Hardin came to talk to Ava, but he could not find her and instead found Kelly in the auditorium.

"Hey, Kelly! Have you seen Ava?" Hardin asked.

​​

"Oh, she went out," Kelly stated, not intending to explain further.

"Did she leave with her boyfriend?" Hardin questioned.

"Yeah, how did you know?" Kelly knew Ava hasn't told anyone about her relationship except for her.

"Is her boyfriend Tristan Ambrosio?" Hardin, instead of answering her question, asked another question.

"Yes. But how do you know that?" Kelly wondered.

Suddenly it felt like the end of the world for Hardin. He had a suspicion that Ava might have a boyfriend, but now it was confirmed.

Kelly observed the change in Hardin's face. "Hardin, are you okay?" Kelly asked softly.

"No …..," Hardin whispered.

"Ava is really with Tristan Ambrosio," Hardin was trying to digest that Ava can never be his. He sat on a bench, with his elbows propped on his knees, he placed his head on his hands. He was feeling nauseous. 

Kelly felt like he was acting too weird. His reaction was for someone who just learned their girlfriend was cheating on them. "Wait, is he in love with Ava?" she asks herself.

"What no. I mean, they're good friends. It's nothing more to that," She tried to repair the damage she had caused.

"Hardin are you…," She started but could not go on.

"Yes, I'm in love with her," He said with his voice shaking. He finally acknowledged his feelings and said it out loud.

"I loved her from the first moment I saw her. You think my life is glamorous just because I am the most popular guy in college. People envy me thinking I have everything, but it's not true. They don't know what I have gone through and what I am still going through. 

My father was a very rich businessman, and all he was interested in was making money. He never cared about his wife or his children. He never loved anyone except himself.

My parents' marriage was a business alliance, but my mom loved him truly. 

He used to beat her a lot, abusing her physically and mentally. She tolerated everything just because she loved him. 

I always thought she was a fool. She let a man walk over her and destroy her. My father was only happy with my mother when she bore him two sons. He needed his sons to continue his legacy.

He was always cheating on her. He was never discreet about it. Sometimes he would openly flirt with women right in front of her. She just kept quiet and turned a blind eye to everything. 

After my older brother and I were born, my mom became ill. She had complications while she had me. 

My father was a bastard. Instead of caring for my mom, he accused her of making herself sick. So she could get his attention.

After that, he had an affair with a younger woman that was old enough to be his daughter. He brought his mistress home, and they slept in his room, right beside my mom's. My mom was devastated, she used to cry a lot, but he did not give a fuck about her.

My let his mistress Fiona live in our house. He was mesmerized by her beauty and was ready to do anything for her. He gave her some of his properties, and he let her spend my dad's money without any limit.

My brother was 18 at that time, and Fiona started targeting him as well. She was getting bored with my dad. At first, my brother was resistant. He avoided her as much as he could. He even threatened to tell our dad about her if she kept on pursuing him.

Fiona's brother came out a few days later, introducing my brother to illegal drugs. They turned him into a drug addict. 

Fiona being the loose woman that she was, she was not satisfied that my brother had rejected her. In one of his drug-addled states, she seduced him and forced him to sleep with her. He had such a bright future ahead of him, and they ruined him.

On one of their trysts, my father caught them. My brother tried to explain but my dad was blinded by his lust for Fiona. 

Fiona told my dad that My brother forced himself on her, that he was blackmailing her, saying that if she did not sleep with him, then he would release her nude photos. She cried her crocodile tears, and my dad believed her.

My dad slapped my brother and chose to believe that slut instead of his own blood. They had a huge fight, then things got ugly. 

My brother in his anger overdosed on drugs and died. A part of me died when he did. He was my best friend.

My father did not even shed a tear. My mother suffered a heart attack and had an operation. She made it, but she had no more interest in living. She was as good as dead.

Fiona got pregnant, and my dad was over the moon. I couldn't even recognize my own father. He doted on her a lot and was so sweet and loving to her. 

One day he decided to come home early from a business trip. He was shocked when he saw Fiona in bed with Jordy. She told him that Jordy was her boyfriend and not her brother. They lied and deceived him for his money and property. 

They fooled many people before, but no one was as rich as my father. Jordy even mocked my father, saying the baby Fiona was carrying was his. My father got mad and said he was not a fool, and he will not raise her child. He smashed a vase on Jordy's' head.

Fiona could not just stand there while Jordy was being beaten, so she took one of the vase pieces and stabbed my father. 

My father died on the spot. 

She was hysterical when the police came. She kept saying she did not try to kill him but she was just trying to protect Jordy, it was self-defense. Both Fiona and Jordy were locked up in jail because of murder.

My mom didn't take it well and went into a coma. I became an orphan that day. My house smelled of bleach and medicine, and it was so cold that it gave me chills when I entered.

The doctors told me there was no hope of my mother coming out of the coma. She did not want to open her eyes because she had no reason to be happy.

I lost everything, but when I met Ava, I saw a chance to be happy. I fell in love with her with each passing day. 

She is so beautiful, kind, and innocent. Nobody can stop themselves from falling in love with her. But then I guess I was not that lucky. I cannot compete with Tristan Ambrosio. He is one of the most eligible bachelors in the country and an aristocratic heir.

Hardin broke down and started crying. He just lost Ava too.

Kelly was also sobbing. She never knew he had such a painful past. He always hid his difficulties behind a smile.

"Are you going to tell Ava about your feelings?" Kelly asked.

"No, it looks like she is already happy, I wouldn't want to disturb her.

I got a job offer abroad. I am going, and my mom will be moving to a hospital. The doctor told me the maximum time for my mom is one month. I have no plans of coming back. Ava will be forever in my heart as my first love. She will always be just a beautiful memory," Hardin said, wiping his tears.

"Hardin, are you seriously leaving?" Kelly asked.

"Yes, it will be good for everyone. Please promise me you won't tell Ava about my feelings. I wanted to be a good friend to her till the end," Hardin requested.

"Sure. Why don't we all go out one last time before you leave," Kelly suggested.

"No, I'll be leaving tomorrow. I don't want to see her before I go, I might not be able to control myself and do something stupid," Hardin said.

"What? Why are you leaving so soon?" It made her sad. She didn't realize he was leaving so soon.

"Yeah, I have to. Kelly, you have been a really good friend to me. I wish you all the luck in the future," he said.

"Hardin..... You've... You've also been a good friend to me. Take care out there okay," Kelly's voice was shaking as she hugged him goodbye.

"Bye Kelly," Hardin said with a sadness in his voice.

Hardin got an offer to work abroad. He made up his mind that his decision will depend on Ava's response, and since he had no one here to hold onto, he would just go somewhere where no one knew him and start afresh.

It is not always that we are lucky to find that one person to love and have them love you back. Sometimes we won't be able to tell them how we feel. It doesn't mean we love them less. It's just that we want them to be happy, with or without us.

Kelly's mood was off, and she sat on the bench for a while, processing all that information. She was lucky. At least she had Jack.

Jack had come to the college to pick her up. When he called earlier, he noticed she sounded a little bit sad. 

"Kelly what happened," Jack said, concerned when he saw her dried-up tears.

"It's nothing. I've had to deal with too much pressure lately. I'm worried about my studies," Kelly lied. She did not want to tell anyone about Hardin's secret.

"Kelly, please don't be so hard on yourself. I will be here to support you. Let me know how I can help," Jack said.

Kelly hugged him, "Hmm… Thank you for being there for me. I appreciate your help, and I'm glad I have you in my life."

Jack was surprised. It was the first time she took the initiative to hug him. Kelly felt very emotional, and seeing Jack's concern made her feel good.

He happily hugged her back. 

They made their way to the competition. Jack promised Kelly to come with her to the photo competition.