Part-01-Walking on a meaningful day
The afternoon air was warm as Feriha and Eric walked side by side down the quiet lane. Neither spoke. They didn't need to. Their silence felt strangely intimate , like two people learning how to breathe in the same rhythm. 🎶
Eric kept his hands in his pockets, but every few seconds, he glanced at her, as if checking whether she was really there.
"Do you always look at the ground when you're thinking?" he asked suddenly.
She blinked. "Do I?" 😯
He smiled. "You do. You used to do it in school, too."
Feriha laughed softly ; a sound that made his shoulders relax.
"Maybe I'm still the same scared girl." 😒
"No," Eric said firmly. "You're stronger than you know."
His voice carried something deeper ,admiration, maybe. Or something more dangerous.
Feriha felt her cheeks warm.
Why did his words affect her like this? 🙃
Part-02-A Memory Shared
They reached the small tea shop near the intersection. Eric stopped.
"Want to sit for a bit?"
She nodded.
They took a table outside, shaded by an old umbrella. The owner smiled at them, clearly assuming they were a couple. 💘
Feriha felt her face heat up again. Eric pretended not to notice, but a teasing glint flickered in his eyes. 👀
When their tea arrived, Eric leaned back, looking at her with quiet fondness.
"Do you remember the day you cried because your math book got wet?" he asked.
Feriha groaned. "Don't remind me. I thought it was the end of the world." 😆
Eric chuckled. "You were so dramatic. I ran to my house, grabbed my notebook, and copied the entire chapter overnight."
Her eyes widened. "You… never told me that." 😮
"You never asked," he said, sipping his tea.
Feriha watched him ,really watched him.
The steadiness in his eyes.
The calmness in his voice.
The softness he only showed her.
Maybe she hadn't realised…
Maybe she had been blind all these years.◼
Part-03-A Touch That Says Too Much
A wind blew across the table, lifting a strand of her hair. Without thinking, Eric reached out and gently tucked it behind her ear.
Feriha froze. 😬
Her pulse raced wildly.
Eric's hand lingered for half a second ; warm, steady, careful ,as if making sure she wouldn't pull away.
She didn't.
His breath hitched.
So did hers.
"Feriha," he said quietly, almost in a whisper, "you know I'd never hurt you, right?" 😌
"I know," she replied, her voice barely audible.
Their eyes locked. 👁👁
Something shifted between them ; soft, intense, fragile.Something shifted between them ; soft, intense, fragile.
A connection long overdue… but finally, unmistakably there.
Part-04-Reality Interrupts
Suddenly, a phone vibrated. 📳
Feriha jumped.
Her phone screen lit up with a message.
Unknown Number:
"You're getting too comfortable. Don't forget why you came back."
Her blood turned cold. 🌬
Eric noticed her expression instantly.
"What's wrong?"
Feriha quickly locked her phone.
"Nothing," she lied. 😑
But her hands were trembling.
She wasn't ready to lose this moment.
She wasn't ready to pull him into her darkness.
Not yet. 🤦
Eric reached across the table and lightly touched her fingers.
"You can tell me when you're ready," he said softly.
And just like that, the warmth returned ;comforting her, grounding her.
For the first time in years, Feriha realised something frightening and beautiful:🙌
She was no longer alone.
And that made her fear the coming dangers even more. 😥