The sun had just begun to set, painting the sky in hues of orange and pink, as they stood together on the old wooden bridge. The air was cool, and the gentle breeze carried the sweet scent of spring blossoms. He leaned against the railing, his eyes fixed on the water below, the tension in his posture betraying the storm of emotions raging within him.
"I don't know how to say it," he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. "And I don't know when to say it..."
She tilted her head, her curiosity piqued. "Say what?"
He turned to face her, his eyes locking onto hers with an intensity that made her heart skip a beat. He took a deep breath, his chest rising and falling as if gathering the courage to dive into the unknown.
"That I love you," he said finally, his voice steady now. "I've loved you for years."
Her breath caught in her throat, her eyes widening in surprise. The world seemed to still as his words hung in the air between them.
"Why now?" she asked softly, her voice trembling with a mixture of wonder and uncertainty.
A sad, wistful smile tugged at the corners of his lips. "Because I thought it might be too late," he admitted. "I saw you with him yesterday. I thought I'd lost my chance."
She blinked, the realization dawning on her. Her expression softened, and she reached out to touch his hand, her fingers warm against his cool skin. "It’s not what you think," she said gently. "He’s just a friend."
Relief flooded his face, the weight of a thousand unspoken words lifting from his shoulders. He felt his heart race with a newfound hope. "So... there’s still a chance?"
Her smile grew, radiating warmth and tenderness. She took a step closer, her eyes shining with a joy that made the world around them feel brighter.
"There always was," she whispered.
"I don't know how to say it," he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. "And I don't know when to say it..."
She tilted her head, her curiosity piqued. "Say what?"
He turned to face her, his eyes locking onto hers with an intensity that made her heart skip a beat. He took a deep breath, his chest rising and falling as if gathering the courage to dive into the unknown.
"That I love you," he said finally, his voice steady now. "I've loved you for years."
Her breath caught in her throat, her eyes widening in surprise. The world seemed to still as his words hung in the air between them.
"Why now?" she asked softly, her voice trembling with a mixture of wonder and uncertainty.
A sad, wistful smile tugged at the corners of his lips. "Because I thought it might be too late," he admitted. "I saw you with him yesterday. I thought I'd lost my chance."
She blinked, the realization dawning on her. Her expression softened, and she reached out to touch his hand, her fingers warm against his cool skin. "It’s not what you think," she said gently. "He’s just a friend."
Relief flooded his face, the weight of a thousand unspoken words lifting from his shoulders. He felt his heart race with a newfound hope. "So... there’s still a chance?"
Her smile grew, radiating warmth and tenderness. She took a step closer, her eyes shining with a joy that made the world around them feel brighter.
"There always was," she whispered.
