The Day We Confessed

They had met up several times by now. She always wanted to see and do things - big things. The aquarium. The theme park. The arcade. He had been her doorway to the world beyond the hospital, her patient guide and companion through all the noise and color.

But today, she wanted something different. Something small. She asked him to walk with her through a park on the outskirts of the city.

He hesitated - she still wasn’t back at her full strength - but she was determined, and he couldn’t bring himself to say no.

So they took the bus, then began to climb the gentle hill in the late afternoon sun.

She slowed as the slope steepened, her breaths becoming shallow and uneven. Concern flared inside him, though he tried not to show it.

“Are you alright?” he asked quietly.

She nodded, breathing through her teeth.
“I’ll be fine. We’re nearly at the top. We can take a break there.”

He kept pace beside her, watchful, until the two of them reached the crest of the hill. A weathered park bench waited for them, its metal arms polished smooth by countless hands. She sat heavily, chest rising and falling as she caught her breath. He lowered himself beside her, leaving a respectful gap, and waited.

Above them, the sky had begun to glow gold. Clouds drifted lazily across, tinted peach by the falling sun. A faint breeze rustled the grass and stirred the branches of the trees at their back. Below, the city stretched wide and proud, skyscrapers jutting into the horizon like pieces of some half-finished puzzle.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” he asked again, softer this time.

She pressed a hand to her chest and looked at him with a tired but genuine smile.
“Y-yeah, I’m alright. Thanks for caring about me.”

Relief loosened the knot in his chest. He nodded, turning his gaze out to the skyline.

For a while, they sat in silence, the hum of the city below mixing with the rustle of leaves above. Then she sighed. He glanced over. She wasn’t looking at him - her eyes were on the city, but there was something uncertain in them.

“You know…” she began, her voice barely carrying over the breeze, “I’ve been thinking for a while now. You’ve always been so nice to me. Are you like that with everyone?”

He shrugged.
“I try to be. But… no. Some people, I just can’t get along with.”

That drew a small smile from her. She nodded, though her gaze still lingered far away. Another sigh slipped from her lips, heavier this time.

Then she turned toward him. Her hands twisted in her lap. Her eyes lowered, then lifted again, wavering. She looked nervous. He felt his own heartbeat stumble, tension rising like a tide inside him.

“Um… I…” Her voice trembled.

His chest tightened. What was she trying to say?

“I… I’d like…” She faltered, biting her lip, unable to finish.

The silence between them swelled. His mind raced. His mouth moved before he could stop it.

“I love you!” The words tumbled out in a rush. “Will you go out with me?”

The second it escaped, he froze, face burning crimson.

She blinked, startled. Her cheeks flushed pink. And then - slowly, radiantly - her expression transformed. She smiled, brighter than he had ever seen, and her eyes shimmered with something like relief, like joy.

“Yes!” she exclaimed, laughter trembling in her voice. “I was just going to ask you that!”

For a heartbeat, neither of them moved. Then the tension shattered, replaced by laughter and warmth, and he let out a shaky breath, relief flooding through him.

They sat there on that park bench, golden light spilling over them, smiling at each other like they had stumbled onto something extraordinary. And in that moment, he knew.

This was the beginning of something magical.