At first, everything was going well. Monica and Lynx texted each other regularly, exchanging the usual "I love you"s. But deep down, Monica was pretty sure neither of them really meant it—not yet, at least. It was just something to say, something that felt expected now that they were "together."
When Monica confessed, it had been during the school holidays, which meant they hadn't seen each other in person for a long time. At first, it didn't seem like a big deal. But when school finally started again, and they came face to face, an awkward tension settled between them.
Monica felt uneasy, afraid to start a conversation. And as for Lynx—well, he was Lynx. A quiet guy who never spoke unless necessary. So, of course, he didn't even try.
It was Nana who pushed Monica to do something about it. "You guys are dating, right?" she pointed out one day, arms crossed. "Then talk to him."
Monica groaned. "It's not that easy."
"Sure, it is. You open your mouth and say words," Nana teased.
Embarrassed but knowing Nana wouldn't let it go, Monica finally worked up the nerve to talk to Lynx. It didn't go as smoothly as she hoped.
"So, uh…" Monica hesitated, fidgeting with the strap of her bag. "When's your birthday?"
Lynx blinked. "July."
"Oh. Cool. July what?"
"Sixteenth."
"Nice."
Silence.
Monica cleared her throat, determined to push through the awkwardness. "What's your favorite color?"
Lynx glanced at her, then shrugged. "Purple."
Monica tilted her head. "Really? I didn't expect that."
He raised an eyebrow. "What did you expect?"
"I don't know… black? Gray?"
Lynx smirked slightly. "Purple's cool."
Monica let out a small laugh. This wasn't exactly the deep, meaningful conversation she had hoped for, but at least they were talking. It was a start.
And maybe, just maybe, they'd figure things out along the way.