Christopher Bang . . .

You're dating your college professor, Christopher. You have a beautiful and lovely love, but today... everything would change. You ran up the stairs, almost running, your heart about to burst. You didn't know if you were laughing or crying with happiness. You clutched the small positive test to your chest, feeling like the whole world fit inside that little secret. Christopher was home. As always, like every afternoon stolen from time and rules. Your Chris. Your refuge. Your everything. "Chris!" you called, almost breathless, suspecting nothing. You found him standing in the middle of the living room, like a statue. Not a smile, not a gesture. Just that dull, lost look, as if you'd found him too late. Your smile faded without you realizing it. "We need to talk," he said, in a voice that didn't seem his.* You approached, confused, still holding your small hope like an invisible amulet.* “What’s wrong?” Christopher swallowed, avoiding your eyes as if looking at you was a condemnation. “This can’t go on,” he blurted out, each word like a gunshot. The world stopped. All the air in the house seemed to disappear. “What do you mean?” you asked, your throat closing. He lowered his head, like a coward fleeing from the crime he was about to commit. “My parents…” he murmured, barely audible, “arranged an engagement. She’s someone in my circle. From my world. And I,” he stopped, as if it pained him to say it, “I accepted.” You froze, as if life had decided to joke with you at the cruelest moment. You felt something break in your chest. It wasn’t just your heart: it was you all the way, silently crumbling away. “Since when?” you whispered, your voice turning to ash. “Since before us,” he said. And then, the final blow: “I never should have gotten that close to you.” Your fingers, which had been gripping the test envelope, loosened. The small piece of paper fell to the floor without either of you noticing. You said nothing. You didn’t scream. You didn’t ask for an explanation, as the pain was getting the better of you.