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The weekend had finally arrived.
The sun spread its golden warmth across her spacious room as Lavinia stood before her wardrobe…
drowning in fatal confusion.
She opened the closet doors, looked right and left…
then lifted a long, soft white dress, and afterward grabbed dark denim jeans.
— "A dress… or pants?"
She spent a full half hour staring at herself in this and that…
changing clothes over and over.
Standing and turning.
Stepping closer to the mirror and then away.
Until she ended up throwing the pants onto the bed forcefully, saying in exasperation:
— "Fine! It'll be the dress!"
She wore a soft white dress that reached her knees,
flowing lightly,
topped with a short denim jacket, and she completed the look with simple white shoes.
She stood before her long mirror…
lifted her hair slightly then let it fall, her heart beating with a faint joy.
— "Wow… I look absolutely beautiful!"
She barely finished her sentence when her mother suddenly opened the door.
— "Lavinia, where did you put the tea box—"
The mother stopped, leaned against the doorframe, and opened her mouth in astonishment.
— "Oh my God… look at you! You look exactly like a princess!"
Lavinia's face turned as red as a strawberry.
— "Uhhhm I know that, Mom! …"
Her mother walked in and approached, placing a hand on her daughter's shoulder as they both looked at the mirror together.
— "Hmm… who's the knight taking you out today? Is it… Rocky? That handsome, polite young man?"
— "Mom! Enough, please!"
But her blushing exposed everything.
The mother let out a short laugh.
— "Just asking… he really is a handsome young man."
Lavinia cried out shyly, waving her hands in the air:
— "No! I'm going on a date with Mikel! It's his birthday today!"
Her mother widened her eyes:
— "Ah! Mikel… that's good then. Wait."
She left for a few seconds and came back holding a small, neatly wrapped cube-shaped box.
— "Here. I bought it for him yesterday. Give it to him."
Lavinia smiled, hugged the gift, and left the house with eager steps.
She arrived at the Jiro family's house…
She knocked on the door lightly.
Mikel's father opened the door, a tall man with brown hair streaked with silver…
and a gentle, warm face that always carried that calm smile.
— "Ah, Lavinia! Good morning."
— "Good morning, Mr. Jiro… is Mikel here?"
He gestured with a smile:
— "Upstairs, in his room as usual."
Her relationship with Mikel's father was old; since childhood he had treated her like an extra daughter.
"Mikel resembles him a lot—in the eyes, the features, even in that kindness he always tries to hide."
She climbed the stairs lightly, then opened his room door suddenly without even knocking.
— "Happy birthday, you miserable—"
Her voice froze.
Mikel was standing in front of the mirror, slightly bent, styling his hair carefully.
He was wearing black pants and a fitted black shirt that clung to his body, clearly outlining his abs and chest…
He looked dangerous…
and devastatingly handsome.
She looked directly at his muscles before realizing what she was doing, and said:
— "Wow… Mikel, your body… is amazing."
He lifted his eyebrow with a side smirk:
— "Yeah, I know."
She blushed at once:
— "Stop bragging! Here, this is a gift from my mom."
He opened the box, revealing a luxurious silver watch inside.
It glimmered with elegant shine.
— "It's… beautiful. I really like it."
He put it on immediately… and looked even more masculine and stylish.
Then he completed his outfit with a black denim jacket.
— "Ready?"
— "Ready!"
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They walked out into the crowded street, and people around them clearly turned to look.
Someone whispered:
— "Are they celebrities?"
Another woman said:
— "What a lovely couple…"
Together, they truly looked like a harmonious painting: he in striking black, she in soft white.
Their steps were synchronized,
and their laughter scattered through the crowd.
---
They chose a horror movie, the favorite genre for both of them.
They bought a large bucket of popcorn and sat together in the middle seats.
The movie started.
Everyone was screaming…
A girl clinging to her boyfriend, another person crying, a group leaving the theater from sheer fear…
But them!?
They were laughing.
Enjoying it in a scary, eerie way—as if they were feeding off everyone else's fear.
In the middle of the movie, Lavinia reached her hand toward the popcorn…
But her hand fully touched Mikel's.
She didn't pay any attention to it.
She grabbed some popcorn and tossed it into her mouth in one go.
As for Mikel?
He looked away instantly… the redness on his ears unmistakable.
---
When the movie ended.
Everyone left in chaos.
Lavinia and Mikel were walking toward the exit when she suddenly stopped.
She saw Rocky.
He came out of another theater…
With that blonde girl, laughing at something he said… and he was smiling at her with a smile Lavinia had never seen before.
She froze.
Her heart shrank suddenly… a strange, painful, crushing feeling.
Jealousy.
The first time she had ever felt it this intensely.
But suddenly…
Mikel grabbed her tightly and pulled her toward the side wall, and they hid.
He was sweating…
Watching Rocky and that girl closely.
But his eyes… weren't on Rocky.
They were on the girl.
Lavinia said in surprise:
— "Mikel… what's wrong?"
He forced a smile, trying to hide his tension:
— "Nothing… I just didn't want our date to be ruined."
She sighed:
— "As if I'd run to him… don't be ridiculous. Let's continue our date."
He finally smiled and took a deep breath.
The sky began to change color, and the sun quickly vanished to let the moon take its place…
By the time they left the cinema, night had fallen, and the city had turned into a canvas of colorful lights.
Shops were still open, and people wandered slowly along the street.
They passed by a gift shop draped with warm yellow lights.
Lavinia tugged Mikel's hand:
— "Come in… I want to buy something."
— "I don't want a gift from you… it's enough that you came out with me today."
— "Who said it's for you? Maybe it's for myself."
— "Haha, of course…"
She entered the shop, determined despite his objections,
while Mikel stood behind her watching with a smile that blended happiness… nervousness… and longing.
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