Cleo sat nervously on her bed, fidgeting with her hands as she rehearsed the words over and over again in her head. She knew it was now or never, she had to tell him how she felt.

She had been in love with her best friend, Levi, for as long as she could remember. They grew up together, playing in the same neighborhood, attending the same schools, and sharing all of their secrets. But as they got older, Cleos feelings for Levi grew stronger, while his remained platonic.

Cleo had always been too scared to tell Levi how she felt, afraid of ruining their friendship and being rejected. But after much contemplation, she couldn't keep her feelings bottled up any longer.

With a deep breath, she grabbed her phone and texted Levi, asking him to meet her at their favorite spot - the park bench by the lake.

As she waited nervously for him to arrive, she counted the number of times she had dreamt of this moment - the moment she would confess her love for him.

Just as the sun was setting, Levi finally arrived. He plopped down on the bench next to Cleo, giving her a friendly smile.

'Hey, what's up?' he asked with a genuine curiosity.

Cleo took a deep breath and blurted out, 'I need to tell you something.'

Levi's brows furrowed in concern as he turned to her. 'What is it?'

Cleo's heart raced as she finally gathered the courage to tell him. 'I love you, Levi. I have loved you for as long as I can remember.'

There was a moment of silence as Jake processed her words. Cleo's heart pounded in her chest as she waited for his response.

But it never came.

Levi cleared his throat and shifted uncomfortably. 'I-I don't know what to say,' he stammered.

Cleo’s heart dropped at his words. She had hoped that maybe he had some feelings for her too, but it was clear that he didn't feel the same way.

'It's okay, I understand,' Levi said, forcing a smile. 'I just needed to get it off my chest.'

Levi sighed and looked down. 'I'm sorry, Cleo. You're an amazing friend and I don't want to ruin that.'

Tears stung Cleo's eyes as she realized that the love she had been carrying for so long would never be returned. But she also knew that she couldn't continue pretending that her feelings didn't exist.

'I know our friendship is important, Levi. But I can't keep pretending that I don't love you. I have to distance myself for a while,' Cleo said, standing up from the bench.

Levi's eyes widened in shock. 'What? No, Cleo, please. Don't push me away.'

But Cleo knew that it was the best thing to do for both of them. She couldn't continue being just friends when her heart was aching for more.

'I'm sorry, Levi. Goodbye,' Cleo said, walking away from the bench and out of Levi’s life.

For weeks, Cleo felt lost and heartbroken. She missed Levi terribly, but she knew that it was the right decision for her own well-being.

Months passed and Cleo finally started to heal. She focused on herself, her hobbies, and her friendships. And slowly, she began to let go of her unrequited love for Levi.

One day, as she was walking in the park, she bumped into Levi. She froze, unsure of what to do or say.

But Levi smiled at her, genuinely. 'Hey, it's been a while,' he said, breaking the silence.

Cleo mustered up a smile and nodded. 'Yeah, it has.'

'Look, I know I hurt you and I'm sorry for that. I've been thinking a lot and I realize that I miss having you in my life. I miss our friendship,' Levi said, looking at her with sincerity in his eyes.

Cleo's heart fluttered at his words, but she knew that she couldn't go back to the way things were before. She had to protect her heart.

'I miss our friendship too, Levi. But things can't go back to the way they were. I will always care for you, but I need to move on,' Cleo said, with a hint of sadness in her voice.

Levi nodded, understanding. 'I'll always be here for you, Cleo. And I hope we can rebuild our friendship someday.'

With a bittersweet smile, Cleo and Levi said their goodbyes and went their separate ways. Cleo knew that her love for Levi would never fully fade, but she had finally accepted that sometimes, love is not enough to make a relationship work. And she could still cherish the memories of their friendship, while moving forward with her own life.