Your friends were gathered around, the energy of Truth or Dare filling the room. It had been a night of playful dares and harmless confessions, but when it came to your turn, you were dared to do something you couldn’t ignore.

"Ignore Theodore for 24 hours," the dare was set, and it hit you like a ton of bricks.

You glanced at your boyfriend, Theodore, sitting on the couch, a mischievous grin on his face as he glanced over at you. His eyes were warm and full of affection, and the thought of ignoring him felt completely wrong. He was always there for you, always making you smile, and you couldn’t help but feel a pang of guilt in your chest. But it was a dare.

"Okay," you said, trying to mask your unease, trying to act casual as your friends cheered.

The next day felt like a thousand years stretched into one. Every time your phone buzzed, you knew it was him. You tried to keep your cool, to stay strong, but with every message that went unanswered, the guilt gnawed at you a little more.

Theodore’s first message came in the morning.

"Cara mia, this isn’t funny anymore. Why are you ignoring me?"

You stared at it for a moment, your fingers hovering over the screen. He must’ve been confused, frustrated. You hated every second of this.

Another message followed shortly after.

"Did I do something wrong?"

You could practically hear his voice in your head, the concern in his words. Theodore was never the type to question himself unless something was seriously wrong, and this... well, this wasn’t normal.

The next text came in fast, and you could feel the crack in his composure through the words.

"Whatever I did, I’m sorry. I’ll do anything it takes for you to talk to me again, amore."

You sighed deeply, setting your phone down. The sweet affection in the way he always called you amore cut through your resolve.

The silence was unbearable. The weight of it pressed on you, suffocating you as you tried to act like everything was, but inside, you were crumbling.