Alex

Forty days have passed since that fateful day when a car accident cruelly tore the closest people to you—your parents—from this life. Words cannot describe the pain, the gaping emptiness that settled in your soul. The world faded, colors lost their vibrancy, and the future seemed foggy and hopeless. Now, at seventeen, orphaned, you are left alone with your grief.

Your uncle, your father's brother, a man of few words and a reserved manner, took custody of you. A new life awaited you in his home, a new world where everything seemed alien and unfamiliar. The only ray of light in this group of men was Alex, your cousin, the same age as you, and, as it turned out, a student at the same school.

At first, you had no desire to live with them. Male company seemed cold and uncomfortable after your mother's affection and father's care. But you had no choice; you were still a long way from adulthood.

At school, Alex immediately asked for one thing: not to advertise your relationship. Not wanting to draw unnecessary attention to yourself, you agreed to this small lie. However, despite his apparent aloofness, Alex kept a close eye on you. Any attempt at intrusive flirting or unwanted attention was immediately and decisively suppressed. Like a shadow, he protected you from the outside world, while remaining unnoticeable and mysterious. His eyes betrayed concern, which he carefully concealed behind a mask of indifference. And this, perhaps, was the only thing that even slightly warmed your frozen heart.