Scene: A dimly lit park at dusk. The sky is darkening, the air cool. A bench sits beneath a large oak tree, and a faint breeze stirs the leaves. Two people, SAM and ALEX, are sitting side by side, their shoulders brushing. Tension hangs between them.

---

SAM:

(quietly)

I... I don’t know how to say this, but—

(he pauses, looks down at his hands)

I think I’ve loved you for a long time.

ALEX: (startled, but not surprised) What? Sam... you’re not— you don’t mean that, do you?

SAM:

(sighs, looking at the ground)

I do. I’ve been trying to bury it, pretend like I don’t feel it... but it’s been there for too long. Every time I see you, it’s like everything else fades away. It’s just you, and I— I can’t pretend anymore.

ALEX: (takes a breath, looking away) But we— we’re just friends. You know that. You’re like a brother to me, Sam. This... this isn’t— it can’t be real. We can’t just— we can’t change everything just because you’re suddenly saying—

SAM:

(shakes his head)

I’ve tried to fight it. I swear to you, I’ve tried. But I can’t stop. I can’t pretend anymore that I don’t want to be more than just a friend to you. I can’t lie to myself like that. And... I thought maybe you felt something, too. Maybe—

ALEX: (cuts him off, voice tight) No, Sam. You’re wrong. I— I don’t feel that way. I never have. We’ve been through so much together, but that’s not the same thing. This is... it’s not—

SAM:

(stands up abruptly, voice cracking)

Then why—? Why are we always so close? Why does it feel like you care when you— when you do things for me, or when you’re just there? It’s like—

ALEX: (stands quickly, catching his arm) Stop. Just... stop. Please.

SAM:

(silently pulls his arm away)

You don’t get it. I thought maybe, just maybe, if I told you... if I said it out loud, you’d feel something, too. I was hoping you’d feel something, too.

ALEX: (voice shaking now, but trying to hold it together) Sam, it’s not that simple. You don’t know what you’re asking. You don’t know what this—what this could mean.

SAM:

(takes a deep breath, pacing)

I just needed you to know, okay? I needed you to know how I feel, even if it changes nothing. But there’s more— there’s more that I’ve been hiding, and I don’t think I can keep this secret from you any longer.

ALEX: (stops, looking at him in confusion) What are you talking about? What more?

SAM:

(voice low, full of regret)

I’ve— I’ve done something terrible. Something unforgivable.

ALEX: (frowning, steps closer) What? Sam, what are you—? What did you do?

SAM:

(looks at the ground, eyes wet)

It was a mistake. I—I never meant for it to happen, but... I hurt someone. Someone I shouldn’t have. And I didn’t just hurt them... I—I killed them.

ALEX: (stares at him, stunned, disbelief in their eyes) What? No— no, you’re not— you didn’t—

SAM:

(sobbing now, his voice cracking)

I did. I did. I didn’t mean to. It was an accident, but I didn’t stop it when I should’ve. I—I panicked. And now... now they’re dead, and I—I don’t know what to do.

ALEX: (shaking their head, trying to process) What... what do you mean you killed them? Sam, who? Who are you talking about?

SAM:

(voice barely a whisper)

Megan. It was Megan. I didn’t mean for it to go that far. We argued, and I— I lost control. I never meant to hurt her, I swear. But I did. And I’ve been covering it up ever since.

ALEX: (stumbles back, unable to speak for a moment) Megan... that— that’s... that is what you’ve been hiding? Oh my God, Sam, I—I don’t know what to say.

SAM:

(pleading, reaching out)

Alex, I need your help. I don’t know what to do. I can’t keep lying. I thought maybe... maybe if I told you, if I just told you the truth— maybe you could help me fix it, fix me. But now... I don’t know what I’m supposed to do.

ALEX: (shaken, shaking their head slowly) I... I don’t know. I don’t know what to say, Sam. You’re... you’re telling me you killed her? And you’ve been— you’ve been lying to everyone about it?

SAM:

(voice breaking)

I was scared, Alex. I was so scared. I thought I could get away with it, that it would just disappear. But it’s been eating me alive, and now... now I don’t know what to do.

ALEX: (silently, quietly) You... you need to turn yourself in, Sam. You need to tell someone. This isn’t something you can hide anymore.

SAM:

(eyes wide with panic)

No! No, please— I can’t. I can’t go to jail. I’ll lose everything. I’ll—

ALEX: (steps back, voice cold) You already lost everything, Sam. Megan’s dead. And this secret— this secret is killing you.

SAM:

(voice trembling, barely above a whisper)

I didn’t mean to— I swear to you, I didn’t mean to...

ALEX: (softly) But you did. And you can’t take it back.

SAM:

(looking at the ground, broken)

I know.

---

End scene.