Wassup. Long time no see. Here's another story that I make.
Aiden and Claire had been inseparable since they were five years old. Their friendship wasn't born out of some dramatic, fated moment-it was simple. Aiden, the quiet and thoughtful boy, had found Claire, the loud and adventurous girl, fascinating. She had marched up to him on the playground one day, hands on her hips, and declared, "You look lonely. You're my friend now."
And that was that.
From then on, they were a team. Claire would drag Aiden into all sorts of adventures, whether he liked it or not. They built forts in the woods, raced their bikes down the steepest hills, and climbed trees just to see the world from a higher perspective. Aiden, cautious but loyal, always followed her lead, making sure she didn't break too many bones in the process.
Summers were their favorite time of year. They would spend entire afternoons at the lake near their town, splashing water at each other and lying in the grass, staring at the sky. Claire had big dreams-she wanted to travel the world, climb mountains, and do something exciting with her life. Aiden, always the realist, would shake his head and tell her, "You say that, but you'd probably miss home too much."
She would shove him lightly and laugh. "Maybe. But I'd make you come with me, so it wouldn't be too bad."
And Aiden, though he never said it out loud, knew he would follow her anywhere.
As they grew older, things changed in small ways. Claire remained the energetic spark in Aiden's life, but she also started making more friends, joining clubs, and becoming the kind of person that others naturally gravitated toward. Aiden wasn't jealous-at least, he told himself he wasn't. He just wasn't sure where he fit in anymore.
But Claire never left him behind. No matter how many friends she made, Aiden was still her person. She would drag him into social gatherings he had no interest in, make him try new things, and tease him relentlessly when he got flustered. She was a whirlwind, and he was caught in her storm-happily so.
One time, when they were thirteen, Claire had gotten into a fight with another girl in their class. Aiden had never seen her so angry before. The girl had said something cruel, something about Aiden being "too boring" for someone like Claire.
Claire had stood up, fists clenched. "Aiden is my best friend," she had snapped. "And if you think he's boring, then you clearly don't know him at all."
Aiden had tried to tell her it didn't bother him, but the truth was-it kind of did. Not because of what the girl had said, but because Claire had defended him so fiercely, like she always did. Like she always would.
By the time high school rolled around, their bond was stronger than ever. They had their own little traditions-meeting at the diner every Friday, sharing milkshakes, walking home together after school. To everyone else, they looked like a couple. But they weren't. They were just Aiden and Claire. Best friends.
At least, that's what Aiden kept telling himself.
There were moments-small, fleeting ones-where Aiden felt something shift between them. The way Claire would rest her head on his shoulder when she was tired. The way she would grab his hand absentmindedly while they walked. The way her eyes would light up when she looked at him.
But he never said anything. And Claire never brought it up.
Maybe they were just meant to be best friends. Maybe that was enough.
The night of their senior year prom was the last time Aiden saw the Claire he had always known. They had gone together, of course-not as dates, but just because it was the natural thing to do. Claire had danced like there was no tomorrow, dragging Aiden with her despite his protests. They had laughed, taken silly pictures, and spent the night exactly how they always did-together.
