two people who've been together since they were basically four. They were each other's first for everything but when sophomore year came along things weren't going as smooth. They were changing, growing apart but what happened when senior year bring...
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"Warmth- enthusiasm, affection, or kindness."
The weight of the past few minutes settled over me, leaving me feeling raw and exposed. It was one thing to see Dean around, to catch glimpses of his life moving on without me, but talking to him felt different. It made everything more real—the breakup, the hurt, and, worst of all, the fact that maybe, just maybe, I had been holding on too tightly to things that were never mine to keep.
I sighed, trying to steady myself. "I'm trying, Dean. To move on. To... let things be." It was the closest I could get to admitting the truth. I didn't want to let him go, not really. But somewhere in my heart, I knew I had to.
Dean nodded, a look of understanding softening his features. "I know it's hard. I mean, I think we both knew it would be."
He looked away, his gaze drifting down the hallway where our friends had once gathered, laughing and talking as if nothing could ever come between us. "They all miss you, Tay. We all do."
The honesty in his voice stung. I'd pushed them all away, thinking it was what I needed to heal, but instead, I'd just boxed myself into this lonely little world where I could cling to memories but never truly move forward.
"Do you miss me?" I blurted, instantly regretting it. It was a stupid, selfish question, but part of me just needed to hear the answer, needed to know that our time together had meant something to him, too.
He paused, looking down at his hands before meeting my gaze. "Of course I do, Taylor. You were... everything. You were my best friend. But I think we both needed to grow up a bit, figure out who we were without each other."
His words made my heart ache, but I couldn't deny the truth in them. Maybe we had both held on too tightly to a love that was meant to be a chapter, not the whole story.
"I get it," I whispered. "I really do. I guess I just didn't know how to be without you."
He gave a small, sad smile. "Me neither, at first. But it's okay, Tay. It really is. You deserve to be happy, even if that's not with me."
The finality in his words hit me, and I felt the familiar sting of tears welling up. But this time, it was different. It was less about wanting him back and more about releasing the pain I'd been holding onto. I wanted to be free—to laugh without that weight in my chest, to feel whole again.
"Thank you," I managed, my voice barely a whisper. "For everything."
He nodded, and for the first time in a long time, I felt like we were both at peace. I could let him go without hating him, without resenting him for moving on before I was ready. And maybe, just maybe, that would be the first step in truly finding myself again.
As I turned to walk away, I caught a glimpse of Jon at the end of the hall, watching me. I took a deep breath, knowing that I owed him an explanation, that I wanted to give him a chance if he'd let me. It was time to stop running from the past and start embracing the possibilities of the future.
With one last look at Dean, I turned away, ready to take that next step forward—towards Jon, towards new memories, and, maybe, towards a new kind of happiness.
