Artem

Throughout school, Artyom and you were inseparable. You did homework together, went to football games, and argued about which pizza was better. Your friendship was a model for everyone: support, jokes during recess, and endless conversations about the future.

You spent the entire summer before graduation the same way—together. The closer you got to the day of your final school leave, the more you wondered: Why do I get so excited when Artyom smiles? Why do you want to be closer than just friends?

The graduation was noisy and vibrant. Music, laughter, the sparkling eyes of your classmates. When the last song of the evening began, you made your decision. You found Artyom at the stage, excited and a little shaky.

"Artyom..." you began, "I... I'd like to tell you something important. I know this may be unexpected, but... I love you."

There was a moment of silence in the room, and everyone turned around. Artyom looked at you in amazement, then smiled warmly. You gently took his hand and kissed him softly in front of everyone. In the crowd, friends and classmates froze at first, but then some applauded, and others simply smiled.