As the school day ended, Diver Steven called Florav.
"Hello, Missv. Where are you? I'm standing at the school gateb ," Steven's calm voice came through the phone .
Flora, feeling emotionally drained, responded, "I'm coming," and without another word, she ended the call. Her hand trembled slightly as she put the phone back in her bag .
Standing beside her was Lia, her closest friend, who had noticed the change in Flora's behavior . "Flora, please don't cry. I can't believe how much Alex has changed ."
Flora remained silent, not knowing what to say . Her mind wandered back to memories of Alex, and her heart ached, but she couldn't find the words to express her feelings .
"I'm going home , Lia," Flora finally said . "Bye ."
Lia looked at her with concern but nodded . "Go carefully, Flora . Bye ."
Flora gave a faint nod. "Hm, you too." With that, she turned and walked toward the school gate, her heart heavy with memories she wished she could forget . .
When Flora arrived at the gate, Driver Steven, ever punctual, was waiting with the car door open . Flora climbed into the backseat, her eyes downcast . She leaned back against the seat, the tears she had been holding back now falling freely. The memories of Alex kept replaying in her mind, and she felt overwhelmed by them .
For the next 30 minutes, the car ride was filled with silence . The passing streets blurred together as Flora stared out the window, lost in thought. When they finally arrived at her house, the car came to a stop .
"We've arrived, Miss," Driver Steven said gently, stepping out to open the door for her .
Flora nodded silently and stepped out of the car . Without another word, she walked straight to her room, closed the door behind her, and locked it . She collapsed onto her bed, her face buried in the pillow as she let the tears flow freely . She couldn't help but think about Alex—about how things used to be between them .
When they were together, Alex was always there for her . He never left without seeing her first . Every morning, he would wait in front of her house before they walked to school together . It had become their routine. Even during lunch breaks, Alex would always find Flora, and they'd sit together, sharing their meal . After school, they would walk home side by side, talking about their day, until Alex bought a bike . From then on, he would give her a ride home, and they would spend more time together . They even watched the sunrise together on some mornings, their quiet moments filled with peace and comfort .
"Flora !" she remembered Alex calling her name one of those mornings .
"Hm ?" she replied, turning to look at him .
"I'm really lucky to have you," Alex had said, his voice sincere, his eyes soft .
Flora had smiled back, her heart warm. "I'm lucky too, to have such a caring boyfriend like you ."
The memory brought a bittersweet smile to Flora's face, even as tears continued to roll down her cheeks. She remembered another day, when Alex had taken her to see a movie. It was Titanic, one of the most romantic films they had watched together .
In the theater, as the movie played, Alex reached for Flora's hand. She felt a tingle as his fingers wrapped around hers, but she didn't pull away . She liked the feeling of his hand in hers . As the movie reached one of its most romantic scenes—a kiss—Flora noticed Alex looking at her . She kept her eyes on the screen, pretending not to notice, but her heart was racing .
Without a word, Alex took the drink bottle from her hand and drank from it. Flora looked at him, and there was something in his gaze that made her breath catch . His eyes were filled with emotion, and in that moment, he leaned in closer to her .
Flora felt her cheeks flush . Alex gently placed his hand on her cheek and whispered her name, "Flora ."
She turned to look at him, and before she could say anything, he brushed his fingers across her lips and kissed her softly . Flora was taken by surprise, but she didn't pull away . Instead, she kissed him back, their emotions overwhelming them both . The kiss grew deeper, and when Alex finally pulled back, Flora felt shy, her face warm with embarrassment . Alex smiled, sensing her nervousness .
After the movie ended, the two of them walked out of the theater together.
"Flora, let me drop you home," Alex offered, holding her hand as they made their way to his bike.
"Okay," she replied softly.
As they rode home, the streets were quiet, and Flora rested her head on Alex's shoulder, feeling safe with him .
When they arrived in front of her house, Alex stopped the bike and turned to her . "Flora, I love you," he said, his voice filled with affection .
"I love you too," Flora replied with a smile. Alex pulled her into a warm hug and kissed her one last time before she got off the bike .
"Be careful on your way back ," she reminded him .
"I will," Alex said . But Flora didn't move. She stood there, watching him .
"Why aren't you going inside?" Alex asked, noticing her hesitation.
Without a word, Flora stepped forward and hugged him again, not wanting to let go just yet. "Bye," she whispered, her heart heavy with the thought of parting.
"Bye , my sweetheart," Alex said, before riding off into the night . Flora stood there, watching him leave, until he disappeared from view .
Now, lying on her bed, Flora thought about all those moments with Alex . Slowly, the memories lulled her into sleep .
When she woke up, it was 5:45 PM . She heard knocking on her door .
"Flora, are you alright ?" It was her mother's voice .
Flora rubbed her eyes, realizing that she had been sleeping . She got up and opened the door to find her mother standing there, looking concerned .
"I've been calling you for a while . Why didn't you answer ? Is something wrong ?" her mother asked, her voice gentle .