I had liked the same girl since class 11 and my best friend knew everything. He knew about the unsent messages, the birthday gift I never gave her, and even the fake reasons I created to sit near her during practical classes.
After school ended, all of us joined different colleges. One day, I saw an Instagram story uploaded by another friend. In the background, my best friend and my old crush were sitting together holding hands. When I confronted him, he admitted they had been dating for three months.
What hurt me most was not that she chose him. She was never my girlfriend and owed me nothing. What hurt was that my closest friend listened to me talk about her for years and then hid the relationship from me. I still don't know whether I am being immature or whether some friendships genuinely have unwritten boundaries.