“There is something I feel like I have to tell you, but I don’t know if I should, because I actually don’t want to. And I have never said this to anyone, out loud. Not even myself, like, these words have never come out of my mouth before. So, it’s kind of hard, but this thing I want to tell you is just weighing so heavily on my chest it’s making it hard for me to breathe.”

“Alex?”

“Yeah?”

“Breathe.”

“All right.”

“Are you ready?”

“For what?”

“Whatever you were leading up to with your monologue.”

“Right. It was not a mon- You know, never mind. Here goes… I like you. In a way I’ve never liked anyone before. And I don’t know if you know or if you feel the same, but- I don’t know. I guess I just felt like you needed to know, ‘cause otherwise, I’d be lying to you. And I don’t want to lie to you, because, well, it’s you. And I wouldn’t want to hurt you. I’m sorry.”

“Why are you apologizing?”

“I don’t know. I’m sorry. I just thought- No. What do you think? Am I totally ridiculous? Shoud I have kept this to myself? Is this stupid? You don’t like me back, though, do you?”

“I feel flattered that you’d think of me as someone being worthy of having a crush on. I think it’s sweet and I don’t want you to beat yourself up for this ‘cause there’s nothing you could do about it, but, no. I don’t feel the same way.”

“That’s- It’s… fine. Totally fine. Now, I’ve just made this an awkward moment and I’d like to jump off a cliff, but you just said you don’t want me to beat myself up and I’m not sure if you meant that literally or figuratively, so I’m trying anyway, but I wish I could because I think it might… hurt… less.”

“I’m sorry.”

“What? No, this is not your fault.”

“And it’s not yours either.”

“Right, so if it’s nobody’s fault, then, what should we do? What are we supposed to do?”

“Those are two different questions I don’t have the answers to.”