His Confession, My Shattered World

a childhood drifting through foster homes, they were the family I' d always

I stumbled upon a private video on Finn'

He was crying, his voice cracking as

rent. He described our relationship as a comfort,

eir way. The two people who had pulled me from the shadows were now the ones casting

r fr

ccepted a multi-year research contract at the ends o

pte

quite belonging. I was a ghost in other people' s houses, a quiet observer of lives that weren' t mine. Every smile felt temporary, ev

sun brok

sh girl hiding in the library, and decided, without asking, that I was her best friend. She dragged me to parties, taught me to da

steady, unwavering presence. He didn' t just offer kindness; he offered a shield. He saw the scars etched on m

mmer night, the air thick with the scent of jasmine. His words were

re the only home I' ve ever known. My heart fo

I thought, luckier than any girl from the system deserved to be. I had a best friend who was fa

ce. Finn had promised a surprise. Carly had spent weeks hinting

as an old journaling application he' d coded for us years ago, a shared space for our thoughts and memories. I hadn't op

en, I saw it. A new folder, labeled "Private - Do Not Open." My breath hitched. Finn had never kept secrets from m

e, clicked. Inside were video files, dated from just a few

ssed

ment I' d never seen. He was sitting on the edge

ed, his voice cracking. "I love her, Ca

ibrancy, her laugh, the way she made him feel alive in a way he hadn't realized he was missing. He spoke of a "spark," an "

g, fat tears stre

She' s... fragile. She needs me. But Carl

world didn' t just crack; it shattered into a million pieces. They had fallen in l

tacle. A fra

"found family" had found each other, and I was the th

they carried guilt for the rest of their lives. They had given

. "Professor Davies, I'd like to formally accept the NOAA Arc

the shelter of the porch, her head resting on his shoulder. Their bodies were pressed together, a secret language o

hen I finally walked into the restaurant, my cheek

voice sounding unnaturally bri

. She wrapped her arms around me, holding me

mine, then quickly darted away. A flicker of s

id, pulling away from

y that had once bound us was gone, replaced by a chasm that yawned wide and deep.

e, squeezed my hand. "Finn, a

iding mine. "You're late." His voice was

loves her, I thought. He

ted, trying to lighten the suffoc

thing bitter to match the taste in my mouth. It felt like every sip wa

e with a flash mob. The year before, Carly had organized a scavenger hunt across the city. This year, the silenc

little too loud, "What are

couldn't quite decipher. "Elva," he started, his voice bare