Gabriel woke up in the morning, a wide grin stretching across his face as he reminisced about the picture Lia had given him the day before. The image, a captured moment of joy and shared laughter, had filled his heart with happiness. Unable to contain his excitement, Gabriel reached for his phone and sent a message to Lia, his fingers dancing across the screen. He anxiously waited for her reply, eager to share his joy with her.
But Gabriel's noticed that Lia's communication with him had become less frequent and sometimes took a long time for her to reply. He tried to convince himself that lia must be busy with other commitments, but deep down, he couldn't shake off the feeling that something might be amiss.
Gabriel logged into his messaging app and saw that Andrei was online. He decided to reach out and have a conversation about what had been on his mind.
GABRIEL: Hey, Andrei! Are you free to chat?
ANDREI: Hey, Gabriel! Yeah, I've got some time. What's going on?
GABRIEL: Well, I've been feeling a bit frustrated lately. Lia takes forever to reply to my messages, and it's starting to bother me. I'm not sure if I'm overreacting or if there's something I should address.
ANDREI: I can understand why that would bother you. Communication is important, and delays in replies can create misunderstandings. Have you tried talking to Lia about it?
GABRIEL: Not yet. I didn't want to come across as too demanding or clingy. But I also want our friendship to be based on open and honest communication. I just don't know how to approach the topic without sounding accusatory.
As they chatted, Gabriel's phone beeped, and he quickly checked it. It was Lia, finally replying to his earlier message.
GABRIEL: (Reading the message) "Sorry for the late reply. I was just busy doing something."
ANDREI: (Curiously) What did she say?
GABRIEL: (Smiling) She apologized for the delay and mentioned that she was busy doing something. At least now I know there's a reason behind her late replies.
Gabriel wasted no time and responded, "It's okay, I understand that you must have been busy."
A few moments later, Lia sent another message, asking, "Do you know Paulo?"
GABRIEL: "Paulo? He's our classmate. Don't tell me you still don't know some of our classmates?" Gabriel asked jokingly.
Gabriel's confusion began to dissipate as Lia explained the reason behind her inquiry about Paulo. However, his curiosity still lingered, wanting to know more about their conversation.
But gabriel wondered why lia asked him about paulo
GABRIEL: Why are you asking if I know paulo?
LIA: Because he chatted with me,
GABRIEL: (Intrigued) "Oh, what did he tell you exactly?"
LIA: (Nonchalantly) "It's just about my assignments because our classmates have already seen it."
Gabriel's mind raced to connect the dots. The mention of assignments and their classmates added another layer of confusion to the conversation.
GABRIEL: (Perplexed) "Wait, I'm not sure I understand. Are you saying that Paulo discussed your assignments because our classmates have already seen them?"
LIA: (Pauses before responding) "Well, I submitted my assignments, and it seems like some of our classmates have already seen them. Paulo mentioned it,
GABRIEL: (Relieved) "Ah, I see. So, Paulo was simply discussing the assignments because he knew some of our classmates had already seen them. That's why you ask me if i know him. Thanks for clarifying."
LIA: (Smiling) "No worries, Gabriel. I understand how things can get misinterpreted.
A little later, Gabriel received a notification indicating that the class group chat was active. Curiosity piqued, he opened the conversation and scrolled through the messages. As he read the ongoing conversation, his eyes widened when he stumbled upon Paulo's words.
Classmate 1: "Who are you talking about, Paulo?"
Classmate 2: "Yeah, don't keep us in suspense. Spill the tea!"
Paulo: "Actually, I was referring to Lia. We've been talking, and I've developed feelings for her."
Gabriel's heart skipped a beat as he stumbled upon the conversation in the class officers' chat. The mention of Lia and Paulo discussing her beauty sent a wave of mixed emotions rushing through him. He felt a combination of surprise, confusion, and even a tinge of jealousy.
GABRIEL: (Whispering to himself) "Lia... Paulo... What's going on?"
Gabriel quickly screenshotted the conversation and sent it to Andrei, hoping to discuss it further and seek his friend's advice.
GABRIEL: (Sending the screenshot) "Andrei, take a look at this. It's the conversation from the class group chat. Paulo confessed his feelings for Lia."
ANDREI: (Surprised) "Wow, that's quite unexpected. So, Paulo has developed feelings for Lia. It's no wonder she asked about him earlier."
GABRIEL: (Thoughtful) "I never imagined there was a connection between Paulo's mention and his feelings for Lia.
Gabriel felt a surge of mixed emotions upon discovering Paulo's confession. Confusion, jealousy, and concern swirled within him, but he knew that expressing anger or attempting to control Lia's choices wouldn't be productive. Instead, he sought guidance from Andrei to navigate his own feelings
GABRIEL: (Taking a deep breath) "Andrei, I have to admit, seeing Paulo's confession has left me feeling quite unsettled. I'm trying to process these emotions, but I don't want to react out of anger."
ANDREI: (Understandingly) "I can imagine how overwhelming it must be, Gabriel. It's essential to acknowledge your emotions and find a constructive way to address them. Remember, Lia's feelings and choices are hers to make."
GABRIEL: (Reflecting) "You're right, Andrei. I need to respect Lia's autonomy and trust her judgment. I want to be there for her as a supportive friend, even if it's challenging for me personally."
That night, Gabriel found a moment to speak with Lia and gather the courage to address his feelings. He approached her with sincerity and a genuine desire for her happiness.
GABRIEL: (Nervously) "Lia, there's something I want to discuss with you. I've been reflecting on our friendship, and I've developed deeper feelings for you. I wanted to ask if it's possible for us to take this to the next level can I court you?
Lia's eyes widened in surprise, processing Gabriel's words.
LIA: (Taken aback) "Gabriel, I appreciate your honesty, but I need to be honest with you too. I value our friendship a lot, and I want to be transparent. There's someone else who has captured my heart, and I hope you won't be angry or change your feelings towards me."
GABRIEL:(Smiling gently) "Lia, I appreciate your honesty. While it may be a bit difficult to hear, I value our friendship above all else. Your happiness matters to me, and if someone else brings you joy, then I genuinely want that for you. Our friendship will always remain strong."
LIA: (Apologetic) "Sorry, Gabriel."
GABRIEL : (Reassuring) "You've already answered my question, Lia, and I won't be angry. I promise."
LIA: "Oh my gosh, Gabriel, I'm truly sorry. I don't know what to say."
GABRIEL: "It's alright, Lia. I want you to know that I won't distance myself or anything. However, out of respect for your feelings, I'll scale down how I treat you. If it's okay with you, can I know who you have feelings for?"
LIA: (Nervously) "Gabriel, I can't believe I'm saying this, but it's actually Paulo. I hope you understand."
GABRIEL: (Surprised) "Ah, I see. It's okay, Lia."
LIA: (Crying) "Gabriel, I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you."
GABRIEL: "Please don't cry, Lia. As I said before, I'm grateful for your honesty. There's no need to apologize."
LIA: (Still tearful) "I'm really sorry."
GABRIEL: "Lia, I genuinely think you should pursue your feelings for Paulo. I believe you two would make a great couple. Don't worry about me; I'll be okay."
it was painful for Gabriel, but he made the difficult decision not to fight for Lia anymore and to let her be with Paulo."