Prologue

Sitting on that icy bench at the station, I, who had run a lot to arrive on time, was determined to find out who was the person who had sent me that letter. In a moment of sadness after waiting for several hours, I decided to go home, but I was stopped by someone holding my shirt.

Hours before…

How far would you go to save the person you love the most? Or, what would you be willing to lose to have her by your side? It was in the midst of a rather funny incident that I found the one who would be the great love of my life, or at least, I thought it would be.

Nice to meet you, my name is Paulo. I turned 16 this year and I'm in my first year of high school, my grades are average, I'm not a fan of any sport and I love romance books, manga, anime or any story that contains romance. I always imagined myself in these stories, imagine something like that happening to me, how happy I would be. But, I don't think things like this would happen to me.

"Excuse me, can I sit next to you?" - she said.

A delicate and cute girl was standing in front of me holding her lunch.

"Oh, I'm sorry, yes you can," I replied.

I sat a little away so that she could sit too, that breeze that passed on the school balcony caressed her beautiful blonde hair, a sweet orange fragrance, exhaled through the air, simply being close to such a beautiful and smelling girl made me feel nervous. Should I strike up a conversation or try to calm down a bit? What do I really do? I'm so nervous, I've never been this close to a girl like this, I'm even in a cold sweat. Wait, is this really normal?

"I'm sorry, but are you all right?" the girl asked.

When I turned towards her, our eyes met and she gave me a smile so bright, it made my heart race and my mind go haywire. Her beautiful smile had won me over. Is this what you call love at first sight? Or am I too hasty?

I nodded at her. In a failed attempt to strike up a conversation with the girl, I heard the school bell ring. Damn it, when I worked up the courage to talk to her, lunchtime was over. She said goodbye to me with a smile that shone like a ray of sunlight. Those beautiful pair of aqua blue eyes shone so brightly it made her pretty face glow.

When it was time to leave, I ran to the closet and when I opened the door a letter had fallen to the floor. Embarrassed, I put it away quickly and closed the closet. As I read it, I saw that it was a love letter. The sender had not written his name… Was this person so embarrassed that he forgot to sign his name?

Well, whatever, I got a love letter for the first time, I'm so happy I can jump up and down all the way home.

- Brother! What do you think you are doing? Leaving without your pretty, fluffy little sister? - A female voice could be heard coming from behind me.

The girl behind me who was giving me an infuriated look was my half sister, Julia. She is 14 years old and in her ninth year of high school. But, don't be fooled by her short stature and her angelic face, that has nothing of an angel, in fact, she is a devil in person.

She is always pestering me, following me around and always embarrassing me in front of other people with the famous line: "Brother, why don't you have a girlfriend?" Or "Brother, is the reason you don't have a girlfriend because you like men?" It's always the same. Well, not that I don't like girls, but lately I'm in love with 2d girls. I believe that I would not turn down dating a 3d girl. It would be really cool… Who am I kidding? It would be perfect, but luck doesn't smile on me that easily.

. . .

That starry night, sitting on that cold bench at the station, tired of running so much to be on time, I was determined to find out who was the person who had sent that letter, however, after being frustrated after waiting several hours and I decided to go home, I was stopped by someone holding my shirt as I walked. His head was down, as if he couldn't look me in the eye. The girl then sat down and with a wave gesture invited me to sit beside her. Was she really going to say something?!

Suddenly I heard small whispers, and her voice gradually increasing, it seemed like she was forcing herself to talk to me, but her words were stuck in her throat.

— Paulo, do you like someone? she asked.

As he tried to look me in the eyes, his shame was clear, like the crystalline waters of a small stream. Her voice was so low and at the same time sweet, it was as if she was trying to slowly make it natural and speak without stuttering.

— I hope you don't have anyone special yet, I wanted to tell you something. But, I still don't know how to tell you this in a way that you understand, so I ask you to just listen to me, then you can say your answer or if you want, you don't even have to answer - she said.

After saying that, she just turned to me and with shaking hands tried to hold mine. Looking down at her hand overlapping mine, she took a deep breath.

— We met when we were still in elementary school, you, that isolated nerd, caught my attention and I fell in love with you little by little. Your unusual way of always smiling when the third year boys (high school) made jokes with your name calling you Paula, or your optimism that was unshakable even suffering so much bullying at school, but, you were always with your head held high and always happy, what was that really?

Still shivering, the girl continued:

— Your care and dedication even in the smallest details called my attention, I couldn't believe that a person like that really existed until you appeared and it was watching you all this time that I fell in love with you. So, I really hope you can look at my feelings and realize that... I-I love you Paulo, please go out with me - she said, while holding my hand tight, my apathetic reaction soon turned into a reaction. astonished to hear that.

- What? I blurted out a question out loud in astonishment.

- I know it's quite sudden and maybe you don't even remember me, but please think about the answer and answer me... If you don't answer me I'll know I'm not enough for you - she replied.

Saying that, she just got up from the bench and left, when I got up and went to answer, the train passed and the noise drowned out my voice.

What a different night I had - I thought as I watched the train leave.

What was it really for me to say or answer?! I mumbled in annoyance.

Could it be that if I'm too sincere I'll hurt her heart? But I can't lie about my real feelings… I don't really know what to do, I'm stuck in this dilemma. I think I'll just go home for now, walking home will calm me down.

As I was walking home, my cell phone started to vibrate in my pocket and music played, someone was calling me, I picked up my cell phone and a strange number appeared on the screen. I answered suspiciously, on the other side of the call, a soft and slightly scared female voice was reverberating through my ear.

- Hey! - she said.

- Who is it? I asked already thinking about hanging up the call.

— I really couldn't work up the courage to declare myself! And so I sent you a letter, I hope you read it. It contains my most sincere condolences. I hope that one day we can meet and have a solid relationship, get married and have two children, fruits of our love and when we are very old I look at you and say "Yes, I made the right choice." I just wanted to tell you that I love you and I want to marry you, having a wedding with the person I love is a dream come true, I hope that when we meet one day you and I can get married. she replied, completely ignoring my question.

After saying that, she simply hung up, I tried to return the call but it always said the following sentence: "This number you called does not receive calls or does not exist."

Dude, what day was that? I received two confessions from completely different people and that I never had contact with any of them. This is really different from all the romantic fantasies I've ever imagined that would happen to me, this surpassed my expectations and surpassed the limits of all my imagination, I wish this was just a dream, but it was real! It is too real for a simple delusion or fantasy. The real world is really scary for people with overactive imaginations.

I really want to know what the future holds for me, but I'm just going to keep living in the present and just try to imagine the future or what will happen tomorrow - I thought as I submerged my whole body in the bathtub.

All these confusions started from my fantasies, I started fantasizing about these clichés and it seems that today it worked! Today really happened what I wanted the most, and it doesn't feel like a dream, it doesn't have to be a dream.