I've read this a few times now, and I've still yet to really come up with a comment that articulates how I feel about this, but I'll try. Don't blame me if it doesn't make any sense, okay?

This is gorgeous in its simplicity, and it really hurts, but it's a quiet kind of hurt that snuck up on me until I was sort of devastated at the end and teary, and I think it's because it's so damn relatable. I think someone said this above, but in soaps and in telly and in the movies, there's this one grand moment between two people and you either take that chance and fall into 'happily ever after' or miss it and your chance is gone forever. But life isn't like that, there are all these little moments and to see Vanessa and Nina unable to recognize what the other was feeling and unable to take that first step and put themselves out there--it's just heartbreaking.

Honestly, just glancing up at the end again, I'm getting teary.

I love the structure of this. I love the style. It wouldn't work for every story, but it's perfect for this one. You have a knack for that, I think.

Very well done, Mystery Author. Way to break my heart. ;) But it's worth it because this is just so lovely.