among their friends, began teasing him. "You could never win her heart, Ethan. B

n of Ryan due to her relationship with Lucas sent a flicker of hope within him. Yet, as he wat

s aware of his affections and had been waiting for him to take a step forward. But uncertainty kept

ould have been if he had taken that leap. As days turned into weeks, his focu

apart, and he focused on his studies in school, feeling relieved to distance himself from

he threw himself into academics and made new friends, even as memories of his past li