Under the cover of a moonless sky, our class huddled together in the schoolyard, burying a time capsule we believed would keep our memories safe. I remember Jess barking orders, Malcolm grumbling back, and me trying to stay calm while Brian—my boyfriend then—kept his distance for reasons he refused to explain. When the box finally opened for our contributions, I dropped in the locket Brian had once won for me, though it already felt like a relic of something slipping away. Moments later, when I begged him to tell me what was wrong, he walked off, leaving me with the last words I expected: “You ruined everything yourself.” That night ended not just in confusion but in the quiet collapse of my first love and my closest friendship. Continue reading…
