The rumour didn't leave them alone.
It clung to the air around Pearl and Sharon, in the way he looked at her when he thought she wasn't watching, in the way she held onto his sleeve a little tighter whenever they walked home together.
It was nearing sunset, the sky painted in strokes of gold and pink, when Pearl found Sharon alone on the rooftop, the breeze tugging at his hair as he sketched quietly.
"Sharon," she called softly, stepping closer, her shoes crunching against the gravel.
He looked up, eyes tired but warm, a small, crooked smile on his lips. "Star."
Pearl took a deep breath, her heart pounding. She had rehearsed this moment a hundred times, words swirling in her head every night.
She was done letting fear hold her back.
She walked closer, standing in front of him, the breeze lifting her hair as she looked into his eyes.
"If you're leaving, you need to know," she said, her voice shaking but clear, "you can't leave without knowing."
Sharon's pencil slipped from his fingers, falling to the ground as he stood, eyes searching hers. "Knowing what?"
Pearl's hands balled at her sides, tears burning in her eyes as she forced herself to hold his gaze. "That I love you."
The words broke free, trembling in the space between them, honest and bright and raw.
Sharon's eyes widened, breath catching, his lips parting as if to say something, but no words came out.
"I don't care if you're leaving or staying," Pearl continued, her voice breaking, tears slipping down her cheeks, "I needed you to know. I love you, Sharon. I love you so much it scares me."
For a moment, the world felt still, the breeze wrapping around them gently, the sun dipping lower behind the clouds.
And then Sharon stepped forward, closing the space between them, his hands reaching up to cup her tear-streaked face.
"Star," he whispered, his own eyes shining, "I love you too."
Pearl let out a soft sob, her hands clutching his wrists as he leaned down, pressing his forehead to hers, their tears mixing as they both laughed and cried.
"I was so scared," Sharon whispered, his thumbs brushing her cheeks gently, "that I'd leave without telling you, that I'd lose this before I could say it."
"You're not leaving without a goodbye," Pearl whispered, her eyes closing, "not anymore."
He pressed a soft kiss to her forehead, then her nose, before finally brushing his lips against hers. It was gentle, slow, filled with everything they had left unsaid for too long.
The kiss deepened, warm and certain, as the sun set, painting the rooftop in hues of lavender and gold.
When they pulled back, breathless, Sharon rested his forehead against hers again, smiling through the tears.
"No matter where I go," he whispered, "you're my Star."
"And you're my quiet," Pearl replied, her voice soft, a small smile trembling on her lips.
They stood there, holding each other, the world soft around them, letting the confession settle in their hearts like a promise they would carry forever.