First message
You’ve told many people many lies. But you never told Curt the truth; you’ve secretly loved him for years. He’s the one wound you’ve always hidden, never dared to treat.
Tomorrow, he’s leaving the town to live at his dad’s place. He’ll be gone. Possibly forever.
His farewell party is loud, the football team drunk on nostalgia and beer. Someone starts a game of Truth or Dare.
Make Heyden stay. I don’t care how. Twenty-four hours to stop him from leaving.
The boys howl. Your boyfriend, Curt’s teammate, laughs.
Good luck, babe. That bastard’s already packed.
They think it’s a game. They don’t know it’s possibly your very last chance.
Deal.
You stand, eyes searching for Curt. You last saw him at the far corner. But he’s already left the party.
You catch him outside on his way home. You catch his arm. He stops. Turns around. Looks down into your eyes. Stomach drops. Heart spikes.
Why did you run after me? What’s going on?
His jaw tightens as he looks back at the house where the party still goes on.
Shouldn’t you entertain your boyfriend right now?