UNREQUITED TIMELINES

The hum of the city was a distant murmur as Ethan leaned against the weathered brick wall of the coffee shop, his eyes darting back and forth between the street and the clock. Time felt slippery these days, as if it was a river slipping through his fingers. Across the small, intimate space, Jake was animatedly discussing some trivial work matter with a colleague, his laughter rich and contagious. Ethan found himself unable to look away, a familiar pang of longing surging through him.

Jake finally noticed Ethan's gaze and excused himself, walking over with an easy smile that hid layers of complexity.

 Hey, you alright? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.

Ethan chuckled weakly, his mind wrestling with the gravity of his secret.

 Yeah, just... a lot on my mind. You know how it is.

Jake nodded, his eyes softening with empathy. The unspoken bond between them rippled with tension, a silent testament to their shared history and complicated present.

They had met years ago, both fresh out of college, each with dreams larger than the tiny apartment they shared. Their friendship had blossomed effortlessly, but the divergence in their romantic orientations had always been a silent specter. For Ethan, who was gay, the initial crush on Jake had slowly transformed into a deep, unrequited love. Jake, on the other hand, was straight and blissfully unaware of the depth of Ethan's feelings.

Ethan sighed, feeling the weight of time pressing against his chest.

 Jake, we need to talk about something. It’s important.

Jake’s face grew serious, the playful light in his eyes dimming as he sensed the gravity in Ethan’s tone.

 Okay, shoot.

Ethan swallowed hard. The words were like jagged glass in his throat.

 You know how we always joked about time travel, about fixing things in our past?

Jake nodded, a hint of confusion mingling with curiosity.

 Well, what if I told you it’s real? What if I told you I’ve been living through different timelines, trying to find the one where we can be together? Ethan’s voice cracked, the confession hanging heavy in the air.

Jake blinked, the shock evident on his face.

 Ethan, what are you saying? Are you okay?

 I’m saying, Ethan pressed on, that I’ve seen a future where we’re happy, where love isn’t confined by who we’re supposed to be. I’ve traveled through time, Jake. I’ve seen us.

Jake’s jaw tightened, a storm of emotions brewing in his eyes.

 Ethan, that's impossible. We can't just change who we are.

Ethan stepped closer, his desperation palpable.

 I'm not asking you to change. I’m asking you to understand that in some timelines, things are different. Maybe we can find a way to make it work here, now.

Jake looked away, the conflict tearing at him.

 Ethan, you’re my best friend. I love you, but not in the way you want me to. I can’t change that.

Ethan felt the tears pricking at the corners of his eyes.

 I know, Jake. But if there’s even a chance, shouldn’t we try? Shouldn't we fight for the love we deserve?

Jake’s silence was deafening, an unspoken answer that hung between them like a shroud. The café's ambiance faded into the background, the clinking of cups and murmured conversations morphing into a distant echo of a world that suddenly felt too small for the enormity of Ethan’s revelation.

Finally, Jake exhaled, his shoulders sagging.

 I need time to process this. I don't know what to say.

Ethan nodded, the ache in his chest deepening. Time. It was always about time, slipping through their fingers, leaving them grasping at moments that felt fleeting and eternal all at once.

As they stood there, the unresolved tension thick in the air, Ethan couldn't help but wonder if this timeline would be the one where they finally found a way to bridge the chasm between them. Or if it would be just another path leading to the same inevitable heartbreak.

Jake's eyes remained fixed on the floor, his mind a whirlpool of emotions. Ethan’s confession had shifted the axis of his world, and he was struggling to find stable ground.

 I need time, Ethan. I just... I need to think about this.

Ethan nodded, understanding the enormity of what he had just revealed. He turned to leave, but paused, glancing back at Jake with a mixture of hope and resignation.

 I'll be here, Jake. Whenever you're ready.

Days turned into weeks, and the city continued its relentless pace, indifferent to the turmoil in their hearts. Ethan found solace in the familiar rhythm of his daily life, yet every moment without Jake felt like an eternity.

One evening, as the sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in hues of orange and pink, Ethan found himself back at the coffee shop. The same weathered brick wall, the same distant hum of the city. This place had become a sanctuary of sorts, a constant in the shifting sands of his existence.

He was lost in thought when a shadow fell across him. He looked up to see Jake, standing there with an expression of quiet resolve.

 Hey, Ethan.

Ethan's heart skipped a beat. He stood up slowly, searching Jake's eyes for any hint of what was to come.

 Hey, Jake. You alright?

Jake nodded, his gaze steady.

 I've been thinking a lot about what you said. About different timelines, different versions of us.

Ethan held his breath, waiting.

 I can't pretend to understand everything, but I know one thing for sure. In every timeline, every version of our lives, I want you to be in it.

Ethan felt a surge of emotion, a blend of hope and fear that left him almost breathless.

 Jake, I...

Jake held up a hand, stopping him.

 Let me finish. I don't know if I can ever love you in the way you want. But I do love you, Ethan. You’re my best friend, and that means the world to me. Maybe that's not what you dreamed of, but it's what I can give you. And maybe, just maybe, that's enough for us to build something beautiful.

Ethan's eyes filled with tears, but this time, they were tears of acceptance, of understanding.

 Thank you, Jake. For being honest. For being you.

Jake smiled, a genuine, heartfelt smile that seemed to bridge the gap between them.

 So, what do you say? Can we try to navigate this crazy, unpredictable thing called life together? Not as lovers, but as partners in everything that truly matters?

Ethan nodded, a sense of peace washing over him.

 Yeah, Jake. I think we can.

As they walked into the twilight of the evening, side by side, the city’s hum seemed a little less distant, a little more harmonious. They had no answers, no guarantees, but they had each other. And in the intricate tapestry of time and love, that was a thread strong enough to hold them both.

In that moment, Ethan realized that while he might never find the perfect timeline, he had found something far more precious—a connection that transcended the constraints of time and space. And as they stepped into the unknown, he couldn't help but feel that, in some small way, they had already won.

Time, after all, was not just a river slipping through their fingers. It was an ocean, vast and unpredictable, full of endless possibilities. And in this timeline, in this version of their lives, they were ready to dive in, together.

Evelyn D.O.L.L.

Discover heartfelt stories of connection and transformation with Evelyn D.O.L.L., where love is always in the details.