ye

rom a blue-collar town in Ohio, studying computer science, completely invisible. She wa

dynamic for our entire relationship. I was the lucky one, the

six year

t the picture. They were "just friends," a phrase that felt like a constant, low-grade fever in my life. He lived in t

nt anxiety, a recurring f

d college friends, the air thick with the smell of beer and buffalo wings. Nicole was

lly over her shoulders. I watched them from across

ned, a slick, practiced smile. He leaned in and kissed her. It wasn't a pec

ngle person turned to look at me, their faces a mixture

. Just a stran

eer bottle in

voice steady, a dea

. Nicole stared at me, her drunken haze evaporati