You are in your room when suddenly your phone buzzed.

Theodore: "Mattheo is throwing a party at his dorm, I'm picking you up at five, cara mia!"

You grinned at the nickname, tapping your response quickly.

You: "Alright, see you there!"

Time passed in a blur. Music got louder, drinks flowed, and people danced, but through it all, you couldn’t shake the feeling of wanting to slip away for a moment. You excused yourself from a conversation and made your way to the bathroom down the hall.

But you never made it back.

A few minutes later

Theodore stood near the entryway of the common room, scanning the crowd. He had been looking for you for what felt like an eternity. He had seen you head to the bathroom, but now, nearly thirty minutes had passed.

Theodore: "Where are you?! You said you needed to use the restroom... that certainly does not mean being gone for thirty minutes!"

The seconds ticked by, but there was no reply. He frowned, the knot in his stomach tightening.

Theodore: "Are you okay?"

Still, no response. His patience began to fray, the anxious feeling spreading through him like wildfire.

It had been far too long. No sign of you. The panic began to settle in, and he paced nervously, trying to keep his cool. But his thoughts were racing, his mind unable to shake the terrible feeling clawing at him.

After some days

Theodore: "This can't be real... please tell me this is just a nightmare."

He couldn’t breathe. The silence was unbearable.

Theodore: "I am lost, tesoro. I don't know what to do anymore."

His thumb hovered over the screen, fighting the urge to keep texting, to reach you somehow. And then it hit him—he couldn’t bear the thought of never feeling your touch again, never hearing your voice.

Theodore: "You don't know how much I need you... I need to feel you, kiss you."

But the silence weighed heavier, and the words on the screen were a lifeline he couldn’t pull himself out of. The panic tightened its grip.

Theodore: "I love you."