We stood in the schoolyard under the dark sky, our class gathered in secret. I felt nervous, hoping no one would find us.

“Dig faster!” Jess, my best friend, ordered, her voice sharp and impatient.

“If you’re so clever, do it yourself!” Malcolm snapped, his shovel pausing mid-air.

Jess rolled her eyes. “I have a manicure and white sneakers. You know I can’t. These boys are useless,” she added, glancing at me.

I smiled faintly, trying to hide my unease. My eyes stayed on Brian, who stood a few steps away, looking at the ground.

He was my boyfriend, but tonight something felt wrong. He hadn’t said a word to me, no explanation, nothing. I’d tried to ask him what was going on, but every time, he turned away.

“Done!” Malcolm yelled, pulling me from my thoughts.

The capsule was open. Everyone tossed in little keepsakes and letters. I held the locket Brian had won for me at the fair.

It was special to me, but now it felt heavy. I dropped it in and walked back to Brian.

“Why aren’t you talking to me?” I asked, stepping closer to Brian. He stayed quiet, his eyes focused somewhere far away. “Brian, what’s wrong? Can you just explain what’s going on?” I pressed, my voice shaking.

Without a word, he turned and started walking away.

“You promised to love me for my whole life! Are those words meaningless now?!” I shouted after him, my voice breaking.

Brian stopped and turned around. His eyes met mine, cold and distant. “You ruined everything yourself,” he said, his tone flat. Then he turned away again.

“What?! What do you mean? I don’t understand what I did wrong!” I screamed, my chest tight with panic.

Brian kept walking. I dropped to my knees, tears streaming down my face. Jess hurried over and wrapped her arms around me.

15 years later…

I sat in front of my laptop, staring at Malcolm’s email. It felt strange hearing from him after all this time.

The email was simple, reminding me that in two days, we were supposed to dig up the time capsule we’d buried as teenagers.

I tried to remember what I had put inside but couldn’t. That night had left a scar.

I’d lost Brian, my first love, in a way I never fully understood. Then Jess, my best friend, had betrayed me, leaving me feeling utterly alone.

I leaned back in my chair, letting out a long sigh. Maybe it was time to face the past. My fingers hovered over the keyboard before I finally typed, “I’ll be there.”

I hadn’t been back to my hometown in what felt like a lifetime. After I left for college, my parents moved away, and I never found a reason to return.

But here I was. The memories of this place were tangled with pain, and I didn’t feel the need to revisit them.

As I approached my old school, unease crept over me. The building looked smaller than I remembered, but the memories were still vivid.

I was about to face people who had once been a huge part of my life, people who had also caused me so much hurt.

I greeted a few classmates who had already gathered, including Malcolm. He smiled warmly, his face filled with nostalgia.

There was still no sign of Jess or Brian. We decided to start searching for the capsule without them. None of us could remember the exact spot, so the digging dragged on.

Then, from the corner of my eye, I saw Jess and Brian walking toward us. My heart clenched before I could stop it. Were they still together?

I didn’t expect to care after all these years, but I did. When Brian moved closer, my pulse quickened.

He didn’t look at me, though, brushing past as if I weren’t there. Jess, on the other hand, greeted me with a smile, acting like nothing had ever happened. It stung.

Finally, someone shouted, “I found it!” Everyone rushed over, excitement buzzing.

The capsule was opened, and memories spilled out. I reached for my locket, the one Brian had won for me.

As I held it, my eyes caught something else—a letter with my name on it. My hands trembled as I picked it up and stepped aside.

Opening the envelope, I immediately recognized the handwriting. It was Jess’s.

Hey, Amelia,

If you’re reading this, it means 15 years have passed, and maybe this letter will make things clearer, though I doubt it will make anything better.

I don’t even know how to start explaining why I did what I did. The truth is, I don’t have a good reason. I don’t even feel guilty right now, not entirely.

I know why Brian stopped talking to you. It was me. I started a rumor about you and Malcolm.

I even forged messages to make it seem true. It was cruel, I know, but I wanted Brian. I didn’t care about the consequences. I wasn’t thinking about you or anyone else.

I’m not asking for your forgiveness. I just hope you understand.

Your not-so-great friend,

Jess

My hands shook as I read the letter. Tears blurred my vision, but I kept reading, each word hitting me like a punch. I didn’t notice Brian standing beside me until he spoke.

“Amelia, I saw the locket in the capsule. I… I don’t know why, but seeing you today—” he started, his voice soft and uncertain.

I looked up, spotting Jess in the crowd. Anger replaced my tears. “Sorry, Brian. I need to talk to your girlfriend, Jess,” I said, my tone sharp. I walked away without waiting for his reply.

“She’s not my—” Brian called after me, but I didn’t care to hear the rest.

I reached Jess, holding up the letter. “Care to explain this?” I asked, my voice firm.

Jess looked at me, guilt flashing across her face. “Amelia, I… I don’t even know where to start,” she said.

“How about with the truth?” I replied, my words steady.

Jess hesitated, then sighed. She took my hand, surprising me, and led me toward the school bleachers.

Those old seats held so many memories of our friendship. We used to sit there and dream about the future. Now, it felt like a place to uncover the past.

When we sat on the old, worn bleachers, Jess took a deep breath, her shoulders slumping. “I’m sorry,” she said, her voice low.

“Sorry isn’t enough,” I replied, my tone sharper than I intended. “Why did you do it?”

“Why?” She gave a bitter laugh. “Don’t you get it? I wanted to be you.”

I stared at her, confused. “What? That’s ridiculous,” I said, laughing out of disbelief.

“You don’t understand,” Jess said, her eyes meeting mine. “You were perfect, Amelia. You had it all. You were smart, you had great parents, and you had Brian. I wanted something of yours, anything. I didn’t even like Brian that much.”

“You didn’t like him? Then why—?” I started, but she cut me off.

“I wanted to take something from you. It made me feel better, like I mattered,” Jess admitted. “We broke up three weeks later. It wasn’t even worth it.”

I shook my head, trying to process her words. “I thought you two were still together,” I said.

“No,” she said, wiping her face. “He just gave me a ride today. That’s it.”

I looked down at my hands, my voice softening. “I loved Brian. I thought he was the one. I thought I’d marry him.”

Jess nodded. “He loved you, Amelia. That’s why he reacted the way he did. The rumor about you and Malcolm—I made it up. I didn’t care what happened as long as he doubted you.”

I shook my head again. “Malcolm is married now. To his husband,” I said firmly.

Jess let out a shaky laugh. “No one knew that back then.” She paused, her voice quiet. “I don’t know how to make up for it. I don’t think I can.”

“You can’t change what happened,” I said.

Jess hesitated. “I’ve missed you.”

I looked at her. “I’ve missed you too,” I admitted after a moment.

“Would it be okay if I started reaching out? I don’t expect you to trust me yet. I just want to try,” she said.

I studied her face, seeing the regret there. “I still have the same number,” I said finally.

Jess smiled. “Thank you,” she said softly.

I sighed and climbed down the bleachers, my steps slow and uncertain. When I reached Brian, my mind raced, and I almost forgot how to speak. Before I could say anything, he started.

“Amelia,” he said, his voice steady. “First, I want to make one thing clear. Jess isn’t my girlfriend. I haven’t seen her since high school.”

I nodded. “I know,” I said, my voice quieter than intended.

Brian glanced at me, then down at the ground. “The locket you put in the capsule—is it the one I gave you?” he asked.

“Yes,” I said. “It’s funny. Back then, I thought when we dug it up, we’d already be married. I imagined it being this sweet moment.” I paused, my chest tightening. “But…”

“I was an idiot,” Brian said, cutting me off. “I didn’t give you a chance to explain. I let myself believe something that wasn’t true.”

“We were kids,” I said, trying to sound indifferent, though the hurt still lingered.

“But we’re not kids now,” he said, his tone softening. “Amelia, I’ve thought about you for years. I told myself it didn’t matter anymore, but seeing you today, I realized I was wrong. I felt something I haven’t felt in a long time.”

“It doesn’t matter, Brian,” I said quickly. “I live in New York now.”

“So do I,” he said, a small smile forming. “And I’d like to take you on a date.”

I hesitated. “I don’t know—”

“Just one date,” he said, looking at me earnestly.

I sighed, then smiled a little. “Fine. But only if you win me a new locket. This one’s turned black,” I said, holding it up.

Brian laughed, his face lighting up. “It’s a deal.”

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