My Best Friend Stole My First Love

Eva’s POV

Will you be my girlfriend?”

This was the last text I got from him.

It felt like he loved the universe we both created for ourselves. The one where I could be me, and he could be himself, without thinking about the outside world.

Different questions kept popping into my head. Why, when I finally decided to be with him, did he disappear?

Probably he found someone else to love him in all the ways I was lacking. Probably I expressed my feelings too much, or maybe I spoke too loud. Probably I felt too free with him.

It all didn’t make sense to me, why he would just disappear on me after asking that insane question.

I didn’t even get to tell him my real name: Eva Harper. He only knew me as Quiet Lily.

I waited for his text. I waited as hours turned into days, and as days turned into months.

I wouldn’t have met him if I hadn’t secretly installed an online dating app called “Bloomers”, all because I was looking for a guy to love me for me.

Somehow, a friend request notification popped up.

Immediately, I logged into the app, and there he was, Golden boy.

I almost didn’t want to accept the friend request, but I did anyway. What harm could it cause me?

That same day, we started talking, and our vibes clicked instantly.

In our first chat, he made me laugh a lot, and I felt so free whenever I spoke to him on the phone.

His looks were out of this world; animated, with blonde hair and small lips.

I couldn’t bear the thought of sending him my picture because I wasn’t confident in how I looked. I kept thinking that if I did, he might not like me anymore.

I already felt like I wasn’t enough because of my nerdy appearance and my lack of fashion sense. I was convinced he would probably find me weird too.

All these thoughts kept running through my mind as I kept on staring at his last text.

Natalie snapped her fingers in front of my face.

“Earth to Eva. Don’t tell me you’re still thinking about that ghost boy,” she said, leaning over to peek into my phone.

“No, it’s not what you think…” I said quickly, locking my screen. “I just… I don’t understand it, Nat. Why would he ask me something like that and then just disappear? Like I imagined everything.”

Natalie folded her arms. “hear me out, he’s just a guy.”

I frowned. “What is that supposed to mean?”

“It means,” she said dramatically, flipping her hair, “guys do confusing and annoying nonsense things all the time. It’s practically in their DNA.”

I let out a small laugh despite myself. “So you’re saying I got emotionally invested in nonsense?”

“I’m saying you got emotionally invested in potential,” she corrected. “There’s a difference.”

I hesitated, then looked down at my hands. “Or maybe… he found someone better. Someone who actually looks good. Someone who doesn’t hide behind a username.”

“Eva.” Her tone changed immediately.

“What?” I said, my voice quieter now. “You didn’t see him, Nat. He was..he is…perfect. And me?” I gestured to myself. “I’m just… me.”

Natalie grabbed my shoulders and turned me fully toward her.

“First of all, stop that. Right now,” she said firmly. “I don’t like that version of you.”

I sighed. “It’s not a version. It’s the truth.”

“No, it’s insecurity dressed up as truth,” she shot back. “There’s a difference.”

I blinked at her.

“You think guys only like one type of girl?” she continued. “Hot, loud, flashy, perfect hair, perfect outfits?”

“…Yes?” I said slowly.

She rolled her eyes. “Please. If that were true, I’d be married by now.”

That made me laugh.

“I’m serious,” she said, though she was smiling. “You’re beautiful, Eva. You’re just too busy comparing yourself to everyone else to see it.”

I looked away. “It’s easy for you to say. You are everyone else.”

“Wow,” she said, placing a hand on her chest dramatically. “So I’m just ‘everyone else’ now? No personality? No depth?”

I smiled a little. “That’s not what I meant.”

“Mhm. That’s exactly what you meant,” she teased. Then her expression softened again. “Look… I get it. You liked him. Maybe you still do. But holding onto someone who disappeared on you? That’s not fair to you.”

“…Do you think he’s dead?” I asked suddenly.

Natalie stared at me.

“Eva.”

“I’m serious,” I insisted. “What if something happened? What if he didn’t mean to disappear?”

She sighed. “Or what if he did?”

That hung in the air for a second.

I swallowed. “I don’t like that option.”

“I know,” she said gently. “But you can’t keep building stories to make his silence hurt less.”

I didn’t respond.

She nudged me lightly. “And for the record, thinking about him is probably blocking your chances with real people.”

“I don’t think that’s the reason,” I said.

“Just look at me,” I said, while spinning. “Who would like someone who looks like this?”

“Every guy wants to be around you.“

“Okay, first of all rude…,” she said. “Secondly, that’s completely incorrect.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Incorrect?”

“Yes. Do guys like me? Sure. Do they deserve me? Debatable,” she said, flipping her hair again.

I laughed.

“But you?” she continued, stepping closer. “You’re the kind of girl people don’t forget. You just haven’t met the right person yet.”

“That sounds like something from a movie.”

“Exactly,” she grinned. “And every main character starts off underestimating herself.”

I shook my head, smiling. “You and your motivational speeches.”

“You love them.”

“…I tolerate them,” I corrected.

“Liar”.

“Alright, girl, enough of all that,” I said, grabbing my bag. “Class starts in five minutes, we’ve got to move.”

I slammed my locker open and reached for my textbooks.

But immediately, a paper fell out.

I frowned.

It was a note.

Come to the theater room during lunch period. From your secret admirer.

“Natalie, look at this,” I said, holding it up.

Her eyes widened instantly. “Oohhh, Evaaa!”

“What?” I said cautiously.

“You have a secret admirer,” she whispered dramatically. “This is how it starts.”

“This is how what starts?” I asked.

“Romance. Mystery. Obsession. Possibly a love triangle,” she added excitedly.

“Or a prank,” I said flatly.

She ignored me. “Wait! what if it’s someone we know?”

“That’s exactly why I’m worried.”

“Or,” she continued, gasping, “what if it’s someone handsome?”

“Natalie.”

“What? Let me be hopeful for you since you refuse to be.”

“I don’t like this,” I said, reading the note again. “It feels… weird.”

“Weird how?”

“I don’t know. Like… too sudden. Too random.”

She tilted her head. “Or maybe someone has liked you for a while and finally got the courage?”

“At Eastview High School?” I raised an eyebrow. “Nobody here even notices me.”

“That is a lie,” she said immediately. “People notice you. You just don’t notice them noticing you.”

“That didn’t even make sense.”

“It made perfect sense,” she insisted. “You’re just in denial.”

She grabbed my arm. “You have to go.”

“Why?”

“Because if you don’t, I will go in your place and accept him on your behalf.”

“You wouldn’t dare.”

“Try me.”

I narrowed my eyes at her. “…You’re actually crazy.”

“Bold of you to assume that’s new information.”

I laughed.

“Look,” she said. “If you don’t like him, just say no. But at least give the person the decency of showing up.”

I hesitated.

“…I’ll go with you,” she added quickly. “I won’t let anything weird happen.”

I looked at her for a moment.

“…Okay,” I said slowly.

The bell rang for lunch.

“Come on, girl,” Natalie said, already pulling me up. “Your gentleman is waiting.”

“Oh please, he can wait,” I said, trying to stay calm as I arranged my things.

“Nope,” she said, grabbing my hand. “We are not missing this moment. This is cinematic.”

“Nata….”

Too late.

She was already dragging me out of the classroom.

“Nat, slow down!” I protested, trying not to drop my books.

“Nope,” she said, not even turning back. “If we walk slowly, you’ll start overthinking, and then you’ll suddenly ‘feel sick’ and run back to class.”

“I do not do that.”

“You literally did that during the chemistry presentation.”

“That was different!” I argued. “I actually felt sick.”

“Mhm. Convenient timing.”

I rolled my eyes. “You’re so annoying.”

“And yet, here I am, still your favorite person.”

“…Debatable.”

She gasped dramatically. “Wow. After everything I’ve done for you? Emotional support? Free advice? Premium friendship package?”

I laughed. “You talk too much.”

“And you don’t talk enough. That’s why we balance each other,” she shot back.

We slowed down as we approached the hallway leading to the theater.

My steps became smaller.

Natalie noticed immediately.

“Hey…” she said, her voice softer now. “Don’t start panicking.”

“I’m not panicking,” I said quickly.

“You’re literally squeezing my hand like you’re about to enter a horror movie.”

I loosened my grip slightly. “…Sorry.”

She smiled a little. “It’s okay.

“…What if this is a joke?”. “What if someone just wants to embarrass me?”

Her expression hardened instantly. “Then they’ll have to deal with me.”

I blinked. “Natalie”

“I’m serious,” she said. “Nobody’s allowed to mess with you like that. Not on my watch.”

I exhaled slowly. “And what if… it’s not a joke?”

She raised an eyebrow. “Then what’s the problem?”

“What if it’s someone I don’t like?”

“Then you say no.”

“What if it’s someone I do like?” I asked quietly.

She smirked. “Then say yes.”

“It’s not that simple.”

“It actually is,” she said. “You just like to complicate things.”

We finally got to the theater room door, and then I stopped, my chest tightening.

“Nat…” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. “Do you hear that?”

“Hear what?” she asked, confused.

“My heartbeat,” I said, placing a hand over my chest. “It’s… loud.”

She looked at me for a second, then chuckled softly. “That’s called being nervous, Eva. Very normal human reaction.”

“This feels like a problem,” I admitted. “What if I can’t do this?”

She stepped closer and placed her hands on my shoulders. “Listen to me,” she said. “You don’t have to be perfect. You don’t have to be confident. Just be you. That’s enough.”

I looked at her, unsure. “And if it goes wrong?” I asked.

She smiled slightly. “Then we’ll laugh about it later. Together.”

That made me feel a little better.

“I’ll be right here,” she added. “I’m not going anywhere.”

“…Okay,” I muttered.

She gave me a small push toward the door. “Go on.”

I took a deep breath, then another, and slowly stepped inside.

Everything was dark, too dark, and I paused to let my eyes adjust, but I could barely see anything.

“Hello?” I called softly.

No response came.

Then, without warning, the stage lights came on, and I flinched at the sudden brightness. Before I could process anything, I felt a soft tap on my hand and turned quickly. A student stood beside me, silent, gesturing gently for me to follow. My heart pounded as I followed him, because if he wasn’t the one who had called me here, then who was?