Chapter 19

Since then, something between them had changed.

There had been no sudden confession.

Neither of them had said any grand words to the other.

But something quiet had found its way into the details of their lives, until each had become a natural part of the other's day.

Elena knew when Alexander was busy.

She could tell from the tone of his voice when he was tired.

She knew he drank far too much coffee and forgot to eat whenever work kept him occupied.

As for Alexander, he had come to know that Elena read in silence when something upset her, that she rolled the end of her pen between her fingers whenever she was thinking, and that she could never resist buying new books, even when she already had dozens she hadn't finished reading.

They no longer needed to look for excuses to meet.

Seeing each other had become a habit in itself.

On some days, Alexander would wait for her at the university gates.

On others, Elena would go to the library and find her favorite cup of coffee waiting on the table.

And whenever she asked him,

"Did you bring this?"

He would always answer,

"Coincidence."

She would laugh.

"I'm starting to hate that word."

And he would laugh along with her.

As time passed, those so-called coincidences were no longer coincidences at all.

They were choosing them.

One winter day, Elena left the university and found that snow had begun to fall lightly.

She stopped at the top of the steps, gazing up at the sky.

Suddenly, Alexander appeared beside her.

"Don't tell me you're planning to stay here until the snow melts."

She turned toward him.

"I was considering it."

"Of course you were."

He then took off his coat and held it out to her.

"Put it on."

She looked at the coat, then at him.

"What about you?"

"I'm not cold."

She raised an eyebrow.

"Liar."

He smiled.

"A little."

She took the coat.

"You always do this."

"Do what?"

"Act as though you don't care, then do things that prove the opposite."

Alexander fell silent.

He looked at her for several seconds.

Then he said,

"Maybe it's because I'm not very good at saying everything I feel."

Elena felt as though her heart had stopped for a moment.

But before she could respond, he added,

"Come on, before we turn into snow statues."

She laughed softly, and they walked away together.

As they made their way down the street, the distance between them was smaller than usual.

But this time, neither of them tried to move away.

Several more weeks passed.

Alexander graduated from university and began spending more time at his father's company.

Elena, meanwhile, continued her studies.

Meeting became a little more difficult.

But that did not lessen the closeness between them.

Instead, every meeting became more precious.

In the middle of a long day, Alexander would send her a message.

"Have you had lunch?"

She would reply,

"Have you become my mother?"

"Answer me first."

"Yes."

"Good."

Then, a few minutes later, she would ask,

"What about you?"

He would write,

"I'm busy."

She would respond,

"Which means you haven't eaten."

His reply would arrive shortly afterward.

"I hate how well you've come to know me."

She would smile at her phone.

One evening, Elena was sitting in her room, turning the pages of the book that had brought them together for the first time.

Her phone rang.

It was Alexander.

She answered.

"Hello?"

His voice came from the other end.

"Are you busy?"

"No."

"Can you go out tomorrow?"

"Where to?"

"I'm not telling you."

"Then I'm not going."

He laughed.

"You don't trust me."

"I trust you. I just don't trust your surprises."

"Tomorrow, at five."

"Alexander..."

"Five."

Then he ended the call.

Elena stared at her phone.

"Annoying."

But she was smiling.

The following day, Alexander took her somewhere she had never been before.

It was a spacious garden overlooking a tranquil lake, with trees and flowers scattered all around it.

Elena stood before the view, astonished.

"How did you find this place?"

"I used to come here whenever I needed to think."

She looked at him.

"And what do you think about?"

He took a slow breath.

"Lots of things."

Then he looked at her.

"And one person far more than I should."

She froze for a moment.

"Who?"

He smiled.

"You're far too curious."

"Alexander!"

He laughed.

"Don't worry. I'll tell you someday."

Elena sat on a wooden bench, and he sat beside her.

A comfortable silence settled between them.

Then she asked,

"Are you happy?"

He looked at her in surprise.

"Why do you ask?"

"Because you've been so busy since you started working."

He thought for a moment.

"Sometimes."

"And the other times?"

"I'm tired."

Then he added,

"But when I see you... I feel as though the day has been worth all the exhaustion."

Elena lowered her eyes, her cheeks turning red with embarrassment. She couldn't find a response.

For the first time, Alexander wasn't joking.

He meant every word.

After that day, something else changed.

Their feelings began to grow more apparent.

Alexander no longer always hid his concern for her behind jokes.

And Elena stopped denying that she waited for his messages.

They both knew their relationship had gone beyond friendship, even if neither had spoken the word aloud.

One evening, they were walking along a quiet street after dinner.

Suddenly, Elena stopped.

"Alexander."

"Yes?"

"Do you remember the first time we met?"

He smiled.

"When you dropped your books?"

"I was carrying them perfectly well."

"And you dropped them perfectly well, too."

She laughed.

"You're insufferable."

"But I still remember that day."

She looked at him.

"Why?"

He stopped walking.

"Because that was the day I met a girl I had no idea would become the most important person in my life."

Elena couldn't respond.

He continued looking at her.

Then he said quietly,

"And I think it's time I told you something."

She grew flustered.

"What?"

He took just one step closer.

"I don't want us to be just friends anymore."

She lifted her eyes to his.

Her heart was pounding.

"And I..."

She stopped.

He smiled.

"Take your time."

She drew a deep breath.

Then she smiled.

"I think you already know the answer."

His smile widened.

"I want to hear it from you."

She lowered her eyes shyly.

"I don't want us to remain just friends, either."

A comfortable silence settled between them as they continued walking together.

Then Alexander let out a soft laugh, as though he were still trying to comprehend his own happiness.

"So... is this the beginning of something new?"

She looked at him.

"Maybe."

"Maybe?"

"Don't make me regret this."

"Never."

But this time... neither of them was unaware of where their story was heading.

Their hearts had already chosen the path.

As for the grand words... they would have their moment later.

A moment Elena had no idea would arrive in a way that would make her remember that old photograph for years to come.

To be continued...