They had been "something" for six months. Not quite a couple, but more than friends, tethered together by shared playlists and late-night texts. But tonight, the liquid courage in Leo’s cup was whispering that "something" wasn’t enough.

She stepped back, the invisible thread between them snapping under the weight of the alcohol. She didn't stay to hear his protest.

Chloe’s smile faltered. Her eyes, glassy from her own drinks, searched his face. "Leo, you’re drunk," she whispered, her voice caught between a giggle and a sigh.

For a second, the party vanished. There was just the smell of cheap cider and the heat of the crowded basement. Chloe reached up, tracing the line of his jaw. "You won’t remember saying it tomorrow," she said, her expression clouding with a sudden, sharp sadness. "And I won’t know if you meant it."

He didn't text her. Instead, he got up, showered, and walked to the park where they usually met. He waited on their bench, cold and sober, until she appeared. "Hey," she said, her voice cautious.

The neon lights of the basement party blurred into a dizzying smear of color as Leo leaned against the cold washing machine. In his hand, a red solo cup felt heavier than it should. Across the room, Chloe was laughing—a sharp, melodic sound that usually felt like home, but tonight, it felt like static.

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