His name was Elijah. I remember the first time he smiled at me — it was like the sun breaking through a cloudy sky. He was different from anyone I had ever met. Confident, kind, with a way of speaking that made everything seem so effortless. The way he looked at me, like I was the only person in the room, made me feel seen in a way I hadn't in a long time.
At first, I thought I could keep my distance. I had spent years building walls around my heart, protecting the promise I made to my mother. But there was something about Elijah that made those walls feel like they might crumble.
We talked, casually at first. He asked about my studies, my dreams, my life. I told him things I hadn't told anyone. The more we talked, the more I realized how easy it was to be myself around him. He listened — truly listened — in a way that felt almost sacred. I found myself smiling more, laughing at things I would have normally brushed off. He made me feel special, like I mattered. And that was dangerous.
He had this way of weaving his words into my heart. Compliments so sweet they almost felt too good to be true. "You're different from other girls," he'd say, his voice soft, sincere. "There's something about you… you make everything better just by being here." His words wrapped around me like a warm blanket, and for a moment, I almost forgot the promise I had made.
I had been taught to guard my heart. To wait for the right person. But Elijah made me question everything I had ever known. Could someone like him — someone who seemed so genuine — really be a part of the plan my mother had set for me?
There were moments when he would touch my hand, his fingers brushing lightly against mine, and I'd feel a spark of something I hadn't allowed myself to feel before. It scared me. It felt wrong, but at the same time, it felt… right.
I tried to ignore it, tried to remind myself of the promise I had made. But when Elijah looked at me with those eyes, full of warmth and understanding, it was hard to stay strong. Could I keep my promise to my mother and still be true to what I felt in my heart?
For the first time, I began to wonder if the boy with sweet words was the very test I had been preparing for. And if so, I wasn't sure how much longer I could resist.