I gently opened my eyes. It was already morning. The morning light filtered through the curtains, casting a soft golden glow across the room. I barely could get any sleep.
The first thought in my mind was walking to school with Evana.
For a moment, I laid there, disoriented, the events of the previous night replaying in my mind like a film reel. The rain, the walk, Evana's hand in mine, her words—*one step at a time*. It all felt surreal.But then I heard a faint knocking, persistent and rhythmic, coming from outside. I sat up, rubbing my eyes, and glanced at the clock bedside the table. It was early, too early for visitors. The knocking came again, louder this time, accompanied by a familiar voice calling my name.
"Benji? Are you awake?"
My heart skipped a beat. *Evana?* I scrambled out of bed, nearly tripping over the blanket tangled around my legs, and hurried to the window. Pulling back the curtain, I saw her standing there, her hair catching the sunlight like a halo, a small smile playing on her lips. She waved, and for a moment, i wondered if I was still dreaming.
"Evana?" my voice hoarse from sleep.
"What are you doing here?"
She tilted her head, her smile widening. "I thought we could skip college today. You know, just… spend some time together. Unless you have other plans?"
I blinked, trying to process her words. Skip college? Spend the day together? It sounded too good to be true. But the way she looked at me, her eyes filled with a quiet determination, made it impossible to say no.
"Give me five minutes," I said, already moving away from the window. I quickly changed into something presentable, ran a hand through my hair, and hurried downstairs to let her in.
When I opened the door, Evana was standing there, holding two cups of coffee. She handed one to me, her fingers brushing against mine, and i felt a jolt of warmth that had nothing to do with the coffee. "I figured you'd need this," she said, stepping inside. "You look like you barely slept."
I chuckled, taking a sip of the coffee. It was strong and bitter, just the way I liked it. "Yeah, last night was… a lot. Both in good and bad ways."
She nodded, her expression softening. "I know. That's why I thought today could be… lighter. Just you and me, no pressure, no expectations." I led her to my room, where we sat on the edge of my bed, the silence between us comfortable and easy. For a while, we simply sipped our coffee, the morning sun streaming through the window and painting the room in warm hues. It was a rare moment of peace, and i found myself savoring it.
"So," Evana said after a while, setting her cup down on the side table . "Tell me something about yourself that I don't know."
I raised an eyebrow, a small smile tugging at my lips.
"About myself? Like what?"
"Anything. Your favorite childhood memory, a secret talent, something you've never told me or anyone."
I thought for a moment, then laughed softly. "Okay, here's one. When I was a kid, I used to believe that if I made a wish at exactly midnight on my birthday, it would come true. One year, I stayed up all night just to make sure I didn't miss it."
Evana grinned. "Did it work?"
"Not even a little," I admitted, laughing. "But it was fun to believe in magic, even for a little while. Pretty silly of me, huh."
She leaned back on her hands, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "No its not silly, Benji. I like that."
"You like it?"
"Yea..I think we all need a little magic in our lives."
"I know right."
"And...what about your hobbies Benji?"
"Ohh...umm hobbies"
"Yea. Don't you have any?"
"Yeah I got like one hobby that I think I am good at."
"Really? Tell me about it."
"I play volleyball pretty well. I played it a few months ago but now I really don't have any friends to play with."
"Wow Benji really. Volleyball, I never thought you would play volleyball. That's nice."
"Yeah, it was a lot of fun. The rush of the game, the teamwork... it felt like I was part of something bigger, you know?"
"I get that. There's something special about being in a team. Do you miss it?"
"Definitely. It's like a piece of me is missing without those matches and the laughter with friends."
"Maybe you and I should try volleyball someday. I bet you'd lose your mind teaching me." she said, laughing.
I replied in same manner "Yeah, sure thing. Someday!"
We laughed together. The sound filling the room with music
We spent the next few hours talking, the conversation flowing effortlessly from one topic to another. We shared stories about our childhoods, our dreams, our fears. I told her about my parents, the grief that still lingered like a shadow, and how meeting her had somehow made the weight a little easier to carry. Evana, in turn, opened up about her own struggles, her move to the town, and how she had felt like an outsider until she met me. As the morning turned into afternoon, we decided to venture out. The day was bright and clear, the kind of day that made you forget your worries. We walked through the town, stopping at a small ice cream parlor where we shared a cone, laughing as we tried to eat it before it melted. We wandered into a park, where Evana insisted on taking photos—of the scenery, of each other, of the little moments that felt too precious to let slip away.
At one point, Evana handed me her phone and struck a dramatic pose in front of a fountain. "Quick, take a picture before I lose my balance!"
I laughed, snapping the photo just as she pretended to fall over. "You're ridiculous."
I said, handing the phone back to her.
"Is that a bad thing?" she teased, sticking out her tongue.
"No, not at all!" I denied it quickly even though I knew she was playing with me.
As the sun began to set, casting the sky in shades of pink and orange, we made our way back to my house. The day had been perfect, a rare escape from the weight of our realities. But as we stood on my doorstep, the air between us felt charged, as if something unspoken hung in the balance.
"Today was… amazing," I said, my voice soft.
"Thank you."
Evana smiled, her eyes searching mine. "It was. I'm glad we did this."
There was a moment of hesitation, a breath held between us. Then, as if drawn by an invisible force, we leaned in, our lips meeting in a kiss that was gentle and tentative, yet filled with the promise of something more. It was brief, but it left my heart racing and my mind spinning.
When we pulled away, Evana's cheeks were flushed, her smile shy but radiant.
"I should go~" she said, stepping back.
"But I'll see you tomorrow?"
I nodded, my voice barely above a whisper, with a small wave of hand.
"Tomorrow."
As I watched her walk away, the taste of her lips still lingering on mine, I felt a sense of hope I hadn't known in a long time. The road ahead was still uncertain, but for the first time, in a long time I wasn't afraid to take the next step, to try new things, I was motivated just because of her.
I lay on my bed, thinking about our beautiful day, a smile tugging at my lips. The room was quiet, the only sound the faint rustle of the curtains in the breeze. My body felt heavy, my mind finally at ease.
The image of Evana's smile the last thing I saw before sleep claimed me.
I gently closed my eyes.