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The school corridor was almost empty at that late hour of the day.
The sounds of students gradually faded away.
Only the whispers of the wind coming from the long windows remained.
His face was closer than usual, and his bright eyes reflected something complicated…
Not anger, not sadness, but a sincere desire to talk.
He said in a quiet yet firm voice: — "We need to talk."
Lavinia froze in place.
She felt embarrassment creeping into her face, for what happened between them yesterday had been knocking at her thoughts since morning.
She finally lifted her gaze to him… a direct, unexpected look that startled her heart for a moment.
Rocky released her hand slowly, as if afraid of hurting her, then said in a soft tone:
— "I don't want what happened yesterday to affect our relationship… just forget about it. We can be just friends."
The scene felt heavy between them.
Lavinia's eyes dropped to the ground, her fingers tightening around the edge of her shirt nervously: — "Yes… I'm just a little embarrassed, that's all."
Rocky took a step toward her… then another.
He bent down a little so he could look directly at her face,
until his face became very close to hers, close enough that she felt the warmth of his breath brushing her cheek.
He whispered: — "It's okay… I know it was hard for me. But what's harder… is you ignoring me."
Her eyes widened suddenly, her heart trembled, and her cheeks turned red like a cherry.
She stepped back, trying to escape his closeness…
but her foot stumbled over something small on the ground—a pen.
She lost her balance.
— "Ah—!"
She grabbed Rocky's shirt without thinking, trying to steady herself, but she couldn't…
and she pulled Rocky down with her.
They fell.
She was on the floor, and Rocky was directly above her, his hands planted on either side of her, his face close…
Closer than she had ever imagined.
A still moment.
Silent.
Romantic… and embarrassing at the same time.
She could hear her heartbeat louder than the wind.
And Rocky's eyes… those eyes she had never seen before.
The eyes of a man seeing a girl in a completely different way.
Rocky's face also turned red, for the first time since she'd known him.
He said in a low voice, like a confession that slipped from the depths of his chest without permission: — "You're beautiful… truly."
Lavinia trembled.
Then she felt the heat rising in her cheeks…
Rocky quickly stood up, brushing the dust off his pants.
Then he extended his hand to her, with a lightly awkward smile:
— "Come on… let me help you."
She placed her hand in his, and stood up slowly.
But her mind remained stuck on that sentence… You're truly beautiful.
After the school day ended…
Lavinia walked out of the school gate still lost in thought.
Her steps were slow, and her hand brushed her cheek, which still hadn't stopped burning red.
She was holding a shopping list, heading toward the nearby market.
The busy street market was packed with movement:
Colorful fruit stalls, shouting vendors, the smell of warm bread, and lights hanging above the narrow streets.
Lavinia stopped at the vegetable shop, picked potatoes, tomatoes, and onions, then moved to the supermarket to buy what she was missing.
Minutes later, she walked out carrying small bags.
She was walking on the sidewalk when she saw someone she knew from afar.
Farid.
He walked with calm steps, as if unaware of anyone around. Behind him… two girls followed him from a distance, whispering to each other and watching his back with obvious admiration.
Lavinia frowned: — "Great… if they follow him into that area, his secret will be exposed!"
Farid headed toward… the dark alley.
That alley.
The one near the abandoned house… where she had seen him more than once.
Lavinia panicked.
She quickened her pace to catch up with them.
She reached the alley…
And held her breath.
Farid was standing there in the shadows, while the two girls stood in front of him in a strange manner…
Then he raised his right hand and began muttering incomprehensible words, faint glowing symbols appearing around his fingers.
A spell.
Lavinia's heart dropped, her eyes widening.
She watched him cast the spell directly on the two girls…
He suddenly noticed her presence.
He stepped forward with a slight, amused smile.
And when he finished casting the spell, the two girls snapped out of the trance.
One of them looked around in confusion:
— "Where am I? What am I doing here?"
The other said: — "Weren't we following someone? I don't… remember."
She rubbed her forehead, then said quickly: — "Ah! I have homework I need to finish!"
And both of them ran off, each in a different direction.
Lavinia remained… standing in shock.
Farid turned to her and said in a mocking tone: — "I cast a forgetfulness spell on them. Want to try it?"
Lavinia shook her head vigorously. — "No way…!"
Farid stepped closer: — "And what are you doing here?"
— "I was trying to stop them from discovering your secret…"
He laughed.
He laughed loudly, mockingly, then said: — "Are you insane? This isn't the first time this happens. Since my very first day here, girls have been following me into this alley."
Lavinia shot him a dry look: — "Ah… that's really reassuring, that your secret is still safe."
Farid noticed the bags in her hand and pointed at them: — "And what's that you're carrying?"
— "Food… I bought it a little while ago."
His expression changed suddenly.
A wide smile—slightly unsettling—spread across his face…
A smile she recognized.
Lavinia shouted: — "No way! Don't tell me you're think—"
After a moment…
Lavinia woke up suddenly, sitting on her living-room couch.
And the grocery bags were gone.
She shouted as she remembered: — "Damn you, you stupid old man! I remember what happened now!"
Farid had used the forgetfulness spell again.
Without permission.
To steal her bags.
She angrily threw the pillow toward the door… even though he wasn't there.
"Damn it."
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