Unspoken Feelings
Riaxcyy
, it’s about loving someone from the shadows — keeping your words unspoken, your tears unseen, and staying by their side… even when you know they can never be yours.
Chapter 1
It had already been a few weeks into Grade 8 when Riane and Adrian became really close. They were seated right next to each other in class, so they started talking more often—first about lessons and schoolwork, then little things like snacks, favorite songs, and funny moments during break time. Slowly, they grew comfortable with each other and became good friends.
For Riane, sitting beside Adrian every day felt natural and easy. But as time passed, something in her heart began to change. Every time he turned to ask her something, every time he smiled at her, her heartbeat would speed up in a way she couldn’t explain. She started seeing him not just as a classmate or friend, but as someone special to her. She wanted to tell him how she felt, but fear held her back.
Because she could see the way Adrian looked at Lianna.
Lianna was also in their section—calm, kind, and easy to talk to. Riane noticed the small things: how Adrian would light up whenever Lianna was near, how he would listen closely to whatever she said, and how he always remembered the little details she mentioned. It was clear as day that Adrian liked her, and that was enough to make Riane lock her feelings deep inside her heart. She didn’t want to ruin their friendship, and she definitely didn’t want to be the reason Adrian would be unhappy.
One afternoon, after class ended, they stayed behind for a while and sat together under the big tree near the school garden. The wind blew softly through the leaves, and the afternoon sun felt warm on their skin. Adrian was looking at his phone, smiling gently to himself.
“Who are you smiling at?” Riane asked, trying to sound casual even though her hands were a little shaky.
Adrian looked up quickly, his cheeks turning slightly pink. “Oh—uh… nothing. Just saw something funny.”
Riane took a deep breath and asked softly, “Is it Lianna?”
For a moment, silence filled the air between them. Adrian looked surprised, then slowly nodded. “Yeah… she’s really nice, Riane. I think I really like her.”
Riane felt like a heavy weight settled in her chest. It hurt—not because she was angry, but because she had secretly hoped, even just a little bit, that maybe he would see her the way she saw him. But she knew the truth now.
“I see,” she whispered, looking down at her hands so he wouldn’t see her eyes getting watery. “That’s good, Adrian. I hope she feels the same way.”
Adrian looked at her with gratitude. “Thanks, Riane. You’re always here for me. You’re such a good friend.”
“Of course,” Riane said, swallowing the pain that was slowly building up. “That’s what friends are for, right?”
She didn’t tell him that being his friend was the hardest thing she had ever done. Every day, she had to pretend that her heart wasn’t breaking a little more each time he talked about Lianna. She kept her feelings hidden, locked away where no one could find them—because loving him from the shadows was better than losing him completely.
As the sun began to set and the school grew quiet, Riane stood up and forced a smile. Even though her heart was full of words she could never say, she made a promise to herself: she would stay by his side as a friend. Some feelings are meant to stay as secrets, she thought. Even if it hurts, as long as he’s happy… that’s enough for me.
For Riane, sitting beside Adrian every day felt natural and easy. But as time passed, something in her heart began to change. Every time he turned to ask her something, every time he smiled at her, her heartbeat would speed up in a way she couldn’t explain. She started seeing him not just as a classmate or friend, but as someone special to her. She wanted to tell him how she felt, but fear held her back.
Because she could see the way Adrian looked at Lianna.
Lianna was also in their section—calm, kind, and easy to talk to. Riane noticed the small things: how Adrian would light up whenever Lianna was near, how he would listen closely to whatever she said, and how he always remembered the little details she mentioned. It was clear as day that Adrian liked her, and that was enough to make Riane lock her feelings deep inside her heart. She didn’t want to ruin their friendship, and she definitely didn’t want to be the reason Adrian would be unhappy.
One afternoon, after class ended, they stayed behind for a while and sat together under the big tree near the school garden. The wind blew softly through the leaves, and the afternoon sun felt warm on their skin. Adrian was looking at his phone, smiling gently to himself.
“Who are you smiling at?” Riane asked, trying to sound casual even though her hands were a little shaky.
Adrian looked up quickly, his cheeks turning slightly pink. “Oh—uh… nothing. Just saw something funny.”
Riane took a deep breath and asked softly, “Is it Lianna?”
For a moment, silence filled the air between them. Adrian looked surprised, then slowly nodded. “Yeah… she’s really nice, Riane. I think I really like her.”
Riane felt like a heavy weight settled in her chest. It hurt—not because she was angry, but because she had secretly hoped, even just a little bit, that maybe he would see her the way she saw him. But she knew the truth now.
“I see,” she whispered, looking down at her hands so he wouldn’t see her eyes getting watery. “That’s good, Adrian. I hope she feels the same way.”
Adrian looked at her with gratitude. “Thanks, Riane. You’re always here for me. You’re such a good friend.”
“Of course,” Riane said, swallowing the pain that was slowly building up. “That’s what friends are for, right?”
She didn’t tell him that being his friend was the hardest thing she had ever done. Every day, she had to pretend that her heart wasn’t breaking a little more each time he talked about Lianna. She kept her feelings hidden, locked away where no one could find them—because loving him from the shadows was better than losing him completely.
As the sun began to set and the school grew quiet, Riane stood up and forced a smile. Even though her heart was full of words she could never say, she made a promise to herself: she would stay by his side as a friend. Some feelings are meant to stay as secrets, she thought. Even if it hurts, as long as he’s happy… that’s enough for me.
Chapter 1
— Chapter 1