I donated bl00d to save my boyfriend after his friends told me he had been in a serious ac:cid:ent. As I was leaving the hospital, I heard someone behind a door say, “I can’t believe she fell for it again.”

“Exaggerating?” I shouted back. “You made me donate blood for a fake accident!”

“It was just a harmless joke,” he scoffed.

“A harmless joke?” I repeated in disbelief.

“Nobody held a gun to your head and forced you to donate,” he snapped back dismissively.

Whatever love remained inside me disappeared.

“You’re right, Brendan. Nobody forced me,” I said, taking a deep breath. “We are completely finished.”

Brendan gave a dry laugh.

“Don’t be ridiculous over a small prank.”

“We are done,” I repeated with absolute finality.

“You’re ending us over