Trent walked slowly down the hall, staring blankly at the people he passed. They meant nothing to him. They lived their own lives, uncaring, unaware of him. No, that’s not true. They knew him. He was the brainiac, the boy who somehow managed to get into the popular group. But they really could care less. He was a shadow, a wall flower, something nobody noticed.

Except for her, he thought. She saw him. She cared for him. She understood him. God, Tori. If only you knew. She was his best friend, and his greatest enemy. They argued all the time, fighting over everything, but at the end of the day, they both still cherished their friendship. Tori.

Unknown to her, unknown to anyone actually, he loved her. Yes, he loved her with all his heart. He was in love with her, and had been for two years now. If she only knew how much better his life was because of her. She could take his crappiest day and turn it into something great. When she missed school, he felt dead inside. If only she knew.

Looking up from his thoughts, Trent saw her. She was beautiful, in his eyes as well as everyone else’s. Her golden hair flowed gracefully down her shoulders. Emerald green eyes sparkled like the sun. Her face was turned, as it normally was, up in a smile. Just seeing her made him grin.

He went to say hi, but she didn’t see him. She walked by, focused on someone else. He gazed back, the pain piercing his heart once again. She was in his arms, the arms of her boyfriend.

Tristan was a good guy. He never got in trouble and was a good friend. He was the kind of guy who would be there for when you needed help. But Trent didn’t care. At that moment, he hated the man. He hated him for having what he could not. And he hated him for the pain he felt every time he saw them together.

Trent turned away quickly, before his heart broke altogether. I swear, if he ever breaks her heart, I’ll kill him, he thought. He’d seen her get hurt before. He couldn’t understand how someone could do that to her, how they could not know what they had. Tristan, you better love her with all your heart.

He hurried to his next class, back to his life. He would continue to be her friend. If nothing else, he would be there for her. Even if it meant living through pain.