The First Look 💖

The First Look- Part 10

Sarah didn’t expect it to hurt this much.

She thought giving Samuel space would make things easier—that maybe a little distance would calm her thoughts.

But it didn’t.

If anything, it made everything worse.

The next few days at school felt strange.

Their usual spot under the tree sat empty, like it was waiting for something that wasn’t coming back.

Sarah tried to focus in class, but her mind kept drifting back to him—the way he used to look at her, the way he didn’t anymore.

“Sarah?”

She looked up to see her friend Lina standing beside her desk.

“You’ve been quiet all week. What’s wrong?” Lina asked.

Sarah hesitated, then sighed.

“It’s Samuel.

He’s been acting distant… and there’s this girl, Maya.

He’s always with her.”

Lina frowned. “Do you think something’s going on?”

“I don’t know,” Sarah admitted softly.

“He says it’s not like that, but it doesn’t feel right.”

“Have you talked to him properly?” Lina asked.

“I tried. He just says he needs time.”

Lina crossed her arms. “Time for what?”

“That’s the problem,” Sarah whispered. “He won’t tell me.”

Later that day, after school, Sarah walked out slowly, not expecting anything.

But then she saw him.

Samuel was standing near the gate, like he had been waiting.

Her heart skipped.

“Hey,” he said.

“Hey,” she replied quietly.

There was a pause before he spoke again. “Can we talk?”

She nodded.

They moved to a quieter spot, away from the noise of other students.

Samuel took a deep breath. “I’m sorry.”

Sarah looked at him, surprised. “For what?”

“For everything. I know I’ve been distant… and I hurt you.”

“Then what’s going on?” she asked, her voice soft but unsteady.

Samuel looked down for a moment. “It’s complicated.”

Sarah shook her head slightly. “Everything has been ‘complicated’ with you lately.”

“I know,” he said. “But I didn’t want to drag you into it.”

“Into what?” she asked, her heart starting to race.

He hesitated, then finally said, “My family is leaving.”

Sarah froze. “…What?”

“My dad got a job in another city. We might be moving soon.”

The words hit harder than she expected.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” she asked quietly.

Samuel sighed. “Because I didn’t want things to change. I didn’t want to lose what we had.”

“But you already did,” Sarah said, her eyes filling with tears. “You pushed me away.”

“I was trying to protect you,” he said.

“By hurting me?” she asked.

He didn’t answer.

Silence fell between them.

“How long?” Sarah asked softly.

“A few weeks,” he replied.

A few weeks.

That was all.

“You should’ve told me,” she said, her voice breaking. “We could’ve made the most of the time.”

Samuel stepped closer. “I was scared.”

“Of what?”

“That losing you would hurt more if I got closer.”

Tears slipped down Sarah’s cheeks.

Because it already hurt.

A lot.

“I don’t know what happens now,” she whispered.

“Me neither,” he said.

He reached for her hand, holding it gently.

“I still care about you.”

“I know,” Sarah replied softly.

“But that doesn’t stop this from hurting.”

As they stood there, holding onto something that was already slipping away, one painful truth became clear—

Sometimes, love isn’t enough…

Especially when time is running out.