It was amazing. I knew regardless of how my short film Donnie and Clyde—a gay remake of Bonnie and Clyde—was received, I already had everything I needed.

“Prom is almost here,” Miguel continues. “Why hasn’t he asked me yet?”

I feel like I’d have every right to turn around and walk away. I’d been planning on going to prom with Dominic the whole year, and now Miguel wants to know why my ex wasn’t jumping to ask him to the dance instead?

But Miguel looks genuinely hurt. He’s not trying to rub it in. I think he actually wants answers. “I bet putting something together takes time. You know Dominic; he’ll want it to be perfect.”

“I don’t think that’s it.”

“What else could it be?” Honestly, if he already has the answer, I don’t know that I can keep up this conversation for very long.

Miguel looks me right in the eyes. “You,” he says. “You’re the reason he hasn’t asked.” Without waiting for a reply, Miguel grabs his duffel bag and sulks out of the pool, leaving me standing there, stunned.

Me?

I should probably be ecstatic or feel vindicated that the guy my ex dumped me for finally knows what it’s like to have the person you love want somebody else. But instead I get a pit in my stomach that feels heavier with each passing second. This whole plan with Ross wasn’t about revenge against Miguel; it was about reminding Dominic what he gave up. But it doesn’t seem like things are going according to plan. For the first time it sinks in that Miguel could be really hurt by this. I was so blinded by my heartache that it never registered I might be replacing my hurt with someone else’s.

I run through the remainder of the setups we have for the Win Dominic Back Shot List. There’s the film showcase, state qualifiers, and then the big finale, the Pre-Prom Pier Fundraiser. The moment with an epic promposal from Ross that will make D realize it’s the Final Declaration of Love moment, the Choose Me Instead scene. And while I always pictured Dominic doing just that, rushing to my side before I can tell Ross yes, I never pictured Miguel in the background. He’d lose not just his prom date but his boyfriend and, based on his behavior today, tanking any shot he had at our future swim meets.

Am I willing to do that? Am I willing to be that guy who ruins other people’s hopes just so I can get my way? Even if it did happen to me first, would it feel right to do that to someone else?