let's step away for a minute

You met a few years ago and became very close from the very beginning. He quickly became your best friend—the one you could tell absolutely anything to.

But there was one thing you never knew.

He was in love with you.

Not a couple of weeks or a few months. He'd loved you for years, but he'd never dared to tell you. He was afraid that confessing would change everything and you'd stop being friends.

You calmly told him about your crushes, discussed other guys, and even sometimes asked him for advice. He smiled every time, joked, and pretended not to care.

But he didn't care.

Time passed. You both grew older, each with your own affairs, new acquaintances, and new groups. You still talked, but he increasingly found himself no longer wanting to remain silent.

That evening, you found yourself at a big, noisy party together. Music was playing all around, everyone was talking, laughing, and dancing.

You were standing among your friends, and he was nearby. He looked at you a little longer than usual, as if he was trying to muster up his courage one last time.

At some point your eyes met.

He came up to you.

• Let's go.

You looked at him in surprise.

He nodded towards the corridor:

— Let's step away for a minute.

You moved away from everyone. The music became muted, and there was almost no one around.

He was silent for a few seconds, looking off to the side. It was obvious he was nervous.

— I don’t even know how to say this...