𝓔𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓷𝓪𝓵 𝓼𝓾𝓷𝓼𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓮
ᴮᵒʸᶠʳⁱᵉⁿᵈ ᵃⁿᵈ ᴳⁱʳˡᶠʳⁱᵉⁿᵈ

It was a quiet Saturday afternoon, and the sun was beginning to dip below the horizon, casting a soft golden glow through Elena's bedroom window.

She was sitting at her desk, scrolling through her phone, when she heard a familiar knock on the doorframe.

She turned around to find Mason standing there, looking a little more nervous than usual.

His hands were stuffed in the pockets of his hoodie, his gaze shifting between her and the floor.

Elena couldn't help but smile at the sight of him; there was something so endearing about how he was always so confident yet so nervous around her at times.

"Hey," he greeted her softly.

"Hey," Elena replied, her heart skipping a beat. "What's up?"

Mason took a deep breath before he slowly walked toward her, leaning against the edge of her desk. "I've been thinking a lot about... us."

Elena's heart raced as she looked up at him, sensing that something was about to change.

She set her phone down and turned her full attention to him.

"Us?" she repeated, her voice barely above a whisper.

Mason chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah, I mean... You and me." He took another step closer. "I've been wanting to ask you this for a while now."

Elena's breath caught in her throat, a mixture of excitement and uncertainty swirling inside her. Was he about to say what she thought he was?

He met her eyes, his expression softening, and for a moment, the world outside of the room seemed to fade away. "Elena," he began, his voice steady but full of emotion. "I know we've been friends for a long time. And it's been amazing. But recently, I've realized that I don't just want to be your friend. I... I want more than that."

Elena's heart pounded in her chest as he continued, his words sinking in.

"I want to be with you," Mason said quietly, his voice full of sincerity. "I want you to be my girlfriend, Elena."

The words hung in the air between them, and for a moment, everything felt surreal.

Elena blinked, her mind racing to process what he'd just said.

Did he really just ask her that?

Before she could respond, Mason looked down at his feet, his cheeks flushed with a light pink hue. "I know this might be sudden, and I don't want to rush anything. But... I care about you so much, Elena. You mean more to me than anyone else."

Her heart melted as she watched him, a shy but hopeful smile on his face.

Elena could feel the weight of his words, the sincerity in his eyes, and the way he was still standing there, waiting for her answer.

She stood up from her desk, her pulse quickening. "Mason..." she started, but words failed her.

Instead of speaking, she stepped forward, closing the distance between them. Without a second thought, she wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug, holding him close.

Mason stiffened at first, probably surprised by her sudden movement, but then he relaxed into her embrace, his arms wrapping around her waist.

For a moment, they just stood there in silence, the world outside of the room fading completely.

Finally, Elena pulled back slightly, still holding onto him, and she looked up at him with a smile that was full of everything she had been feeling in that moment. "Of course, Mason. I'd love to be your girlfriend."

Mason's face broke into the widest grin, his eyes lighting up with joy.

He leaned in, brushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear, before pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. "I've wanted to hear you say that for so long."

Elena giggled, her heart feeling like it might burst. "Well, you're lucky, because you just did."

Mason's grin softened into something more tender as he cupped her face in his hands, brushing his thumb over her cheek.

"I'm really lucky," he murmured, before leaning down and kissing her gently on the lips.

The kiss was soft at first, as if both of them were savoring the moment. But as it deepened, the world around them seemed to disappear.

All that mattered was the feeling of Mason's lips on hers, the warmth of his touch, and the connection they shared.

It was like everything had led up to this moment, and Elena knew, deep down, that this was exactly where she was meant to be.

When they finally pulled away, they were both breathless, grinning at each other like they had just discovered something new about the world.

"I can't believe we're actually doing this," Elena whispered, still in disbelief.

Mason chuckled, his forehead resting against hers. "I can. I've known for a while that you were the one I wanted."

Elena smiled, feeling a rush of happiness flood through her. It was the kind of moment she'd always dreamed about—being with someone who cared about her as much as she cared about them. And now, it was real.

As they stood there, wrapped in each other's arms, Elena knew one thing for sure: this was just the beginning.

— ETERNAL SUNSHINE —