Weeks had passed since our conversation. There was no formal relationship tag between us anymore—no labels, no definitions—but the connection remained, pulsing gently beneath every call, every message, every emoji sent at midnight.
We flirted like we used to. Teased like we always had. Shared secrets, songs, sleepy selfies. It was almost as if nothing had changed… except that everything had. There was a softness now, a carefulness between us. Like we both knew how fragile this space was—and how important it was not to rush.
And then, reality came knocking: college was reopening.
I was the first to leave.
My ticket was booked, my suitcase packed. I tried to stay calm, focused on logistics—on chargers and toiletries and laundry bags. But inside, I was a whirl of nerves. I wasn't afraid of college. I was afraid of distance. Of the silence it might bring.
Maddy came to drop me at the airport. He didn't say much when we met. Just held my hand the whole ride there, his thumb brushing circles into my palm.
When we got out near the entrance, he pulled off his hoodie and handed it to me.
"Wear this when you miss me," he said, trying to sound casual.
Then he took off his specs—those old, oversized ones I always teased him about—and tucked them into my hand. "And keep these. Just so I know a part of me's with you."
I wanted to smile. I really did.
But my throat tightened. The tears were already pricking my eyes.
We didn't hug, not fully. We just stood close—so close our foreheads nearly touched. And for a long, quiet moment, neither of us said a word.
The announcement for boarding echoed overhead.
I glanced at him. His eyes were red, blinking fast.
"I'll miss you," I whispered.
His lips parted slightly, but no words came out. Just a small nod. A shaky breath.
And as I walked toward the gate, dragging my bag behind me, I felt it—
Two hearts breaking quietly, not because they were ending…But because even when love is still there, distance can still hurt.
When I looked back one last time, he was still there, standing at the glass. Watching me go.
Wearing a smile.
With silent tears in his eyes.