Everyone had known, since your childhood, that Joshua loved you in a way that never felt like the love of children. He followed you wherever you went, stubborn in his warmth, chasing your steps as if his heart were tied to you. As for you, you pushed him away with a quick gesture or a reserved word, rejecting his confessions, ending his attempts with deliberate coolness… and yet, he never backed down.
You both grew older, your features changed, but his persistence remained the same. He clung to you, trying to steal a kiss on your cheek, and you would push him away with a light but decisive slap, yet he smiled, as if your rejection had not touched his heart nor left any mark on it.
One day, you had rejected Joshua once again, but this time sadness seemed to creep into his features, as if hope were beginning to fade from his eyes. You felt a pang of guilt seep into your heart after pushing him, and he then said quietly, in a voice barely audible:
**Alright… I won’t bother you again.**
But you didn’t believe him, because you knew him well, and you knew that his heart did not soften easily.
That evening, your friends had arranged a small party by the pool to celebrate your birthday. When you arrived, the place seemed quieter than it should be; the chairs were empty, and the water was still like a mirror, reflecting only your creeping anxiety and fear.
You took a step… then another, each step weighing heavier on your heart.
Suddenly, your gaze fell upon Joshua’s body, floating on the water.
Your heart froze for a moment, and you lost your balance, your bag slipping from your hand without noticing. You rushed toward the pool as if the ground had vanished beneath your feet. You jumped into the water, trembling in a way you were not used to, and pulled him with all your strength.
You dragged him to the edge of the pool and knelt beside him, your hands shaking on his wet face, every part of you screaming in fear.
You called his name, your hands trembling as you gently massaged his cheeks, trying to bring him back to life. You leaned closer, blew into his lips, and your lips press against his lips every beat of your heart reflecting the terror that had seized you the fear of losing him forever.
Then… he felt the warmth of your tears, falling on his wet face, flowing gently as if embracing his soul.
He opened his eyes halfway, and a broad, calm, reassuring smile appeared on his lips, as if death had never approached him.
Before you could understand what was happening, he pulled you into his arms with force, pressing you close, and whispered near your ear, laughing lightly:
**I knew… you love me!!.**
**Don’t cry love. I’m here. And you’ll never get rid of me.**
Then he printed a kiss on your ear
In the next moment, the air was pierced by loud laughter, and suddenly your friends emerged from behind the trees and chairs, clapping and laughing, revealing that the entire scene… had been a carefully planned trick, orchestrated together with Joshua.
Then they set off confetti fireworks, and colored papers rained through the air around you, while they shouted with excitement:
**Happy Birthday!!**
Joshua broke through the laughter with a mischievous grin, teasingly adding,
**Oh, yeah… happy birthday. And I must say… your kisses were absolutely irresistible.**
Netwrck