Now the boy had one more reason to attend classes: Zara. He spent all week trying to talk to her. Zara's gaze was a magnet, an entire universe that longed for unraveling. Each day, the need to approach her grew, but the words seemed to get lost in a maze in his mind. His hands were sweating, his heart accelerated, and he saw himself imitating her gestures involuntarily, as if he sought, through mime, a connection with the girl that bewitched him.

Zara, with her red curls like flames and a smile that illuminated Nicholas' day, was a mystery to be deciphered. Her gestures, her enigmatic words, everything in her attracted and confused him. He watched her, fascinated, trying to find his way into her heart.

Sanches, his loyal friend, watched Nicholas' internal struggle with a mixture of fun and compassion. "Talk to her, hombre!" He encouraged, without hiding his smile from his friend's shyness.

But Nick, imprisoned in his own insecurity, could not approach.

The days became a cycle of anxiety and expectation. He lost himself in thoughts about Zara, seeking to decipher her enigmatic words, like "Nick, everything you are seeing now will change. I want you to see the real world through my eyes." Each sentence echoed in his mind as a secret to be unraveled.

On a sunny Sunday, Nicholas decided to clear his head with a bicycle ride. The wind caressed his face, carrying his thoughts away as he rolled through green trails.

In the sky, a silver and mysterious object watched him, like a silent guardian.

In the middle of the woods, a wooden hut aroused his curiosity. The old construction, with its oak windows and worn roof, seemed to keep ancestral secrets. Intrigued, Nicholas approached, but shyness prevented him from entering.

Lying on the grass, he surrendered to dreams. He imagined Zara by his side, their lips meeting in a passionate kiss. The rain began to fall, as if the sky were crying for his unresponsive passion.

The rain got heavier, and Nicholas was forced to look for shelter in the hut. The darkness surrounded the place, and he gripped his cell phone in search of the flashlight. The weak battery issued a poor light, but enough to reveal a woman's silhouette emerging in the rain.

Zara.

Nicholas' heart fired. Would it be a dream? She was there, in that isolated shack, as if fate had conspired to unite them.

"What a storm," she said, with a smile that lit up the night. "I'm glad we found a shelter."

Nicholas, still stunned, replied, "We were very lucky... What a coincidence to find you here."

The conversation flowed like a calm river, and Nicholas felt comfortable, as if the rain had washed his shyness. Zara was talking about the east coast, and he listened to her, enchanted, imagining her lips in his.

"Nick, are you still there?" She asked, with a playful smile.

He blushed, embarrassed for being lost in thoughts.

Zara had the power to leave him speechless, but at that moment something inside him changed. The silence settled, and their eyes met. The rain fell, and the world seemed to revolve around them. Nicholas felt an irresistible force pulling him to Zara. Without hesitation, he approached and took her hand. The feeling of her soft skin ran through him like a shock. He closed his eyes, taking with a deep breath the jasmine scent that emanated from her.

Desire consumed him, and he could no longer fight his feelings. He caressed her hair, her lips, her soft skin. And then, on a impulse, he kissed her.

The kiss was intense, passionate, as if time had stopped. The rain had diminished, and the trees shook in the wind, as if they applauded the born love.

When the rain ceased, Zara said goodbye, leaving him with his heart on fire. He returned home radiant, and his family noticed the change in his countenance.

In college the next day, their eyes crossed, accomplices. A shared secret, a love that flourished among books and notebooks. On weekends, the hut became their refuge. Kisses, caresses, and the feeling that the world was just theirs. Nicholas wondered if Zara felt the same, if his love was corresponded. He felt he had never experienced something so deep. Zara was different, and he loved her more and more.

At the end of that day, she said goodbye with a smile, and he watched her leave, with the promise of a new meeting. She picked up her bike and disappeared on the winding road. The young man came home with a bright look and a smile so spontaneous that Lorena soon realized that something different had happened on that Sunday ride.

The shine in Nicholas' eyes was rare, a flame that reminded her of someone else... someone who she hadn't seen in a long time.

"Son, will you tell me what happened?" Lorena asked, curious and hopeful.

"I've never seen you so happy!" Sophia exclaimed with a mischievous smile.

"I met a nice girl when she was riding a bicycle. It went really well..."

Mother and daughter smiled, accomplices, understanding that something new had happened in the young man's life.

"Mom, did Nick finally get a girlfriend? So he will give up traveling to space and will continue living here on planet Earth with us," the girl smiled.

"Sophia, leave your brother alone..." Lorena replied, giving her daughter a reprimanding look, but not containing a smile.

That night, the young student went to sleep early, dreaming of the fortuitous meeting at the hut. The image of Zara, with her hair in the wind and a radiant smile, filled his thoughts. From that day on, the new couple began to see each other every weekend, and Sundays were always pleasurable. They exchanged kisses, caresses and rode their bicycles, enjoying the happy moments. Each meeting was an adventure, a discovery. Zara was different from all the girls he had already known: she was kind, smart and fun. She made him laugh, listened carefully and supported him in his dreams.

In the classroom, there was a silent complicity between smiles, as if they shared a secret. They did not touch or demonstrate any gesture of affection publicly, which made Nicholas a little sad.

He wanted to shout at the world his love for Zara, but she preferred discretion. However, out of there, when it was only them both, the world belonged to them.

One of these tours had been different. As always, they were in the hut, their secret refuge. They looked around the place, checked if no one had invaded the space they started to consider theirs and, after that, decided to enter.

Zara, even more beautiful with a reddish face due to riding the bicycle, approached Nicholas, standing beside him. She offered him hot lips, and he promptly kissed her. The kiss was intense, full of passion and desire.

He had never felt anything so deep. With Zara, everything was different. He had never met such a loving and sweet girl.

Suddenly, he looked at the bracelet she was wearing. It looked so much like his... He decided to ask:

"Where did you get this bracelet? It's so similar to mine. Look", he said raising his arm.

"I had already noticed it too. I got mine as a gift, and it has several functions. Maybe one day I'll show you some of them. As for yours, I thought it was strange that you had one so similar. It's rare, did you know?"

"My mother said it was my father's."

"Time will show us where it came from."

She touched his bracelet, examining it.

"I'm curious and I can't wait to find out. I also want to introduce you to my family. You'll like my mother and sister."

"I think it's a little early for that. But it will be a pleasure to meet them."

He thought it all very enigmatic and pondered what he would do to know if she was in love with him.

After that date, Nicholas wanted to date her and stay by her side forever, if he could. It was not enough to admire her in college with a sudden passion, he had now become closer to her, with the intensity of what he had proved.

At the end of the best meeting, they had so far, she took her bike and said:

"Nick, tomorrow I'll see you in college. I loved being with you!"

"Me too. We'll see each other in class." Nicholas answered, feeling a squeeze in his heart as he saw her leave.

Zara smiled, saying goodbye with a wave of her hand. The young man stayed there for a moment, watching her disappear on the road.

__________________________