设定:A friends to lovers college romance
A friends to lovers college romance
Emily Carter
best friends with Mark and secretly in love with him, long brown hair, green eyes, kindhearted and introspective
Sarah Lee
Emily's roommate and confidante, curly red hair, freckled face, witty and supportive
Mark Jensen
Emily's best friend and oblivious to her feelings, short black hair, blue eyes, athletic build, charismatic and loyal
I’ve been in love with my best friend for four years.
He doesn’t know it, and I’m too afraid to tell him.
We met on the first day of college, and we’ve been inseparable ever since.
Mark Jensen is the most amazing guy I’ve ever met.
He’s kind, smart, funny, and he’s gorgeous.
He has short black hair and blue eyes that make me melt every time I look into them.
He has an athletic build from playing baseball all through high school, and he’s the most popular guy on campus.
Every girl wants to be with him, but he’s never had a serious girlfriend.
I think it’s because he’s waiting for the right girl to come along.
I wish that girl was me, but I know it will never happen.
Mark sees me as his best friend, nothing more.
I sit in my dorm room, staring at a photo of Mark and me from freshman year.
We’re both grinning like idiots, arms slung around each other’s shoulders.
My heart aches just looking at it.
The door creaks open, and Sarah walks in, dropping her bag on the floor with a thud.
“Hey, Em. You okay?” she asks, noticing my pensive mood.
I sigh and put the photo down. “Yeah, just... thinking.”
Sarah raises an eyebrow and sits on her bed across from me. “About Mark?”
I nod, feeling the familiar knot in my stomach tighten.
“You know,” Sarah says gently, “you should really tell him how you feel.”
I shake my head vigorously. “I can’t. What if it ruins everything? What if he doesn’t feel the same way?”
Sarah leans forward, her eyes earnest. “But what if he does? You’ll never know unless you try.”
I bite my lip, the fear of rejection gnawing at me. “I just... I can’t lose him as a friend.”
Sarah sighs and stands up, walking over to give me a reassuring hug. “Whatever you decide, I’m here for you.”
Just then, my phone buzzes on the desk. I glance at the screen and my heart skips a beat.
It’s a text from Mark: “Hey Em! Want to grab dinner tonight?”
My fingers tremble as I type out a reply: “Sure! Where do you want to go?”
He responds almost immediately: “How about that new Italian place downtown? 7 PM?”
“Sounds perfect,” I reply, trying to keep my excitement in check.
Sarah grins at me. “See? Maybe tonight’s the night.”
I roll my eyes but can’t help smiling back. “Maybe.”
The hours drag by until it’s finally time to meet Mark. I change into my favorite dress and take one last look in the mirror before heading out.
When I arrive at the restaurant, Mark is already there, waving enthusiastically from a corner booth.
“Hey!” he calls out as I walk over.
“Hey,” I reply, sliding into the seat across from him.
We order our food and fall into our usual easy conversation, laughing and joking like always.
But tonight, there’s an undercurrent of tension for me that I can’t shake.
As we finish our meal, Mark leans back in his chair and smiles at me. “You know, there’s this girl I’ve been thinking about asking out.”
My heart sinks like a stone.
“Oh?” I say, forcing a smile. “Who is she?”
Mark looks almost shy as he runs a hand through his hair. “Her name’s Lisa. She’s in my biology class.”
I nod, trying to keep my voice steady. “She sounds nice.”
“Yeah,” he says dreamily. “She’s amazing.”
I swallow hard, feeling like I might cry right there in the restaurant.
“That’s great, Mark,” I manage to say.
He looks at me with concern. “Are you okay? You seem... off tonight.”
“I’m fine,” I lie, plastering on another fake smile.
Mark reaches across the table and takes my hand.
“You know you can tell me anything, right?”
The touch of his hand sends shivers down my spine, but it also breaks something inside me.
Before I can stop myself, the words tumble out:
His eyes widen in shock, and he pulls his hand back as if he's been burned.
"Emily, I... I had no idea," he stammers.
I can’t bear to hear what comes next.
I grab my purse and bolt out of the restaurant, tears streaming down my face.
The night air is cold against my wet cheeks as I run back to the dorm.
My vision is blurred by tears, making it hard to see where I'm going.
I stumble up the stairs and finally reach my room.
I slam the door behind me and collapse onto my bed, sobbing uncontrollably.
A few minutes later, I hear the door creak open again.
"Emily?" Sarah's voice is filled with alarm as she rushes to my side.
"What happened?" she asks, sitting beside me and placing a comforting hand on my back.
Between sobs, I manage to recount the confession and Mark's reaction.
Sarah listens intently, her expression growing more concerned with every word.
When I finish, she pulls me into a tight hug.
"You did the right thing," she says softly, stroking my hair. "You needed to tell him."
"But now I've ruined everything," I choke out between sobs.
"No, you haven't," Sarah insists. "If he's really your friend, he'll understand. And if he doesn't feel the same way, it's better to know now than keep torturing yourself."
Meanwhile, outside the restaurant, Mark stands staring at the spot where I left.
He feels a pang of guilt and confusion as he processes what just happened.
He runs a hand through his hair, trying to make sense of it all.
Determined to make things right, he heads towards our dormitory, rehearsing what he'll say to me in his mind.
As he walks through the campus grounds, the streetlights cast long shadows on the pavement.
The cool breeze rustles the leaves of the trees lining the path.
Mark's heart races as he approaches our building, each step feeling heavier than the last.
He reaches our floor and hesitates for a moment before knocking on our door.
Inside, Sarah and I both freeze at the sound of the knock.
"Who could that be?" Sarah whispers.
I wipe my tears and take a deep breath. "It's probably Mark."
Sarah gives me an encouraging nod before opening the door slightly.
Mark stands there, looking anxious and remorseful. "Can I talk to Emily?" he asks quietly.
Sarah glances back at me. "Do you want to talk to him?"
I nod slowly. "Yeah."
She steps aside to let him in. He walks over to me, his eyes full of concern.
"Emily," he begins, his voice trembling slightly. "I'm so sorry for how I reacted earlier."
I sit up on the bed, hugging a pillow tightly. "It's okay," I whisper. "You don't have to apologize."
"No," he insists, sitting down beside me. "I do. I was just so shocked... I didn't know what to say."
I look into his eyes, searching for any sign of hope. "Do you... do you feel anything for me?"
Mark takes a deep breath and looks away for a moment before meeting my gaze again. "Emily, you're my best friend. I care about you more than anyone else in this world."
"But?" I prompt, feeling my heart sink again.
"But... I'm not sure if I'm ready for more than that right now," he admits softly. "I've never thought about us that way before."
Tears well up in my eyes again as I nod slowly. "I understand."
Mark reaches out and takes my hand gently. "Please don't let this ruin our friendship. You're too important to me."
Before I can respond, there's another knock on the door.
He glances at the screen, then back at me, his expression conflicted.
"I should take this," he says quietly, standing up.
I nod, trying to keep my emotions in check. "Go ahead."
He steps out of the room, leaving me feeling abandoned once again.
Sarah watches him leave and turns to me, her eyes full of concern.
"Are you okay?" she asks softly.
I nod, though my heart aches. "Yeah, I'm fine."
She doesn't look convinced but doesn't press further.
We sit in silence for a moment, the tension in the room palpable.
Mark returns after a brief conversation, his face pale.
"That was Lisa," he says, his voice strained. "She wants to meet up."
My chest tightens. "Go," I whisper, forcing a smile.
He looks torn but eventually nods and leaves.
As soon as the door closes behind him, I break down in tears.
Sarah hugs me tightly, her arms providing some comfort amidst the pain.
"It's going to be okay," she murmurs into my hair. "You'll get through this."
I cling to her, sobbing uncontrollably.
The room feels colder without Mark's presence.
The dim light from the bedside lamp casts long shadows on the walls.
I can hear the faint hum of traffic outside, a reminder that life goes on even when mine feels like it's falling apart.
Sarah pulls back slightly and looks into my eyes.
"You did the right thing by telling him how you feel," she says firmly.
"But it hurts so much," I manage to say between sobs. "I don't know if I can handle seeing him with someone else."
"You will," she assures me. "You're stronger than you think."
I wipe my tears and take a deep breath.
"Thanks, Sarah. I don't know what I'd do without you."
She smiles warmly. "That's what friends are for."
We sit together in silence for a while longer, the weight of the evening pressing down on us both.
Eventually, Sarah stands up and stretches.
"I'm going to make some tea. Do you want some?"
I nod gratefully. "Yes, please."
As she heads to the small kitchenette in our dorm room, I try to collect my thoughts.
The reality of Mark meeting up with Lisa feels like a knife twisting in my heart.
But Sarah's presence is a balm on the wound.
The sound of boiling water fills the room, followed by the clinking of cups as Sarah prepares our tea.
She returns with two steaming mugs and hands one to me.
"Here you go," she says softly.
I take a sip, the warmth spreading through me and offering a small measure of comfort.
"Thanks," I say again.
We drink our tea in companionable silence, each lost in our own thoughts.
The minutes tick by slowly, each one feeling like an eternity.
Finally, Sarah speaks up.
"Do you want to watch a movie or something? Take your mind off things?"
I consider it for a moment before shaking my head.
"I think I just need some time alone."
She nods understandingly.
"Okay. But if you need anything, I'm right here."
"I know," I reply with a weak smile.
Sarah gives me one last hug before heading to her own bed.
I curl up under my blankets, clutching my pillow tightly as if it could somehow shield me from the pain.
The night stretches on endlessly as I lie there, staring at the ceiling and replaying everything that happened over and over in my mind.
Sleep eludes me as thoughts of Mark and Lisa swirl around relentlessly.
Eventually, exhaustion takes over and I drift into a fitful sleep filled with fragmented dreams and lingering heartache.