I am a student, currently a first-year senior. My best friend, Vivian, is a popular girl. She’s beautiful, funny, bright, and cheerful, and everyone loves her.
Boys swarm around her, and many girls seek her out for advice. Even the teachers adore her.
Vivian seems perfect, unlike me.
Boys often send me gifts and love letters for her, which I dutifully deliver.
It’s a hassle, but I don’t mind too much.
However, as we entered our second year, the situation worsened. The number of gifts and letters increased, and I struggled to keep up with delivering them all.
Valentine's Day was particularly overwhelming. I decided to refuse the deliveries and told the boys to give their presents to Vivian directly.
Instead of understanding, they scolded me harshly, saying I was dull and didn’t deserve to be Vivian’s best friend.
It hurt to hear such things, but before I could acquiesce, a random guy intervened.
“Why are you bothering her with this stuff?” he said.
“If you’re too much of a coward to give your present to her yourself, don’t make others do it for you.” The boys, taken aback, retreated.
I was immensely grateful to him, never imagining that someone would stand up for me.
I apologized for the trouble, but he reassured me.
“Why are you saying sorry? At a time like this, you should say thanks.”
He flashed a bright smile, and I felt a pang in my heart.
His name was Kai. We started hanging out and quickly became good friends.
We discovered we shared many interests, such as games, movies, and food.
I introduced him to Vivian, hoping they would get along.
With Vivian as my best friend and Kai as my new friend, life was enjoyable.
My feelings for Kai deepened, but I didn’t want to jeopardize our friendship, so I kept them to myself.
However, as time passed, I noticed Kai and Vivian spending more time together without me.
At first, I shrugged it off, thinking it was normal. But their increasing time together made me feel like a third wheel during our outings.
I became increasingly uncomfortable.
One day, Kai asked to meet up, which thrilled me.
I dressed up in a pretty dress and did my makeup, hoping it might be a date. When I arrived at our favorite café, I was stunned to see Vivian sitting next to Kai, holding his hand.
Confusion and disappointment washed over me.
Kai then dropped a bombshell. “I know this might surprise you, but Vivian and I are going out.”
My heart sank.
I tried to congratulate them, but my throat felt tight, and no words came out.
I forced a smile, masking my pain, and excused myself, claiming an urgent matter.
Back home, I lay on my bed, tears streaming down my face. I had suspected something was going on between them, but I had hoped I was wrong.
It hurt deeply to see my crush with my best friend.
I faked being sick to avoid school, though Kai and Vivian visited me, and I turned them away.
Eventually, I had to return to school to keep up with my studies and graduation. Though it was hard to see them together, I managed to act normally.
As our second year ended, a surprising thing happened. A boy confessed his feelings to me.
Though I hadn’t moved on from Kai, I politely turned him down. He insisted on courting me and gave me time to get to know him, which I found amusing.
Eventually, I agreed to date him. Although Kai seemed unhappy, I didn’t understand why, and I started to like my new boyfriend. We even went on double dates with Kai and Vivian.
As graduation approached, I noticed ongoing tension between Kai and Vivian
They frequently fought, and despite my attempts to mediate, they remained stubborn. Their differing interests caused friction, with Vivian often pushing Kai to do things he didn’t enjoy.
Despite my efforts, Kai and Vivian broke up. I tried to talk to both of them, but they insisted it was a clean break.
I hoped we could remain friends, but they wouldn’t talk to each other.
One day, while organizing the library, Kai warned me about my boyfriend, saying I should keep an eye on him.
I was offended and brushed it off. As graduation and exams occupied my time, I eventually had some free moments.
I received a message from my boyfriend asking to meet at the same café where I had the worst experience.
I hesitated but went anyway. When I arrived, he was sitting at the same table where Kai and Vivian had once announced their relationship.
The atmosphere was tense.
My boyfriend said, “Let’s break up. I love Vivian.”
“I liked Vivian from the first time. Sorry.”
I know...
I knew he had approached me because he was interested in Vivian, but I still played along.
Although it wasn’t as painful as before, I smiled and agreed.
I had always known that everyone liked Vivian, so I accepted the situation with grace.
My ex seemed surprised by my calm reaction.
Before I left, he said, “Thank you for understanding, Mara.”
'What do you mean? I was always been... And will always be.' I smiled.
It really hurts... Always being in her shadow.
[Author's POV]-Comment if you want part 2
