The sun hung low in the sky, casting a golden glow over the bustling streets of the city. Ethan leaned casually against his old blue sedan, soaking in the summer warmth when everything suddenly went awry. The car, affectionately named Blue, began to roll away, taking him by surprise. "Hey! Wait!" he yelled, sprinting after it. Laughter broke free from the bystanders as he watched his own car slowly escape his grasp, the sight of it rolling down the street making him chuckle despite the chaos. His laughter turned to abject concern when he noticed it had run over the foot of his best friend, Lily, who had raced to stop it.

“Are you okay?” he shouted, still chuckling, but the laughter faded as he realized she was genuinely hurt. She looked down at her foot, then shot him a playful glare. “Maybe I should have let it roll right over you instead!” she teased, and with that, their banter resumed, proving the strength of their camaraderie.

Ethan couldn’t shake the feeling that he was inexplicably drawn to Lily. Every time he thought of her, it struck him with a clarity that thrummed like a melody. She was tied up in the most absurd memories – like the time they had watched a late-night horror classic, "Carrie." The film had frightened her, and she’d turned to him, her eyes wide with emotion. “This reminds me of you,” she said, never missing a beat as he threw the remote playfully at her, her laughter echoing like the soundtrack of their lives.

One night, under the shimmering neon lights of the city, Ethan had done something he thought was foolish. He paid a homeless man a few dollars to sing a song just for her. “Now that’s a treat!” she had laughed, turning her head with delight, and in that moment, Ethan felt like the luckiest man alive even if it was only temporary.

Yet he often found himself harboring jealousy, heartache lurking in the corners of his mind. He took a deep breath whenever he saw pretty girls flocking around her, their laughter ringing out, and he couldn’t help but wish they would vanish as if by magic. “If only all roads led you right to me,” he whispered under his breath whenever he caught sight of her under their city’s dazzling lights. Because deep down, Ethan knew that until someone as charming as Brad Pitt would come along to sweep her away, his heart was safe.

“Do you realize how lucky I am?” Lily once said, grinning mischievously as she poked at his playfulness. “You lose everything.” And bound by his feelings, Ethan responded, “But if you gave me a ring, I swear I’d take care of it.”

The words hung in the air, tinged with possibility, leaving them both uncertain yet hopeful. But the question remained—would it take someone like Brad Pitt to recognize what they truly had? As laughter entwined with the echoes of the city, Ethan held onto his dream, awaiting a moment that would affirm their unspoken truth. Until Brad Pitt came along, his heart would rest in waiting, believing that someday they would find a way to be more than just friends.