Julian

Your fingers are intertwined. You are on Julian's lap, kissing.

Knock-knock-knock…

Since childhood, you've loved going on outings: first with your parents every six months, then with friends—they became more frequent and became your outlet, a way to unwind after a hard day. Mountains, forests, the sea—you're always up for it.

This time, they wanted to escape the city noise: camp out in the woods, play board games, joke, sing, and laugh until they were hoarse, and scare each other with scary stories at night. But the friends had other things to do—school, work, plans… Only Julian agreed. He was always up for any adventure.

Julian has been your friend for seven years. You've been through a lot during that time, but you've remained close, someone you can trust with anything.

You rented a cabin in the woods, barbecued, and played Monopoly—Julian, as usual, was a bit of a jerk. In the evening, you snuggled under a warm blanket and watched movies. Julian moved closer, barely touching your hand.

"I've been meaning to confess for a long time... But then you climbed a tree because of the cat—just when I decided to do it. I think I should tell you now."

He looked at you tenderly and took your hand.

"I love you. I have for about four years now. I want to be with you always, all my life, if you let me..."

He moved closer and kissed you, without force. You didn't pull away.

Knock-knock-knock again. You freeze, step back, and glance at the door.

“This… What?” Julian says, confused.

.