑱𝒓 𝒙 𝑪𝒐𝒅𝒚 𝒑𝒕1

Cody had always been Junior's best friend, the one person he could count on when things went south. But somewhere along the way, that friendship grew deeper-too deep, some might say. Junior started to notice a strange feeling tugging at him whenever Cody was around anyone else. It was an itch, an anger that only grew, and soon he couldn't deny what it was: jealousy.

It started small, just a bit of annoyance when Cody would talk to Joseph too long or spend time with anyone who wasn't him. But over time, that jealousy morphed into something darker, something that crept up on him even when Cody wasn't around. Junior became consumed with thoughts of him, unable to focus on anything else.

One afternoon, Junior sat in his room, watching Cody laugh at some joke Joseph made from across the living room. The sight sent a wave of frustration through him. How could Cody be so happy without him? The way Cody's eyes lit up, the way his smile was just a little too bright-it was supposed to be his smile. Junior clenched his fists, biting his lip until he tasted blood.

The next day, he waited by Cody's locker at school, lurking in the shadows as he watched Cody chat with some classmates. Junior's eyes narrowed, and he could feel his heart pounding harder with each laugh Cody shared that wasn't with him. When Cody finally walked down the hall alone, Junior made his move.

"Cody!" he called out, putting on his usual carefree smile as he approached.

"Oh, hey, Junior!" Cody responded, a bit surprised to see him.

Without wasting a moment, Junior pulled Cody into a tight hug, his grip just a little too firm. Cody looked up, a bit startled.

"Hey, is everything alright?" Cody asked, his voice soft but uncertain.

Junior smiled, his eyes darker than usual. "Yeah, just wanted to make sure you're still my best friend. We don't need anyone else, right?"

Cody gave a small laugh, a hint of nervousness in his eyes. "Of course, Junior! You'll always be my best friend."

But Junior couldn't shake the feeling. Every time he saw Cody with someone else, the same thought would repeat over and over in his mind: No one else deserves him. No one else can have him.

A few days later, Junior noticed Cody hanging out with a boy from his science class. They were laughing, standing just a little too close, and something snapped inside him. The thought of anyone coming between them was unbearable. He stormed down the hallway, his vision blurring with anger. No one had the right to take Cody's attention like that.

"Junior, what are you doing?" Cody asked, noticing Junior approaching with a strange intensity.

Junior grabbed Cody's wrist, pulling him away from the girl without a word. "We need to talk," he muttered, not giving Cody a chance to respond.

He led Cody to a quiet corner behind the school, his hands shaking. "I don't like it when you're with other people, Cody. You're mine-you're supposed to be with me."

Cody looked at him, confused and a little scared. "Junior, we're friends. You don't have to get upset about every little thing-"

"I'm not upset. I'm just... protecting what's ours," Junior said, his voice chillingly calm.

Days turned into weeks, and Junior's behavior only grew more possessive. Friends started noticing the way Junior would hover around Cody, a dark look in his eyes whenever someone else got too close. Rumors spread, but Junior didn't care. He was willing to do whatever it took to make sure Cody never forgot who his best friend was.

One evening, after Cody had finally had enough, he confronted Junior. "This has to stop. I can't keep dealing with you scaring everyone off," Cody said, his voice trembling.