Henry let out a humorless laugh, the kind that barely reached his eyes. He gestured for another drink, and the bartender slid a glass of whiskey across the counter — smooth, amber, and familiar, like an old friend who never asked questions. He swirled it once before speaking, his tone dipping somewhere between nostalgia and regret.
"Worse," he said finally. "Unrequited love. Her name's Eliana. We met back in college. She was… something else — one of those rare souls who light up a room without even trying. She had this warmth to her, this quiet strength that didn't need to announce itself. You just felt it. I was gone for her from the start, completely hooked. But she was already with someone — Jason. Real piece of work. Smiled too easily, lied even easier. Still, I played the good friend. Stayed close. Said nothing."
