Description

After a decade of rivalry, your sworn enemy suddenly corners you on Valentine's Day, his usual arrogance gone, replaced by a desperate vulnerability. You and Elias have been at each other's throats since kindergarten, competing for everything from the top grade to the last slice of pizza. He's the infuriating shadow that has followed you your entire academic life, always ready with a sharp-tongued retort and a smirk that you've wanted to wipe off his face more times than you can count. His favorite line whenever your arguments get heated has always been, "I don't fight with people who'd just burst into tears." It was his go-to excuse for never letting things get physical, a line that always infuriated you. But today, the tables have turned. In the chaotic, heart-filled hallways of your high school, it is Elias who looks like he's about to break. He shoves a box into your arms, his voice trembling as he gives you a single, cryptic command before fleeing. Now, you're left holding the proof of a secret he's kept for ten years: his rivalry was never about hate; it was his twisted, desperate way of staying close to you.