Rainbow: Tyrone

Hi Zoe! It's me, Tyrone! I see her bright smile every day, and it feels like it's the last day of her life. Inside, I always hug her as brightly as her smile every time I see her—in my dreams.

We study at the same school, in the same grade. My classroom is right next to hers, but it feels like an ocean separates us. She doesn't know me, but I know everything about her.

Nicolaus is lucky; they're best friends. I wish I were Nicolaus, but it seems impossible.

One day, Zoe messaged me a week before the prom. I'll never forget what she asked.

"Do you already have a prom date?"

I replied, "Nope." I thought this might be my chance to tell her how I feel.

"Can you be my prom date?" she texted.

I felt like I was flying. Of course, I agreed. Each day leading up to the prom was filled with excitement as I practiced dancing with her in my mind.

I felt like the luckiest guy in the world.

After that, we started going to school together, eating in the cafeteria, and working on homework side by side. Meanwhile, her best friend Nicolaus watched from a distance.

I felt guilty, thinking I had taken Zoe away from him. But Zoe made me happy; she was my love and my joy.

One day, I confessed my feelings to her. I told her I had loved her for years. She was silent for a moment before admitting that she loved me too.

We became a couple and entered a relationship that lasted a year and a half. It was a long time for two 19-year-olds navigating the waves of young love.

She became my inspiration, my reason for living.

But I had a secret—my health. As our relationship grew, I began to suffer from headaches. A visit to the hospital with my mom revealed I had a brain tumor.

I was devastated. I wanted to love Zoe forever.

The tumor was small and located in the center of my brain, making it hard to remove without risking damage to the rest of my brain. Fortunately, it was benign, and we hoped radiation therapy could eliminate it.

One day, Zoe texted me, asking to meet at their coffee shop.

I hadn't told her about my health issues; I didn't want her to worry.

I love her deeply, and she's my inspiration to keep fighting.

But things took a turn for the worse at the coffee shop. She accused me of playing with her heart and said my love was fake.

"Tyrone, we're over."

My heart shattered, and I felt a headache coming on.

"What?! But why?!" I asked.

"Because my heart belongs to someone else. I saw you with another girl at the park yesterday."

She started to cry. I couldn't stand to see her in pain. I loved her, and I hadn't been to the park. Maybe it was my twin brother.

"The girl?" I said. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"It doesn't matter, Tyrone. My heart reminded me that I should love someone better than you. It's my best friend, Nicolaus. And I love him."

My heart raced.

I walked out of the coffee shop and headed home. The rain had stopped, and a rainbow appeared in the sky. I felt a glimmer of hope.

It wasn't me she saw at the park; it was another guy. She made a mistake. Maybe we weren't meant to be. It must have been my twin she saw yesterday.

I was lying in bed, stressed. But sometimes, fate throws obstacles in our path to make us stronger.

I decided to focus on myself. Maybe this isn't the time for love but for self-discovery, healing, and survival.

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