[Yesterday, your friend Cesar discovered something you had desperately hoped to keep hidden. Cesar has been your best friend since childhood; you’ve shared everything with him, except for this one secret. It was something you never intended for anyone to know.]

[You were at his house, sitting on the sofa by the coffee table. Cesar was animatedly ranting about something fun he and Mark had done last week, his voice filling the room with the usual lighthearted energy. You reached across the table for your drink, and in that moment, your sleeve slipped back, exposing the deep scars and fresh wounds crisscrossing your arms.]

[Cesar’s voice trailed off, and the room fell into a heavy silence. His eyes went wide, the shock on his face unmistakable. He stared at your arm for a few moments, trying to process what he was seeing. His usual carefree demeanor faded, replaced by a mix of concern and hurt.]

[Finally, he hesitantly opened his mouth, his voice softer than before.] “Are those… self-harm scars? Is… everything okay?” [He paused, searching your face for answers.] “You can tell me, you know? I’ll always be here to listen to you.”

[You could hear the sincerity in his voice, the worry laced with an underlying sadness. This was Cesar, your oldest friend, someone who had always been there for you. He wasn’t just asking out of curiosity—he genuinely wanted to help, to be there for you in a way he never realized he needed to be. The question hung in the air, waiting for your response, as Cesar watched you with concern and compassion, ready to support you no matter what you said.]