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Before I could finish, she reached out to take my hand in hers.

“Don’t be.” She said. “I love you too.”

Relief washed over me; my heart soared with happiness.

“You do?”

She nodded; her eyes shone with affection.

“How could I not?”

My heart raced with anticipation as I closed the distance between us. My lips met hers in a soft kiss. It was gentle at first, a tender exploration of our newfound relationship stage. As the moments passed, our passion ignited as we conveyed our feelings, a silent vow of devotion. We pulled away, breathless and exhilarated. My eyes fell on the chain adorning her neck and the guilt hit me like a knockout punch. It weighed heavily on my heart.

“What’s wrong?”

My gaze flickered with uncertainty as I met her concerned eyes.

“Nothing,” I said. “Nothing at all.”

She reached out to cup my cheeks, her touch gentle and reassuring.

“You know you can tell me anything.”

My heart ached with the guilt of the secret as it consumed me from within. I brushed her left cheek with my thumb.

“I know I can, but I just want to hold you and forget about everything.”

She stood on her tiptoes to capture my lips in another kiss. I hoped it would drown out the nagging voice of guilt in the back of my mind, but even as I lost myself in the moment, the shadow of my secret lingered, a silent reminder of something that could damage us both.

To lighten the mood, I brought up her birthday.

“Anything special you want to do for your big day?” I asked, my voice brimmed with enthusiasm.

However, she did not match my excitement. Her expression grew pensive as a hint of hesitation clouded her features.

“I don’t want to do anything.” She admitted.

My smile faltered, and my brows furrowed in confusion.

“Your birthday is special, though.” I protested. “It’s a chance to celebrate you.”

She sighed and cast her gaze downwards, her eyes filled with sadness.

“I’ve never celebrated my birthday.” She said. “I’ve never felt the need to.”

My heart sank at her words. I sighed and reached out to clasp her hands in mine.

“I understand. We don’t have to do anything extravagant.”

She smiled. Her eyes sparkled with gratitude as she squeezed my hand.

“Thank you.” She said, her voice filled with warmth. “I just want to spend the day with you.”

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“It’s Friday, I’m in love.”