One sunny morning, Jake found a note in his locker. It was from Emily.

The note was short. Emily said she wanted to be friends. Just friends.

Jake felt a storm brewing in his heart. Friends? He wanted more.

During recess, Jake saw Emily laughing with her friends. It hurt to watch.

Jake tried to talk to her, but his words didn't come out right.

Emily looked sad too, but she said, 'It's better this way, Jake.'

Jake spent the night looking at stars, wondering if Emily was too.

The next day, Jake wrote a letter. He poured his heart into it.

He slipped the letter into Emily's locker and waited, heart racing.

Emily read the letter and gave Jake a small, sad smile.

They talked for a while. It wasn't easy, but they both shared a lot.

The bell rang, marking the end of the day, but not their story...