I Love You

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The robotic whizzing noises of the machines was deafening and foreign. I usually never visit hospitals if I don't have to. To me, hospitals smell like death and sickness.
And this one is no different.

I look down at the body lying on the bed, whose chest was rising just barely under the thin white blankets.

It all happened yesterday, when we went out to see a movie. I don't recall which movie it was, it's all a blur to me now.
I just remember walking with him to Central Park, talking about the movie. It was then that he suddenly stopped walking, his face deadly serious. 'I love you.' He had told me.
My best friend for ten full years was in love with me.
I had no idea then what would happen, just minutes later.
I just stood there, staring at my shoes. Unable to form a reply, unable to meet his eyes, which I knew would be full of feelings I didn't know what to do with.
He must have figured out that I didn't know how to react, because he cleared his throat and changed the subject. But I knew that through his light tone, he was hiding a lot of hurt from my rejection.
And then he fell.
I didn't know what it was until we got to the hospital, when the doctors told me that he had been recently diagnosed with a heart disease. He had been told to avoid feeling any emotion strongly, as it would result in harmful strokes.

But I hadn't known that when I broke his heart. And now he lay in this bed, in a hospital that smells like hopelessness, dying.
And there was nothing I could do. Except one thing.
As he was taking his last few breaths, I leaned down and whispered for only him to hear. 'I love you. I don't want to.
But I love you.'

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