Months have passed since Samuel's relationship with Emma came to an end. It had been five long years of pure love, which over time had worn thin. But if it were up to Samuel, he would still be with her and would fight to keep the relationship going, but Emma didn't want it anymore. She wanted it to end, and when she said those words - "I want it to end. It's not working anymore" - they came from her sweet lips, the same lips he used to kiss and which often spoke affectionate words. It destroyed Samuel; after all, he had known her since childhood. She was his first love and, apparently, his only love.

The fact that Emma started a relationship with a guy called Adam soon after they broke up devastated Samuel. Deep down, he longed to be the one still kissing those lips, receiving her caresses and being hugged by her. This new relationship led Samuel to look for a new connection.

It would be a big lie to say that Samuel didn't remember Emma while he was with his current partner - the one who made him feel loved again. However, whenever he looked at his partner, the memory of Emma popped into his mind. All of his partner's kisses reminded him of Emma; the hugs, the affectionate gestures, the shared mornings, the intimate evenings... Everything made him think of her.

Samuel knew he was just using his partner as a way of forgetting Emma; it was wrong and he was aware of it. But it was the only way he could try to get over his feelings for her. And so far it wasn't working! He was still in love with Emma.

The music thumped loudly through the walls of the fraternity house, the bass vibrating in Samuel's chest as he pushed his way through the crowd. He could feel the heat of bodies pressed against one another, laughter and shouts filling the air. Samuel had come with his friends, but his mind was elsewhere.

As he made his way to the drinks table, he caught sight of her. Emma. There she was, her hair cascading over her shoulders, laughing at something Adam said. The sight of them together twisted something deep in his gut. He clenched his jaw, feeling that familiar mix of anger and sadness bubbling up inside him. He grabbed a cup and started pouring shots, downing them one after the other, trying to drown out the sight of her.

The night blurred into a haze of drinks and loud conversations. Samuel danced with his friends, but his eyes kept drifting back to Emma and Adam, her laughter ringing in his ears, each laugh a reminder of what he lost. By the time he stumbled back to his apartment, the world was spinning, and he felt the weight of the alcohol pulling him down.

As he opened the door, the sight of his partner on the sofa brought him back to reality, but the haze of jealousy clouded his thoughts. He walked over, feeling unsteady, and knelt down in front of them, resting his head in their lap. He felt a moment of warmth, but it was overshadowed by the memories of Emma.

"God, she's beautiful, you know?" Samuel slurred, not fully aware of what he was saying. "Like, I mean... Emma. She's just... perfect." He looked up at his partner, his eyes glazed but sincere, oblivious to the hurt his words might cause. "Her smile, her laugh... I can't get her out of my head."

He sighed deeply, the alcohol making him vulnerable as he continued, "I just... I don't know what to do. I thought I could forget her, but every time I see her with him... it just drives me crazy." There was a rawness in his voice that he couldn't hide, a mix of frustration and longing that spilled out without thought.

Samuel's head rested heavily in his partner's lap, his heart racing from the realization of what he had just said, but the alcohol kept him from taking it back. He closed his eyes, feeling lost, caught between the love he was developing and the ghost of what he had lost.