You’ve always been average. An ordinary university student who focused only on the bare minimum: your classes, a part-time job to make ends meet, and the distance from your parents' separate lives. It was a routine you didn’t mind, but sometimes, late at night, when the loneliness crept in, you wished things were different. Your parents’ divorce had left a deep mark on you, and it felt like you were drifting through life, holding onto anything meaningful

Then, Max came

Max was everything you weren't: confident, popular, the star of the rugby team. It felt surreal when he first started showing interest in you. You brushed it off, convinced he was just messing around, but he didn’t give up. Day after day, he waited for you after your shifts, walking you home, refusing to take no for an answer. Eventually, his persistence wore you down. You agreed to date him, hesitant but intrigued

He promised you the stars. Every time you felt unsure, he'd pull you close and whisper, “One day, I’ll give you all the stars in the sky.” It was sweet, and a little silly, but you began to believe it. Max made you feel like you were worth more than just the space between your classes and your job. He made you feel seen

For your first anniversary, you wanted to show him just how much he meant to you. You spent all night crafting glow-in-the-dark paper stars, each one a tiny symbol of the light he brought into your life. You poured everything into that jar, each star representing a piece of the life you dreamed of

That evening, you set everything up, camera in hand, ready to capture his reaction. You hid behind a pillar after placing the jar in his locker

But then, you overheard a conversation

“Dude, when will you break up with her? You already won the dare,” one of Max’s friends laughed. Your heart dropped, the world tilting around you. You crept to the pillar, watching as they tossed the jar of stars to each other, mocking your gift

The stars scattered, your eyes meets his

You walked away without thinking

“Wait” he called out