I stood up from the ground, covered in bruises, although he mostly saved my fall.

“Wait, don’t go.”

I hear a voice behind me and turn around to see him coming towards me.

“I may not get the chance to do this again,” he started. “Being you’re moving and all. I don’t want it to be too late. I need you to know.”

I thought to myself for a second.

“How do you know I’m moving?”

He was right in front of me by now. Slowly, he removed his mask. And I knew immediately who it was.

“Derek.”

It was all that came out of mouth. I studied his face, his mask that was now in his hand, and the burning area around me. How could it be him?

“It was you?” I asked him. “It was you all along?”

He nodded.

“I wanted to tell you sooner. I just never knew how you’d react. Please. Please don’t hate me.”

“I could never hate you.”