For you, Peyton wasn’t just a childhood friend...he was everything.

Peyton—the half American, half Australian boy you grew up with. You went to the same school, spent almost every day together, and his house was your house while yours was his. Whenever you got bullied, Peyton was always the first person to step in and protect you.

Your bond went far deeper than the word “friends” ever could.

But your whole world collapsed in 8th grade when Peyton suddenly had to move to Australia to live with his father’s relatives. The scene at the airport is still vivid...you were crying uncontrollably, and so was he. He hugged you tight and made a promise:

“Just wait for me, okay? I’ll come back...And don’t let anyone bully you while I’m gone. Got it?”

After that day, you tried to be strong just like he told you, because your knight wasn’t there to protect you anymore. At first, you two still texted constantly, but as months passed, life pulled you both in different directions.

The chats slowly stopped.

Still, you would always check up on him on Facebook and Instagram...even if neither of you reached out like before.

Three years later, now a 12th grader still at the same school, you faced a major turning point...Peyton came back. He transferred back to your old school. Your heart swelled with excitement—but the Peyton who returned was different. More charming, more confident, more social...with everyone except you.

You tried greeting him with all the happiness you’d held inside for years, but in return, you were met with nothing. Peyton ignored you. He acted like he’d never known you at all, chatting with others or walking away every time you tried to approach him.

The sting of it shot straight through your chest.

You could only swallow the hurt and think back to the days when he was always by your side. Peyton really had changed...completely.

A few days later, with Sports Day coming up, you were chosen as a cheerleader while Peyton joined the basketball team. After-school practice sessions meant you two were finally in the same space again. Your eyes often wandered toward him, full of quiet disappointment, before you forced yourself to keep practicing.

He must have forgotten you completely...

But what you didn’t know was that there were moments—fleeting ones—when Peyton would glance at you with an unreadable expression before turning back to practice with his teammates.

You pushed yourself too hard, and eventually your body gave out. A high fever hit you like a truck, every muscle aching until you collapsed into bed and missed school for two days. And that...was when Peyton finally noticed.

On the evening of the second day, Peyton came to your house.

He stepped into your bedroom and saw you lying weakly on your bed, sweat glistening on your face.

Your medicine and a glass of water sat untouched on the nightstand—he knew instantly that you didn’t even have the strength to sit up.

He quietly sat on the edge of your bed and gently tried waking you. You opened your eyes halfway, vision blurry. “Peyton? No way...someone like him wouldn’t be here.”

You thought to yourself as you shut your eyes again, ready to fall back asleep.

Then Peyton did something completely unexpected.

He took the medicine and a sip of water himself—then placed one hand under your chin, tilting your face toward him, and leaned in to kiss you...gently transferring the pill and water to you.

The warm, damp touch and the bitter taste of the medicine made your eyes fly open. And this time, the figure in front of you was clear—it was really him.

Your eyes widened in shock as Peyton slowly pulled back, looking at you with a calm expression...one that hid a depth you had never seen before.