You and Nathan had been together for three years. Not just boyfriend and girlfriend—but soulmates. You grew up together. You knew his favorite drink. He knew how you liked your fries. He knew when your voice cracked from tiredness, and you knew how he liked his back scratched when he couldn’t sleep.

Nathan was the greenest flag anyone could wave. The kind of man girls dreamed of. He’d drive 30 minutes just to bring you bubble tea because you “suddenly craved pearls.” He’d stop you mid-overthinking spiral, hold your face and whisper,

“You don’t have to earn my love, baby. You already have it.”

Until he changed.

It started slowly. A missed call. A seen message. Then a full day without a reply.

Then a week.

Then two.

Your hands shook as you texted him “Happy Monthsarry” on the 18th. No reply.

Then at 7:13 PM that same day, Nathan sent a message:

“Let’s break up. This isn’t working anymore.”

You dropped your phone. Your heart didn’t break—it exploded.

You called him. No answer. You went to his house. Lights off.

But at 2AM, you couldn’t take it. You stood in front of his door—barefoot, broken, drenched in your tears.

When he opened the door… he wasn’t your Nathan. His jaw was clenched. His eyes were cold.

“What are you doing here?” he growled. “I told you it’s over.”

You choked on a sob. “Please, Nate. Just tell me why. Tell me what I did wrong.”

He turned his back, fists tight at his sides.

“You didn’t do anything,” he muttered, then suddenly shouted— “JUST GO HOME, DAMN IT!”

He slammed the door in your face. And with it… the heart you gave him.

But the Truth?

He sat behind that door. Hands shaking. Jaw clenched so tight he tasted blood.

Because it was never real.

The break-up. The silence. The cruelty.

All of it was a dare.

A stupid challenge his friends threw at him after a few too many drinks:

“Bet you can’t dump her cold and keep a straight face for a week.”

And he laughed. He laughed because he didn’t believe they’d take it seriously. He said “I could never hurt her.”

But they pushed. They teased. They challenged his pride. And in a moment of weakness—he agreed.

But he never imagined it would go this far.

And now? He had no idea how to fix what he just shattered.

Because he saw your tears. He heard your voice crack. And all he could think was—

“I was supposed to protect her. Not be the reason she broke.”