The Love We Chose

In a quaint town like Willow Creek, two boys born on the same day at the same hospital never bother anyone. The joke is between mothers Maria and Clara: their sons were meant to be friends. Ethan is her firstborn son, and Liam is Clara's second-born child after his elder sister, Ava.

Both families lived in the houses next to each other, separated by a white picket fence. It didn't take long before Ethan and Liam were inseparable. Climb trees, race bikes or mischief-they did it together. Ava was often around, pretending to scold them but really cheering them on. Daniel, Ethan's father, and Robert, Liam's father, would chuckle as they spoke: "Those boys are going to rule the world someday."

Childhood Adventure

Ethan and Liam went to school together, occupied the adjacent seats in the classroom, and from there, created their own "treehouse club" at Ethan's backyard. The two would either play hide-and-seek until it was dark or build snow forts on winter evenings.

"Promise me that we will always stay together," Liam said one starry night while watching the stars from the treehouse.

"Always," Ethan declared, sealing it with a handshake.

The College Years

Ethan had grown to be the quiet, introspective man, while Liam had become confident and boisterous as they entered the college. Nature might have a different 'man', but their bond never weakened outside the confines of their differences. They even got on the school's basketball team and often played late-nights with cheering spectators drawn from their classmates.

It was a sunny afternoon that marked a day like no other during basketball matches.

As Liam scored a three-pointer, a girl stepped on the court. She had shiny golden hair that danced in the gentle wind and a smile that could stop time.

Ethan stopped to admire her but was cajoled by Liam to keep his eyes on the game.

"Whew....-" a mere whisper escaped Liam's lips.

"Oh yes...." Ethan replied barely such that one could qualify it a whisper.

The conclusion, neither did it say, but it was in that instant, they both fell in love.

---

Love at First Sight

Her name was Amelia; she was a new transfer student in the literature department. For the weeks ahead, the excuses for finding their way into her atmosphere became more and more easily fashioned, as Ethan and Liam followed her through every nook and wooden bridge:" "She's beautiful, isn't she?," Liam said one evening while walking home from practice.

"She is," Ethan replied, sinking a little into his heart.

Though, Liam smiled. "I'll go and ask her out".

"What, you're-?" Ethan stopped dead in his tracks with a tightened chest.

"Yeah. What about you?" Liam said lightly, but his eyes were sharper, penetrating.

She isn't really my type, he lied, forcing a smile.

What Ethan Could Not Confess

For many years now, Ethan has loved Amelia; nevertheless, he never had the confidence to say it to her. Even when they were together, he felt another urge to say it, but it always got stuck at the back of his throat. He was an introvert, not the type who would easily pour out his heart. Instead, he wrote in his diary. Every word, every feeling for her was captured in the pages of his diary, his heart pouring out onto the paper in ways he couldn't express aloud.

One evening found Ethan and Amelia together in the basketball court. He sat down, holding his diary tightly, and let his fingers touch the worn edges of the pages. He had written that very day:

"Amelia, only if you knew how much I felt for you. How every moment with you seems like a dream, one I'm scared will shatter if I wake. But I can't risk our friendship, our bond. I'd be happy if you were to love him even though it breaks me inside."

And there was Ethan, closing his diary and pushing it into his packed backpack when suddenly he sensed a sharp pang in his heart, as though someone had plunged a dagger into it. He had wanted to confess, but fear had stopped him many times. All this while, he thought Liam was looking at what he wrote.

THE GIRL WHO CHANGED EVERYTHING

Indeed, Amelia had noticed both of them. She admired the boldness and humor of Liam but was drawn to Ethan's quiet strength. But she was not so sure how to voice her feelings.

One day, as usual, Liam approached her, "Hey, Amelia. Want to have coffee with me?"

She hesitated, glancing across the courtyard where Ethan sat with his book in front of his eyes. "Sure," she said finally. "Can Ethan join us?"

Liam raised an eyebrow but smiled. "Of course."

A cozy café near the campus became the setting for an outing. Liam and Ethan maintained great conversations, with Liam telling the most amazing stories and making jokes, while Ethan seemed to be lost in thought most of the time. He sometimes sneaked glances at Amelia.

When they left the café, Liam whispered in Ethan's ear, "Incredible, isn't she?"

"She is," rendered Ethan's barely audible reply.

"I'll tell her that I'm into her." This left no doubt in the mind of Liam.

Ethan's heart broke, but he nodded. "Good luck."

---

The confession

In the evening, Liam came straight to Ethan just to let him know that he was planning to confess his love to Amelia. "Tomorrow, I'm going to do it," he replied, grinning brightly.

Ethan mustered the smile. "You should."

Liam found Amelia, who was reading a book under a tree, the following day. "Amelia, I really like you. A lot. Would you go out with me?"

She jerked her gaze away from the pages and stared at Liam. Finally, she said, "Liam... I don't want to hurt you, but I just don't feel that way."

The truth comes out.

Later that week, Amelia came upon Ethan sitting alone on the basketball court. She made her way to him, her heart beating wildly. "Ethan," she said softly. He looked up, surprised; "Amelia. Hi." "Why do you avoid me?" she asked, her voice trembling. "I don't avoid you," he replied, though his eyes betrayed him. "Yes, you do," she insisted. "And I want to know why. Because... I think I'm falling for you." Ethan stared at her as if his heart would explode in his chest. "Amelia, I -- " He hesitated. Thoughts came rushing in like a flood. He cannot betray Liam. "You're mistaken," he said finally. "I don't feel that way about you." Amelia's face dropped and her eyes brimmed with tears. "You're lying," she whispered before walking away.

Liam Finds Out – The Heart-Wrenching Realization

His heart seemed to beat in time with the thudding of the drums after he had overheard Ethan and Amelia that day. An exchange as he walked in just in time to hear Amelia say over the phone, "I like you so much, but why do you pretend that you don't?" Liam could easily tell Ethan was hurting. Liam had never seen his best friend look this vulnerable.

When he entered home, something clung around not being well. He stepped inside Ethan's room hoping for a hint. His eyes danced to the open dairy. Slowly, he picked it up, his hands trembling. He began reading the pages; his heart broke with every word he read.

"Amelia... I love you more than anything else. How I wish I had the courage to tell you. But I can't, for I know Liam is in love with you too. I cannot hurt him. The friendship we share means everything to me."

Liam's filling his eyes with tears as he read through all the pages where every entry spoke of Ethan's silent sacrifice. Everything was there, clearly hidden in open sight. Ethan had renounced his love for Amelia not because she has no feelings for him but because he loved Liam more than his own happiness.

Sitting in a turmoil of emotions, Liam felt a tightening in his chest. "He never told me... He's been bearing this all by himself all the while?" he whispered, closing the diary slowly, feeling the weight of Ethan's sacrifice. For his best friend had sacrificed everything for him, and now, Liam had to face a decision that could shatter them both.

The Heart-to-Heart - Liam Confronts Ethan

That night, as they sat again as they always did on their rooftop, Liam finally broke the silence. "Ethan," he said low, his voice thick with emotion, "I know. About you and Amelia."

Ethan looked up, bewildered. "What do you mean?"

Liam tossed the diary lightly on the table in between them. "That I found it. And I read it."

Ethan's heart sank at the rush of guilt. "I didn't want you to find out. I didn't want you to think that I was hiding anything from you."

Liam shook his head, tears gathering in the corners of his eyes. "No, you didn't hide it. You sacrificed it. You sacrificed her because you thought I wanted her more than you did."

"Because you do," Ethan whispered, looking away, his voice breaking. "I couldn't take that from you. I love you above everything, Liam. Our friendship is priceless for me. I couldn't become the one who spoiled it."

Suddenly, Liam stood up, starting to pace on the rooftop. His mind was conflicting with many emotions. "Ethan, we've been through everything together. Brothers, not only friends. I love you too, but not really how you think it to be." He stopped, heart clogged with everything. "I never wanted to make you feel you have to sacrifice everything for me."

Tears fell on to Ethan's face as he looked at Liam, crushed. "I don't know what else to do, Liam. You mean more to me than anyone, and I thought if I accepted your happiness with Amelia, I could be happy for you."

Liam's voice cracked as he kneeled before his best friend, "Ethan... I love you too, but not like that. I love you like a brother. Amelia is what I want, but seeing you suffer... that hurts me more than you know. I will always choose you first as much as stepping aside."

_________

The Final Selection

Liam: (Softly, almost doubtfully) "Amelia..." You know, I think of you. I always have. But... Ethan? He thinks more about you than I will ever do. He is the one who should have your love and not me."

Amelia: (Eyes agape, shocked, her voice unsteady) "Liam, I... I don't know what to say. I never knew... that you felt like it."

Liam: (Wipes a tear, gives a bittersweet smile) "It's okay. I can see it in your eyes. I know you love him too. You should be with him... I am stepping back."

Amelia: (Moving closer, heartbroken) "But Liam, are you sure? I don't want to break your heart-"

Liam: (Shaking his head, tear trailing his cheek) "You're not going to break me. I just want for you to be happy... even if that means setting you free."

Amelia: (Her eyes filling with tears that tumble down her cheeks, voice almost inaudible) "I never wanted this to be so complicated."

Liam: (Softly, his voice cracking) "Love is complicated. But true love... sometimes it’s about letting go."

---

Later that Evening – Amelia Confronts Ethan

Amelia: (Jittery, next to Ethan sitting in a bench on top of the city, staring outside) "Ethan... I want to tell you something."

Ethan: (Turning his head toward her, a bit confused) "What is it, Amelia?"

Amelia: "I have always admired you. And... I have always been afraid to admit it, even to myself... but I can't hide it anymore. The truth is that... I love you."

Ethan: (His heart gallops, voice soft and full of disbelief) "You love me...?" Eyes search hers, widening. "I've loved you too, all along. But I never thought I could have you. Not when.... not when I thought I might lose everything."

Amelia: (Silenting shaking her head, voice a low whisper) "Why didn't you tell me this before?"

Ethan: (Trembling voice, not meeting her gaze) "I thought I'd lose you... I thought I'd lose Liam. He means the world to me and I couldn't... risk our friendship for my feelings."

Amelia: (Reaches out, gently lifts his chin to meet his eyes) "But you don't have to lose him, Ethan. You don't have to lose me either. I want you. I've always wanted you, but I was too scared to admit it."

Ethan: (Eyes glistening, voice cracks with raw emotion) "I have been living in fear, Amelia. Afraid to say those words. But now... now you are here. Telling me the truth. I have longed for this for so long and thought it was impossible."

Amelia: (Softly, with a tear rolling down) "It's not out of this world, Ethan. It's real. And it's right here... with you."

He wrapped his arms around her, hugging her gently, with his heart filling to finally ease off the burden. "I'm sorry; I'm sorry for waiting so long. I'm sorry for keeping all this inside."

"You're forgiven. Silly, you just had to let go of that fear. And now, there's a chance for us," said Amelia who cuddled her head against his chest, her voice muffled.

"I'll never let go of you again; not now. Never." Ethan did whisper something against her scalp, the ghost of joy mixing with relief in his voice.

A Heartfelt Ending

With the golden rays of the sun setting down the western horizon, Ethan and Amelia were sitting side by side, hands entwined with hearts finally freed. The silence of unspoken words, hidden emotions, has finally lifted and made way for something new-something pure and real.

Liam was watching from a distance, bitter sweet in an elated way. He knew he had made the right choice even though it meant letting go. Turning around to walk away, he whispered to himself, "Sometimes love isn't about holding on. It's about knowing when to let go."

Ethan looked at Amelia and softly but firmly said, "I think I could never have this moment with you. I have dreamed it, wrote about it. But now it is reality. And I promise I will never let fear keep me away from you again."

Amelia smiled, her eyes glistening with tears. "You don't need to promise me anything, Ethan. Just... be you. That's all I've ever wanted."

Between the three of them-Ethan, Amelia, and Liam-a new balance was brought into life which made things sour no more. It wasn't easy but the bond was strong enough to withstand the challenges. Time healed the wounds, and their lives intertwined in a way that felt natural and unbreakable.

Years on into the future, and sitting there with the reminiscence, Liam turned to Ethan with the joking smile. "You owe me, you know."

Ethan laughed. "For what?"

"To give that once-in-a-lifetime love story to you," Liam teased, though there was a lightness in his tone that made the heart peaceful.

Amelia laughed as she leaned into Ethan. "And for being the greatest friend that anyone could ever ask for."

Ethan looked at them both with straw full. "I think all of us owe something. For love. And for sacrifices. And for being there always, for everything."

And the three laughed under the stars and knew their story was not merely one of love or sacrifice—it was the unbreakable cord of friendship that had borne them through all hardships together.

Moral of the Story

Love and friendship are, perhaps, the most intense associations that one can ever have, but not without some trials and tribulations. It takes courage to accept true love, while one has to selflessly give of himself or herself to maintain true friendship. Sometimes, letting go is the greatest love of all, and another time sacrificing your own happiness for that of another is called a great act of love or friendship.

In the end, love always finds a way to blossom where honesty, faith, and sacrifice are being nourished. And friendships nade in the foundations of loyalty and understanding would last even in the worst storms of life.