Sofia hadn't been ready for Lucas. She had convinced herself that she didn't need anyone—that isolation was safer than vulnerability. But life has a way of surprising you when you least expect it, and Lucas had slipped through the cracks of her carefully constructed walls. It had been months since Carlos's funeral, and although she had managed to bury her grief beneath a facade of indifference, there was a part of her that still longed for something more, something she couldn't define.
Her job had become her refuge, a place where she could lose herself in tasks and deadlines. She buried her emotions in spreadsheets and emails, keeping everything in her life as structured and predictable as possible. After all, emotions were messy and unreliable—just like love. That was until she met Lucas.
It wasn't supposed to be a meeting that changed anything. She had gone to the bookstore to pick up a few things—nothing special, nothing out of the ordinary. But then, as her eyes scanned the shelves, she felt it: the prickling sensation of someone standing too close. It wasn't uncomfortable, but it was unexpected. She glanced to her right and found Lucas standing there, his eyes already on her.
He was younger than her, maybe in his mid-twenties, with a boyish charm that she would have found endearing had she been in a different place in her life. His hair was dark and unruly, and his eyes—those dark, unreadable eyes—held a sadness that mirrored her own, a sadness that spoke of unspoken wounds and broken dreams.
For a moment, they stood in silence, the sound of the rain beating against the windows and the quiet hum of the store enveloping them. Sofia wasn't sure why, but she felt a sense of curiosity stirring within her. She didn't want to engage with him. She had learned long ago to keep her distance, to guard herself from anyone who might want to breach the walls she had so carefully built. But there was something about him—something in his presence—that made her hesitate.
"You like books like these?" Lucas asked, breaking the silence, his voice soft but steady. It was a simple question, but it felt like an invitation. "I've been looking for something new to read."
Sofia stared at him for a moment, unsure of how to respond. His question was innocent enough, but it carried with it a weight that made her pause. She wasn't used to people talking to her this way—not after everything that had happened. She had kept to herself, to her quiet, controlled life, and she wasn't sure if she was ready to let that go.
"I… I guess," she said, her voice betraying the uncertainty she felt. "I just read whatever catches my eye."
Lucas smiled then, a smile that felt genuine—warm and unguarded. It was a smile that made Sofia feel like she had been seen, really seen, for the first time in a long while. There was no judgment in his eyes, no pity. Just an understanding that made her feel strangely vulnerable.
"Me too," he said, his voice lighter now. "Sometimes the best books are the ones you don't plan on reading."
Sofia's heart skipped a beat. There was something about the way he spoke that resonated with her, a quiet assurance that made her wonder if there was more to this encounter than just a random meeting between two strangers.
Over the following weeks, their interactions became more frequent. It wasn't anything planned, nothing deliberate. They would bump into each other at the bookstore, exchange a few words over coffee, and gradually, the time they spent together began to feel... comfortable. Comfortable in a way that scared her. She had built her life around isolation, around not needing anyone, but with Lucas, it was different. His presence didn't feel suffocating or intrusive. It felt like a gentle pull, as though he were inviting her to let go of the darkness that had been clouding her heart.
Lucas never pushed her to open up. He never asked about her past, never probed for details about her marriage or the painful memories that haunted her. Instead, he simply listened—quiet, patient, and understanding. It was as if he already knew that she wasn't ready to talk. But every time they spent time together, Sofia felt the walls she had worked so hard to build beginning to crack, just a little.
She wasn't sure what it was about him that made her feel so vulnerable, so willing to let him in, but she couldn't deny the pull she felt. The more they talked, the more she realized that Lucas was different. He wasn't trying to fix her, wasn't trying to force her to move on. He simply existed, and somehow, in his quiet presence, Sofia found a kind of peace she hadn't known in years.