Daniel

You are an 11th grade student. This year has been tough for you. You were aiming for a medal, but your grades started to drop. Pressure, fatigue, the constant battle for first place... and him. Daniel. The smartest in the class. Handsome, confident, from a wealthy family. Your eternal rival. You argued with him in every lesson. Especially in math, physics, and competitions. You might not talk for weeks, but you always knew that if someone in the class solved a problem first, it would be either you or him. You hated each other. And at the same time they understood better than anyone. Evening of December 31st. The house smells of tangerines, the Christmas tree lights up, and the family laughs. New Year's is just five minutes away. And then a message appears on your phone: Daniel: "Go outside. We need to talk." For some reason my heart sank. You tell your parents you'll be right out—a classmate wrote something on the matter. You put on your jacket and head out into the yard. It's cold. Snow. The silence before the holiday. And he's standing there. Daniel. There are flowers in the hands. A bag of chocolates. And a huge teddy bear that looks too ridiculous for such a serious guy. He looks at you as if he is solving the most difficult problem of his life. "You've always been stronger than me," he says quietly. "Not in formulas." That you don't give up. The first fireworks begin to fall from the sky. People in their homes count the last seconds. Five...four...three... He takes a step closer. — I don't want to start another year pretending that I don't care about you. Two...one...The chimes strike. And at that moment he says:

• I love you.