Bittersweet Love • Sacrifice •

6. 𝕊𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕝𝕕 𝕀 𝕥𝕒𝕜𝕖 𝕚𝕥?

The two weeks passed quickly, Ashton and I saw each other more and more often, and our communication became more intense. We often went for coffee together, explored new parts of the city, and shared our favorite songs and movies.

These two weeks I got to know him better. Not completely, but I know him in a basic way. And I'm glad he was willing to share his story with me.

My days on campus also went well. I lived my days as usual. It's just that the trials in my life never stop; for now, I can only live it, following the flow of where it leads. I can't complain either. I don't want to add to my mother's burden.

What I'm grateful for right now is that when I'm sad and don't know how to get through this, Ashton is always there to comfort me. It feels like the weight of my mind is gone for a moment when I'm with him.

As the afternoon sun shone down on the campus park, Nicholas and I sat on a bench, surrounded by lush greenery. The leaves rustled gently in the breeze, and the sound of birds chirping added to the serene atmosphere.

I feel like my relationship with him has been a little different lately. I don't know, I feel like he's keeping his distance from me. But since I'm only close to Maia and Nicholas on this campus, we still see each other often.

"What are you thinking about, you daydreamer?" Nicholas put his body aside and looked at my face with his curious eyes. "How is your relationship with Ashton?"

I was a little surprised to hear his question. "We're fine," I answered honestly, hoping that would be enough.

But Nicholas wasn't satisfied. "Do you like him?" he asked bluntly. I tilted my body slightly to better read his face.

I know it's just a normal question like most friends ask their friends when they're close to someone, but why do I feel like he's interrogating me?

I decided to be honest with him. "Yes, I like him," I said, as a small smile spread across my face. "But, we just got to know each other. This is all very new to me, you know I've never dated before."

Nicholas nodded, and then his expression turned a little serious. "I just don't want you to get hurt, you're my friend, Ry, I'm just worried about you," his tone was soft.

"I know," I said. "But I have a good feeling about Ashton. I don't think he'll hurt me," I said, hoping it would ease his worries.

Nicholas looked at me for a moment, then sighed. "Well, I'm trying to trust you. And since this is your first time at this thing, I'll cut you some slack," he joked to break the ice. We laughed.

Maybe I had thought badly of Nicholas before, but after hearing his explanation, maybe it was because he cared about me.

"Promise me that you'll be happy, okay? If he hurts you, don't hesitate to tell me, because I'm here for you."

"I promise," I said, "thank you, Nick. I appreciate it," I smiled at him and hugged him for a moment. I thought of my brother's hug; maybe it would feel like this.

We sat in comfortable silence, enjoying the warm afternoon sun and the peaceful atmosphere of the campus park. The gentle rustling of leaves and distant chatter of other students created a soothing background.

Today our and Maia's class schedules were different. So while waiting for Maia to finish her class, we waited for her at the park.

"Do you want to be a model?" the sudden question surprised me, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

I frowned, feeling a little confused. I had never thought about modeling before. Just imagining it seemed impossible.

"My mother needs a new face to model in her new clothing designs for this season," he explained.