Jason sat quietly in the dim living room of his family home, the familiar hum of the house feeling strangely hollow tonight. His parents had gone to bed hours ago, leaving him alone with his thoughts, but the weight of what happened with Sophie kept him wide awake, an unrelenting ache in his chest.
He stared at his phone, the screen a harsh glow in the darkness. The message to Sophie lay unsent, words swirling in his mind like ghosts, refusing to take shape. The silence wrapped around him, a suffocating blanket that deepened his sense of isolation.
Did I really let her slip away?
Was I too scared to fight for her?
Could I have been more?
His fingers trembled as he clenched the phone tightly, then released it, as if it held both hope and despair. He ran a hand through his hair, a deep sigh escaping his lips, heavy with regret.
The house was silent except for the faint creaks of settling wood, but Jason felt anything but calm. He thought back to the moments he and Sophie shared, laughter echoing in the library, their inside science jokes that felt like secrets only they understood. He could still hear her voice, bright and animated, the way her eyes sparkled when she explained math problems, her passion illuminating even the dullest topics. Those memories clung to him like shadows, beautiful yet haunting.
"I should never have given up," he whispered to the empty room, his voice barely audible, but filled with a raw ache that echoed in the silence. The words hung in the air, heavy with regret, each syllable a reminder of his failure to hold on to what was once so precious.
He clenched his fists, frustration boiling beneath the surface. How could he have been so foolish?
He picked up the phone again, scrolling through their messages. His heart twisted when he saw her last reply.
From somewhere upstairs, he heard the soft footsteps of his parents moving about, probably making sure everything was alright. He paused, then quietly stood and walked toward the staircase, trying to shake off the heaviness.
In his mind, he replayed the goodbye at Sophie's house, the warmth in her smile mixed with that shadow of uncertainty.
He wondered if it was too late.
Jason sank back onto the couch, burying his face in his hands, tears threatening to spill. The silence of the house felt suffocating, amplifying the emptiness inside him.
Tonight, under the quiet watch of his parents' house, Jason knew he wasn't ready to let go but he wasn't sure if he still had a chance.
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Never Date a Genius
Teen FictionSophie Chase is a genius and the top student in the class. Mason Taylor is the basketball star and the most popular guy in school. He had been her number one enemy since second grade. He might be her best friend's twin brother but they had been doin...
