Andrea barely slept.
Not because of Matthew.
Not because of prom.
Not because of school.
Because of the choice.
For years, she dreamed about Matthew asking her out.
Now that it happened?
She felt terrified.
The next morning she walked through the school gates with headphones on, trying to ignore the tornado inside her head.
It didn't work.
Nothing worked.
As she entered the hallway—
"Andrea."
Her stomach dropped.
Samuel.
Of course.
Andrea slowly turned around.
Samuel stood there alone.
No friends.
No jokes.
No smirk.
Just him.
And for some reason that made her even more nervous.
"Can we talk?" he asked.
Andrea swallowed.
"...Okay."
The rooftop had become dangerous.
Too many important conversations happened there.
Too many feelings.
Too many memories.
Andrea leaned against the fence while Samuel stood a few feet away.
For a moment neither spoke.
The wind filled the silence.
Then Samuel finally looked at her.
"Matthew asked you."
Not a question.
A statement.
Andrea nodded.
"Yeah."
Samuel looked away briefly.
Like hearing it out loud somehow hurt more.
Andrea hated that.
Because despite everything—
She never wanted to hurt him.
Samuel shoved his hands into his pockets.
Then laughed quietly.
Not happily.
More like somebody trying not to feel something.
"Figures."
Andrea frowned.
"What does that mean?"
Samuel shook his head.
"Nothing."
Silence.
Then another.
Then another.
Until finally Samuel looked directly at her.
And asked:
"Did you say yes?"
Andrea froze.
Her heart immediately started racing.
Because she hadn't.
Not yet.
But she knew what she was leaning toward.
Samuel saw the hesitation.
And understood.
Immediately.
His jaw tightened slightly.
"Right."
Andrea looked down.
"Samuel..."
"No."
His voice was calm.
Too calm.
The kind of calm people use when they're trying very hard not to break.
Andrea's chest hurt.
Because she knew what was coming.
She just didn't know how to stop it.
Samuel looked out over the town.
Not at her.
At the city.
At the rooftops.
Anywhere except her.
Then he spoke.
Quietly.
"I was going to ask you."
Andrea's breath caught.
Samuel laughed weakly.
"Actually that's a lie."
He shook his head.
"I've been trying to ask you for days."
Andrea stared at him.
The wind pushed strands of hair across his face.
He didn't move them.
Didn't seem to notice.
"I just kept waiting for the right moment."
His voice sounded distant now.
Like he was talking to himself.
"Turns out there isn't one."
Andrea's chest tightened painfully.
Samuel finally looked at her again.
And this time—
There was no hiding what he felt.
Not anymore.
"I like you, Andrea."
Silence.
Heavy.
Unavoidable.
Real.
Samuel laughed softly.
"There."
His eyes looked glassy for a second.
"Now it's official."
Andrea couldn't breathe.
Because despite everything that happened—
Despite the arguments.
The gossip.
The mistakes.
Part of her always wanted to hear those words too.
And now she had.
Too late.
Andrea looked down at her shoes.
The rooftop suddenly felt too small.
Too crowded.
Too much.
"I don't know what to say."
Samuel nodded.
"I know."
More silence.
Then Andrea whispered:
"You hurt me."
Samuel closed his eyes briefly.
"I know."
"You made things harder."
"I know."
"You had a girlfriend."
Samuel nodded again.
"I know."
Andrea looked up.
"And now you're telling me this?"
Samuel swallowed hard.
"Yeah."
For the first time—
He looked angry.
Not at her.
At himself.
"I know."
Andrea could see it now.
The regret.
The frustration.
The realization that he was late.
Painfully late.
Samuel took a slow breath.
Then asked the question.
The one both of them had been avoiding.
"Do you still like Matthew?"
Andrea froze.
Immediately.
Because the answer was yes.
And no.
And maybe.
And she didn't know.
Matthew was years of memories.
Years of dreams.
Years of wondering.
Samuel was different.
New.
Complicated.
Unexpected.
Andrea looked away.
And that was answer enough.
Samuel smiled sadly.
A smile that broke her heart a little.
"Yeah."
The wind blew between them.
Neither moved.
Neither spoke.
Then finally Samuel pushed away from the fence.
"Well."
His voice was steady again.
Somehow.
"I guess that's my answer."
"Samuel—"
"It's okay."
It clearly wasn't okay.
But he wasn't going to make this harder than it already was.
Andrea hated him a little for being mature about it.
She almost wished he'd yell.
Or get angry.
Or make it easier to hate him.
Instead—
He just looked hurt.
And somehow that was worse.
Samuel started walking toward the rooftop door.
Then stopped.
Without turning around.
"Can I tell you something?"
Andrea nodded.
Even though he couldn't see it.
Samuel looked down at the concrete.
Then quietly said:
"I think you've spent so long believing nobody would choose you that you don't realize how many people already have."
Andrea felt her throat tighten.
Samuel finally looked back at her.
A sad smile on his face.
Small.
Broken.
Real.
"Whatever happens..."
His voice softened.
"I hope one day you choose yourself too."
Then he left.
The rooftop door closed behind him.
And Andrea stood there alone.
The city stretching endlessly below.
Her heart somehow heavier than before.
Because now—
The choice wasn't between Matthew and Samuel anymore.
It was becoming something much bigger.