Genre: Lgbtq+, Tragic, Friendship.
Ariv and Kean had always been inseparable. Same school, Same bench, Same dreams.
Everyone called them two halves of one soul.
And maybe, they were right.
Because Ariv knew everything about Kean.
His favorite food. His fears.
The way he smiled when he was nervous.
And most importantly, Who he loved.
It wasn’t him but Mira.
“Do you think she’ll ever like me back?” Kean asked one evening, lying on the grass beside him.
Ariv stared at the sky. “Yeah, she will.”
Kean turned towards him surprisingly “Really?”
Ariv smiled, “Who wouldn’t?”
Kean laughed, relieved.
But Ariv didn’t laugh. Because he meant it & that was the problem.
Ariv had loved Kean for years.
Silently & Carefully.
Like holding something fragile that was never meant to be his.
But Kean never knew.
Because Kean only saw him as his childhood friend.
When Mira started getting closer to Kean, people noticed.
“They look good together,” someone said.
Ariv heard it.
And smiled,“Yeah,they do”
One day, Mira came to him.
“Ariv, can I ask you something?”
“Of course.”
“Kean likes me, right?”
Ariv’s heart stopped.
For a sec just one sec he thought about lying.
He thought about saying No to her.
Thought about keeping Kean, just a little longer.
But then
He remembered Kean’s smile.
The way he waited for her replies. The way he said her name.
And Ariv knew.
He was never part of that story.
“Yeah,” he said softly. “He does”
Mira smiled shyly. “Then Should I say yes?”
Ariv forced a light laugh. “You’re asking the wrong person.”
“No, I’m asking the right one,” she said. “You know him best.”
That was true. He knew Kean best.
He knew what would make him happy.
And it wasn’t him.
“You shouldn't ve said yes,” Ariv
whispered.
¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤
That night, Kean ran to him, breathless.
“She said yes” Rayan looked at him.
And for a moment, Everything inside him broke quietly.
But his smile didn’t.“That’s great,” he said. And he meant it. That was the worst part.
¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤
Days passed. Then weeks.
Dev was always busy now.
Calls, Messages, Plans with Mira.
But one thing same Ariv was still there
for him, but just less, needed now.
But he never complained. Never pulled away. Never showed it. Because this was his choice.
One evening, Kean sat beside him again after a long time.
“Hey! we don’t hang out like before,” he said.
Ariv chuckled!
“You’re in love now, That happens.”
Kean frowned. “Still… you’re important too.”
Too? That word. It hurt more than anything.
But Rayan just nodded,“Ik”
¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤
Later that night, Ariv stood alone, holding his phone.
A message typed, “I love you.”
He stared at it for a long time.
Then slowly, He deleted it.
Because some words, Were never meant to be said.
¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤
Years later, Kean would look back and wonder
Why did Ariv always step back? Why did he always support everything so easily?
Why did it feel like something was missing after he left?
But he never found the answer.Because Rayan never gave one.
He chose silence. He chose distance.
Even when his heart wanted more.
And that was his sacrifice.
Not love. Not friendship.
But himself.
For the happiness of someone who never knew. And never would.
