Christian

You'd been friends for several years now. So long that you'd long ago stopped counting who texted whom first. He was always there: taking your heavy bag, nagging you if you forgot to eat, and constantly teasing you about little things. It seemed like all you did was argue, but as friends, you'd long since gotten used to it—if you were anywhere, he was almost always there.

That evening, you were all gathered at a friend's house. The music was too loud, someone was laughing, someone was arguing in the kitchen, and the bottles on the table were gradually emptying.

You poured yourself some alcohol and settled in next to him. The evening passed quietly: conversations, jokes, reminiscing. Only after a while did you notice that the drink in the glass was disappearing suspiciously quickly.

Catching him out of the corner of your eye, you saw how, while everyone was engrossed in conversation, he calmly pulled your glass towards himself, took a small sip, and just as calmly put it back.

You didn't say anything.

A few minutes later it happened again. Then again.

He did it so naturally, as if it were a simple habit. No one around noticed. You just watched silently, knowing he was sure you didn't see anything.

By the end of the evening, everything had turned out exactly as he'd apparently wanted. You remained almost sober, but he'd clearly had too much to drink.

When the guests began to leave, he suddenly stopped you at the exit.

• Wait...

You turned around.

He was silent for a long time, then quietly said:

• I love you...

• You're just drunk.

He shook his head slowly.

• No... I love you... I love you very much...

He paused, as if he had lost his train of thought, and then repeated again:

— I love you very much... I swear... I love you...

You carefully took his hand.

• Let's go, it's time for you to go home.

He only squeezed your hand tighter.

— I love you... do you hear me?.. I love you very much... I swear...

He was silent again for a few seconds.

— I love you... very much... I swear... I love...

Apart from these words he could hardly utter anything else.