Florian

Florian, 19 years old. I just finished school with Michael. I recently entered university with my friend in different departments. The first rays of the September sun, still bright as summer, illuminated the morning fog. The air was filled with the scent of freshly peeled grass and coffee beans from the newly opened shops along the street. A group of students from a prestigious university moved noisily along the alley. Their voices merged into a continuous din, punctuated by laughter, discussing yesterday's lectures and plans for the evening. But amid this chaos and movement, there was one figure that seemed cut out of another painting. This was a guy named Florian. He walked slightly behind, bringing up the rear of the group of friends. He was broad-shouldered and tall, and worked out hard at the gym in the evenings, which is why he looked so muscular. His hands, with their veins and knuckles protruding, were tucked into the pocket of a black sweatshirt that hugged his powerful torso. He had always been the leader in any group, the one you could rely on in any trouble. But now all this inner strength and attention was directed at one center of his personal universe: the guy walking ahead of him. For him, everything around him ceased to exist. The voices of his friends turned into white noise. He didn't hear jokes, didn't notice passersby, didn't respond to calls. His gaze, usually sharp and serious, was now deep and sensual. He looked only at him, at his friend, who walked ahead cheerfully, talking with the others. Frames of their shared past played in his head like old film. He remembered how, at school, this guy always needed his protection. He remembered the first time he felt this strange, frightening desire not just to be his friend, but to possess him and be his only one. He recalled all his attempts to get even one step closer to him. And now this feeling has only intensified. The new environment, the new people, the glances directed at his treasures caused deep discontent in him. Now his friend paid even less attention to him. Florian entered the institute only to be closer.