The snow fell thicker and thicker, the pure white flakes gently landing on Serena's dark hair, on Christopher's shoulder, and on the deserted road where they stood. Time seemed to freeze in that moment—the instant when both finally spoke the words they had kept hidden in their hearts for so long.
"You... what did you just say?"
Serena stammered, not daring to believe her ears. Her face flushed, partly from the cold, partly from emotion.
Christopher stood there, still holding her hand tightly in his. He could feel the warmth spreading from her fingertips, gradually moving up his arm, into his own wildly beating heart. So many silent days, so many suppressed emotions, now seemed to burst forth in his chest.
"I said..." He took a deep breath, looking directly into her wide, surprised eyes. "I like you, Serena. For a very long time now."
Serena stood frozen, like a statue. She hadn't expected to receive this answer. All this time, she had thought Christopher only saw her as a friend, someone he occasionally helped out of kindness. She had never dared to think that those caring gestures, those lingering gazes, all stemmed from a deeper affection.
"But... why didn't you say anything?" Serena whispered, her voice choked with emotion.
"Why wait so long?"
Christopher looked at her, his eyes full of tenderness. "Because I was afraid," he answered honestly.
"Afraid of bothering you, afraid of losing the friendship between us."
"I thought just being by your side, seeing you happy, was enough."
The snowflakes fell more and more heavily, landing on Christopher's eyelashes, causing him to blink repeatedly. Serena couldn't help but smile. She raised her hand, gently brushing away the snowflakes clinging to his lashes.
"You know, Christopher," she said softly, a smile still playing on her lips. "Sometimes I wondered if I was imagining things."
"The times you quietly helped me, the times you appeared just when I needed you..."
"I always thought it was just a coincidence. But thinking back now, nothing was a coincidence, was it?"
Christopher lowered his head, a little embarrassed. "You... knew?"
"Not exactly," Serena shook her head.
"But I had a feeling. And gradually, I realized I also had special feelings for you."
"Every time you appeared, my heart would beat strangely fast. I started looking forward to the moments I could be with you, even if they were just brief seconds."
The snow continued to fall, covering their shoulders with a thin white layer. But amidst the freezing weather, their hearts felt unusually warm.
"So... what are we to each other now?" Christopher asked, his voice low.
Serena smiled, her cheeks flushing. "What do you want us to be?"
"I want..." he hesitated, then gathered his courage to continue,
"I want us to be more than friends.."
"I want to be your special person, someone who will always be by your side, no matter what happens."
A tear rolled down Serena's cheek, but she still smiled.
"Then,"
she said, her voice trembling with emotion, "from now on, we will be each other's special person."
Christopher gently placed his hand on her cheek, wiping away the tear. He wanted this moment to last forever, wanted time to stop so they could stay together in this romantic snowy scene.
"Serena," he whispered, "will you give me a chance to be by your side?"
Instead of answering, Serena unexpectedly tiptoed and lightly touched her lips to his cheek. A kiss as light as a butterfly's wing, but enough to make Christopher's heart feel like it was about to burst with happiness.
"That's my answer," she whispered, her eyes sparkling as she looked at him.
The wind blew stronger, and they both shivered from the cold. "It's starting to snow heavily," Christopher said, looking at Serena with concern. "Let me take you home."
"No need" Serena shook her head. "My house is very close; I can go by myself."
"I want to make sure you get home safely," he insisted. "Otherwise, I won't be able to rest assured."
Serena laughed at his serious expression. "Alright, then let's go. But you have to promise to text me as soon as you get home."
"Promise,"Christopher nodded, smiling.
They walked together under the snow, shoulder to shoulder, hands intertwined. Winter no longer felt cold, because now, they had each other to keep warm.
The next morning, Serena woke up feeling like she had just experienced a beautiful dream. She still couldn't believe that Christopher, the person she had admired for so long, also had feelings for her. She touched the cream-colored woolen scarf placed on her desk, smiling happily.
The alarm on her phone rang. She quickly unlocked the screen and was surprised to see another message from Christopher:
"Good morning. I'll wait for you at the school gate today."
It was simple, but enough to make Serena's heart beat fast. She quickly replied:
"Good morning! I'll try to get there early. Have you had breakfast yet ?"
The reply came almost instantly: "Not yet. I was planning to go buy some bread."
"Wait for me! I'll bring you something special," Serena texted, then quickly jumped out of bed and ran downstairs to the kitchen.
She quickly prepared breakfast—egg and bacon sandwiches, a pot of hot tea, and a few cookies she had made the night before. She carefully packed everything into a lunchbox and put it in her bag.
Serena quickly got ready and left the house. On the way to school, she couldn't stop smiling to herself. It was still snowing today, but it wasn't as cold as yesterday. Weak rays of sunlight pierced through the clouds, casting a sparkling glow on the white snow-covered ground.
When she arrived at the school gate, she saw Christopher's tall figure from afar. He stood there, his hands in his coat pockets, his eyes following everyone who passed by. When he saw Serena, his eyes lit up, and a gentle smile appeared on his usually serious face.
"You're here," he said, walking towards her.
"Yeah," Serena smiled brightly. "I brought breakfast for you."
She took out the prepared lunchbox from her bag and handed it to him. Christopher looked down at the food box in surprise, then looked up at her, his eyes filled with emotion.
"You didn't have to do that," he said softly.
"But I wanted to," Serena smiled. "Besides, this is the first time I've made breakfast for..." she hesitated, "...my boyfriend."
Christopher's face turned as red as a tomato when he heard the last words. He lowered his head, trying to hide his happy smile.
"Thank you," he said, his voice warm and low.
The two walked into the schoolyard together, side by side. Other students passing by looked at them curiously. No one had thought that the cold Christopher and the lively Serena could become a couple.
"Everyone's looking at us," Serena whispered, a little embarrassed.
"Let them," Christopher replied calmly, still walking proudly. "We're not doing anything wrong."
Serena smiled, feeling warm at his protectiveness. Being by Christopher's side always made her feel safe and sheltered.
When they arrived at the classroom, most of the students were already there. All eyes turned to them as they entered together. Christopher maintained his usual cold expression, while Serena tried to appear normal, even though her heart was pounding wildly.
"Hi everyone!" She greeted cheerfully, then quickly went to her seat, with Christopher following behind.
Alexander, Christopher's best friend, looked at them with a meaningful gaze. He walked over to them, grinning widely.
"Looks like something has changed between you two," he said, his eyes shifting from Christopher to Serena.
"Nothing," Christopher replied coldly, but his ears had turned red.
Serena laughed at his reaction. "He's shy," she said to Alexander, her voice playful. "But it's true, something has changed."
Alexander whistled. "Finally, he dared to say it! I thought I'd have to wait until after graduation."
"You knew?" Serena asked in surprise.
"Of course," Alexander laughed loudly. "Probably only you in this whole school didn't know Christopher liked you."
" He couldn't hide it, especially with the way he always looked at you."
Christopher gently nudged Alexander. "That's enough," he said, his voice stern but unable to conceal his embarrassment.
Serena smiled brightly, feeling her heart warm. She had never thought Christopher's feelings were so obvious that everyone noticed, except for her.
The bell signaling the start of class rang. Alexander quickly returned to his seat, but not before winking at the two of them.
Christopher sat down next to Serena, as he did every day. But today, everything felt different. There was a closeness, a connection that hadn't been there before.
"Do you want to have breakfast?" Serena asked softly, glancing at the lunchbox still in his hand.
Christopher nodded, opening the lunchbox. He looked at the neatly cut sandwiches, the small, cute cookies, and the still-warm pot of tea. Everything had been made with care and love.
"It looks delicious," he said, his eyes full of appreciation.
"Try it," Serena smiled, full of anticipation.
Christopher took a sandwich and took a small bite. The soft egg, the fragrant bacon, and the crispy bread blended together to create a wonderful taste.
"It's very good," he said, his eyes lighting up. "You're really good at this."
"Really?" Serena smiled happily. "I was worried you wouldn't like it."
"I like everything you do," Christopher replied, his voice warm and low.
Serena felt her cheeks heat up. She hadn't expected Christopher to say such sweet words. He always gave others a cold, quiet impression, but when he was alone with her, he became surprisingly gentle and caring.
The teacher entered the classroom, and the lesson began. But neither Serena nor Christopher could concentrate. Their minds were still wandering, still immersed in the sweet emotions of their budding love.
The following days passed in sweet happiness. Christopher and Serena were together every day, studying together, having lunch together, and walking home together. Everyone in the class gradually got used to seeing them always together, and the curious glances gradually disappeared.
One afternoon, while they were sitting in the library studying for exams, Serena suddenly looked up from her book and asked:
"Christopher, you still haven't told me about your family."
Christopher raised his head, a hint of sadness flashing in his eyes. "There's not much to tell," he replied softly. "My parents divorced when I was young. I live with my grandmother."
"Oh," Serena looked at him with sympathy. "I'm sorry, I didn't know..."
"It's okay," Christopher shook his head. "That's just the past. I'm used to living like this."
Serena could sense the sadness in his voice. She understood that behind his cold, strong exterior was a soul that had once been deeply hurt.
"Is that why you're so quiet and don't interact much with others?" she asked gently.
Christopher was silent for a moment, then nodded.
"Maybe so. I'm used to being alone, used to not having to rely on anyone."
"Sometimes, I find it difficult to express my feelings."
Serena reached across the table and took his hand. "But now you have me," she said, her voice full of sincerity. "You don't have to be alone anymore."
Christopher looked down at their intertwined hands, feeling a warmth spread through his heart. "Thank you, Serena," he said softly.
"If you want, you can meet my family," Serena suggested, her eyes lighting up. "My parents are very nice; they'll like you!"
Christopher seemed surprised by this suggestion. "You... want to introduce me to your family?"
"Of course," Serena nodded enthusiastically. "You're important to me. I want everyone to know that."
Christopher was silent for a moment, as if considering. Finally, he smiled and nodded.
"Okay. If you want."
Serena cheered happily, forgetting that she was in the library. She quickly covered her mouth when she saw the librarian's stern gaze.
"Sorry," she whispered, then turned to Christopher with a happy look. "Then how about this weekend? I'll tell my parents you're coming for dinner."
Christopher nodded, although he felt a little nervous inside. He had never been to anyone's house before, never met the families of his friends. This would be a completely new experience.
"Don't worry," Serena said, as if reading his thoughts. "My parents are very easygoing. They'll like you right away."
Christopher smiled, feeling lucky to have Serena by his side. She always knew how to make everything seem simpler and easier.
Sunday came faster than Christopher had expected. He stood in front of Serena's house, holding a bouquet of white lilies—the flower he knew she liked the most. He wore a simple white shirt, dark jeans, and brown leather shoes. He had tried to dress formally but not too elaborately.
His hand trembled slightly as he rang the doorbell. The door opened, and Serena's smiling face appeared.
"You're here!" she exclaimed, her eyes sparkling. "Come in, everyone's waiting for you."
Christopher stepped inside, handing her the bouquet. "For you," he said, a little embarrassed.
"White lilies!" Serena exclaimed, her eyes wide with surprise. "How did you know these are my favorite flowers?"
"I saw you draw them in music class once," he replied simply. "And your schoolbag also has lily pictures."
Serena smiled emotionally. Christopher always paid attention to the smallest details about her, something that perhaps even she didn't realize.
"Thank you," she said, hugging the bouquet. "I'll put them in a vase right away. And now, follow me to meet my parents."
Christopher followed Serena into the living room, where her parents were sitting. When they saw him, they both stood up, friendly smiles on their faces.
"Hello, young man," Serena's father, a middle-aged man with a warm smile, stepped forward to shake his hand. "You must be Christopher, right? My daughter has mentioned you many times."
"Yes, Uncle, nice to meet you," Christopher replied politely, trying to keep his voice calm.
"Hello, dear," Serena's mother, a woman with a gentle face similar to her daughter's, added. "It's a pleasure to meet you. Serena said you're the best student in the class."
Christopher smiled slightly, politely responding to Serena's mother. Their conversation was warm, and Serena occasionally blushed when her mother mentioned her childhood stories, making Christopher unable to resist teasing her.
After dinner, as he was leaving, he and she stood together in front of the house gate, the streetlights casting their long shadows on the ground.
Serena unconsciously tightened her grip on her shirt hem, not knowing what to say. The night breeze was cool, but she felt a strange warmth in her heart.
"Christopher," she called softly.
"Hmm?"
She wanted to say something, but in the end, she just smiled. "Nothing. Good night."
Christopher looked at her, his deep eyes seeming to want to engrave this moment in his memory. Then he also smiled, gently and sincerely. "Good night."
From that night on, the two gradually got used to being together, to the good morning and good night texts, to the clumsy but warm touches of their hands. Their feelings grew steadily, like snowflakes falling slowly but settling deeply in their hearts.
Everything continued like that, without rushing, without promises, just simply being together, like a gentle, indispensable habit.