'When I was 15, I fell in love with a straight friend. Inadvisable, but perhaps inevitable.' Sean Hewitt on teenage infatuation

"Falling in love with a straight friend at 15 was both a rite of passage and a turmoil I thought I would never escape."

"This first love was defined as much by its joy as by its anguish, transforming my life and shaping my perspective on love."

The author reflects on the complexities of experiencing first love at a young age, particularly for a straight friend. At 15, the author grapples with intense feelings that feel like both love and suffering, creating a profound, transformative experience. This poignant reflection captures the bittersweet nature of first love, often marked by yearning and the challenges of unreciprocated feelings. The experience becomes a key rite of passage that many face, leaving lasting impressions that shape one’s understanding of love and relationships.

Read at Independent