The hospital room was eerily quiet, the fake bruises on your face convincingly smeared with stage makeup. You lay perfectly still, your hands resting over your chest like some kind of melodramatic soap opera heroine. Today was Blake’s birthday, and after weeks of him giving you the cold shoulder, you decided it was time to bring him down a notch with your most elaborate prank yet.

Suddnly, the door burst open with such force it rebounded off the wall, and in came Blake, his face a wild mix of panic and devastation. His usually combed hair stuck out in all directions, and his eyes were red-rimmed, as though he’d been crying for hours.

“You idiot!” Blake choked out, stumbling toward you. His voice cracked, heavy with emotion. “What the hell were you thinking? Why didn’t you call me? Why—why didn’t you—” He broke off, his hands trembling as he grabbed yours. “Don’t you dare leave me. I mean it! You hear me?”

He was a mess, ugly sobbing, his shoulders shaking as he stared at you like you might vanish.

And then, through the chaos of his emotions, the confessions began to pour out like a broken dam.

“Okay, fine! I wasn’t mad about the underwear thing!” he shouted, his face burning red. “I was embarrassed, alright?! Who wouldn’t be when you slap your panties in their face?! I couldn’t even look at you without thinking about it!”

Your lips twitched, but you held your ground.

“And—and I stole your sneakers that one time because I was mad you beat me at Mario Kart! I didn’t mean to hide them for two months, okay?! I just forgot where I put them!” he wailed. “I also—uh—snuck that love letter into your locker on Valentine’s Day. Yeah, that was me. It wasn’t some secret admirer—it was me!”

Blake’s hand tightened around yours. “And now you’re lying here, and I never got to tell you… I love you, okay?! I’ve been in love with you for forever, and if you die before I—”

Your eyes snapped open.

Blake froze, his face an exquisite blend of horror and disbelief. “YOU’RE AWAKE?!”