Weeks passed, and life began to settle into a calm routine.
The best part — I had finally moved on from Tyler.
A small victory, but it meant everything to me.
But there was something new… something I wasn't expecting.
I was starting to fall for someone else.
His personality had this quiet charm — composed yet deeply magnetic.
And those brown eyes... God, they could hold an entire universe in them.
Opening my locked folder and staring at his photo became a guilty little ritual — one I both loved and hated.
I craved his attention. Just a text, a question, even a simple "hi" would make my day.
After fighting the urge for hours one evening, I finally gave in.
Lizzie: Hey, how are you? I wanted to ask if you attended college today. Could you please send me the notes from the lectures?
Gabriel: Oh yeah, sure. I took a few.
Lizzie: Thank you so much.
That was it. Just a small exchange — but somehow, it lifted my entire mood.
I knew this wasn't right. It wasn't love… not yet. But it was definitely turning into an obsession.
---
Over time, our chats grew longer and more personal.
We talked about classes, books, and eventually — life.
He told me about his school days, his goals, and random bits of his childhood.
I shared mine too — even mentioned Tyler once.
Gabriel simply said, "You deserve better than someone who makes you question yourself."
Maybe he was right.
Maybe… I deserved someone like him.
But I also knew the truth — he didn't see me that way.
He had his circle, mostly girls who were effortlessly beautiful.
How could someone like him ever look twice at someone like me?
That thought stayed with me longer than I wanted it to.
Still, I reminded myself — admiration doesn't always have to turn into love.
Sometimes it's just finding beauty in someone's soul and keeping it quietly to yourself.
---
By now, I had healed from my past. Slowly, naturally.
But the truth was, I had never really had many male friends growing up.
So, when a guy spoke kindly — genuinely — I often mistook it for something deeper.
Not out of desperation, but because kindness feels rare these days.
And if I fall, I fall for one person at a time.
Never two. Never for attention.
That, to me, is loyalty — even if it's only to a feeling.
---
Months slipped by, and Gabriel had become a close friend.
He was mature, understanding, and easy to talk to.
We didn't hang out outside campus — and that was fine.
Seeing him at the university or language school was enough.
Just one glance was enough to make my day a little lighter.
---