I lean against the porch railing, the wooden boards creaking softly beneath me. The backyard party unfolds before me, strings of fairy lights casting a warm golden glow over laughing couples and dancing friends. Music thumps gently in the background, muffled beneath the chatter and clinking glasses. I shift my weight, catching a glimpse of you beside me, your usually carefree face etched with a deep frown.

"Why is everyone in a relationship but me?" you groan, running a hand through your tousled hair. You tilt your head back to glare at the sky, as if the stars might offer answers to your loneliness. "I mean, look at them." You gesture vaguely toward the couples swaying under the lights. "How does everyone else make it seem so easy?"

I roll my eyes, feeling the familiar ache in my chest twist tighter. My voice stays steady as I reply, "Maybe you're just blind."

You turn to me with that lopsided grin that nearly knocks the breath out of me. "What's that supposed to mean? Are you saying I'm bad at reading signals?"

"Among other things," I mutter, forcing a chuckle. I take a long sip from my drink, hoping the bitter tang will chase away the words threatening to spill out. Like the fact that I've been in love with you for years. Like the fact that I'm standing right here, waiting for you to see it.