On a chilly evening, Evan wandered down 29th Street and Park Avenue, his heart heavy with memories. Just a month had passed since he and Lila had parted ways, but the ache still lingered. It was a typical Friday night in the city, bustling with life, yet he felt an overwhelming loneliness pressing against him. As he walked, the soft glow of bar lights beckoned him closer, drawing him into their warmth.

As he paused, he glanced inside and felt his breath hitch. There she was—Lila—sitting across from another man. He seemed to be effortlessly charming, making her laugh with just a quip. Evan’s heart sank deeper as he noticed their smiles, bright and wide, more radiant than he could ever recall from their time together. In that moment, it hit him: she looked happier.

A wave of memories washed over him—the two of them in the same booth, the late-night talks, the dreams they had spun together. It was undeniable. No matter the pain he felt from their separation, Evan had always known he would love her fiercely, even as time marched on and she sought solace in another's embrace. Each memory stung like salt in a wound, but he couldn't help himself from feeling a flicker of reassurance: if she was happy, then perhaps, in some way, he could be, too.

He turned away, seeking solace in the shadows of the alley, leaning against the cool bricks as he nursed a half-empty bottle. The laughter from the bar was muffled now, but it echoed in his mind. "Ain't nobody hurt you like I hurt you, but ain't nobody love you like I do," he whispered to himself, glancing at the flickering neon lights, as if they might answer back.

His friends had told him it would get better, that one day he would also find happiness after the hurt. But for now, he took another swig, determined to smile, to hide the truth of his heart. He knew he was still in love with her and likely would be as long as they both lived.

Even as he tried to convince himself that she deserved joy, the thought of her with someone new cut deeper than he cared to admit. The truth was inevitable: she was happier, and yet, he couldn’t shake the feeling that their love was not done.

He closed his eyes, the darkness providing a brief escape, and envisioned a future—a hurtful scenario where her new love would inevitably break her heart. "If he breaks your heart like lovers do, just know that I’ll be waiting here for you," he vowed silently, hoping against hope that the world would bring her back to him someday.

Evan opened his eyes to the world outside, a city teeming with life yet feeling utterly alone. As the stars twinkled overhead, he realized that love, even unrequited or lost, was a fire that burned bright within, one that would keep him warm until he could find his own happiness—perhaps even once again beside Lila.