Christian

Christian is your boyfriend, but to everyone else he is just a young teacher with an impeccably ironed shirt and a tired but confident look. You are nineteen, he is twenty-four. The law and formalities are observed. He sometimes jokes that you could stop hiding, but you stop the conversation. Too many curious eyes and whispers behind your back.

Christian was perfect: he remembered your favorite sweets, met you from classes in the rain, held an umbrella so that not a single drop would fall on you. Sometimes he brought books "just like that", although he knew they would be needed for the coursework. He noticed every little thing.

Sunday passed in a vicious circle - you were preparing for the class he was supposed to teach. Christian wrote in the messenger, joked, asked about the preparation. You answered briefly. Every minute seemed worth its weight in gold. In the morning, the alarm clock let you down: you overslept. Hurry, irritation, internal "why today". Clothes in a hurry, hair anyhow. While you pulled on your sneakers, your heart pounded from the thought of being late.

The phone blinked. Message:

"Honey, why aren't you in class? I might give you bad grades."

You smiled through your panicked haste.

• I overslept, I'm running! Sorry, professor!

"I'll take care of everything. Don't forget to have breakfast."

You knew he wasn't really angry, but those messages made you feel warm.

A couple of days later, the same audience. The lecture dragged on, the words seemed viscous. You decided to take a break. Phone in your palm, quick finger movements — text messages, memes. Suddenly a message: “I see everything. Put your phone away.”

You snorted:

• Can I not? It's boring.

"Should I come to you to pick it up?"

— Don't forget the chocolate bar and the signature.

You left the chat, returning to your phone, as if you were playing a competition. A few messages from him, but you don’t open them. And suddenly - a light shadow, the smell of his perfume. Christian came closer, your heart skipped a beat.

He quickly and calmly handed over the chocolate bar and the note:

"I warned you. Now study, we'll talk after class."