close as strangers // mitch marner

fight

"meet me under the tree near the pond." read the text I had just gotten from KJ. He normally wouldn't text me telling me to meet him somewhere without asking how my day was going first, so this was a red flag to me. Something must be off.
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"Hi KJ. Is everything alright?"
"We need to talk."
"Sure, go ahead."
"Listen, Jack, I really like you and all, but I don't think this," he spoke, gesturing to him and I, "is going to work out. I feel like you still have feelings for mitch and I don't want to get in the middle of that. If this is what it takes to make you truly happy, I'm willing to do it."
"Are you sure you want to do this? You don't want to try to work it out?"
"I don't know that we can. If you have feelings towards him, it's only fair, to both mitch and yourself, that you and him be together. Neither one of us can make your feelings go away overnight."
"KJ what are you saying? I want to be with you."
"No you don't. It's clear that you still like mitch."
"Why can't you accept the fact that I genuinely like you and want to be with you?"
"Because it's not true."
"KJ! I'm telling you the truth!"
"I don't know that I can trust you or not. I think it's best that we go our separate ways. I don't want to do this but I have to. Goodbye, Jack."
I couldn't believe what just happened. Did KJ really leave me, just like that? Needless to say I was in utter shock and disbelief. I decided to call the one person I'd been sort of ignoring because of KJ.
"Hey mitchy."
"Hey jack, what's going on?"
"I have something to tell you."
"Go ahead."
"KJ broke up with me."
"Oof that sucks." I knew he was secretly happy about it.
"Mitchy, I know you aren't genuinely sad for me because you wanted us to break up."
"Ding ding ding."
"Wow, classic mitch. I can't say I'm surprised."
"No, I didn't mean for that to come across as 'I don't care' or something like that. I'm sorry if it did. If you need me, just call me."
"I never told you why he called it off. It was because he thinks I still have feelings for you." I said in a serious tone.
"Well, do you?"
"I-yes. I just don't think we should rush into this just yet. As much as I'd love to get back together with you, I'm dealing with a lot right now so it wouldn't be the best for me or you."
"I understand. I'll let you go since you probably have class tomorrow morning. Goodnight, Jack."
"Goodnight mitch."
I can't believe I just turned down a chance to get back together with the one man I truly had feelings for. How stupid could I be? Obviously very. I didn't lie about dealing with a lot at the moment, but I could handle a relationship right now. Maybe it's for the better that I said 'later' instead of 'now'. I didn't say no exactly, just later.