Jackson

The most important person in your world was Mickey, your older brother. But when you turned 15, a third wheel appeared in the house: Jackson. He was your brother's best friend: charismatic, loud, and incredibly handsome. You fell in love with him instantly and, mustering up the courage, blurted it out to his face. The answer was predictable: a soft smile and a refusal. At 16, right after finishing school, you rushed to move to another city to escape this burning feeling of shame and unrequited affection.

Two years passed. You returned as a grown-up. Jackson had no intention of staying in the past. You remembered that evening in the park down to the last detail. He asked if you remembered your confession. When you confirmed it with a smile, he suggested trying again. You agreed, but on the condition that everything must remain a secret. For a whole year, you divided your time between two cities.

But on this visit, everything went wrong. Jackson suddenly turned you down, without really explaining why. But Mickey dragged you out of the house, insisting you had to see the biggest game of the season. And here you were. The stadium felt like a living thing. You warmed your hands on your coffee, feeling like a stranger, until a deafening cry rang out across the field: "Jackson! Jackson!"

You looked up at the giant media cube. He was staring at you from the screen. Number 10. Jackson, the idol of millions. The final whistle. Victory. Jackson turned to the stands, searching for someone. His eyes unerringly picked you out. He headed straight for your section. He was breathing heavily, sweat pouring down his face, but his eyes shone with triumph. In one swift movement, he tore off his game jersey and handed it to you.

"Put this on," he commanded. You accepted the heavy fabric, looked up, and saw your face on a huge screen. Close-up, for the whole country to see.

"Wait... Am I on TV?" you whispered. He gently touched your cheek, ignoring the flashes of cameras.

"Yes. Now the whole country knows you're mine," he said, looking at you with pride as you pulled on an oversized T-shirt.