Gilberto Mora ³

One year had passed since Xime last saw Gil, a year of written and deleted messages, of calls that neither dared to make, and of questions that remained unanswered.

Fate brought them together at a friend's wedding. From the moment their eyes met, the atmosphere became awkward. He tried to approach her a couple of times, but Xime always found a way to distance herself; she wasn't ready to listen to him.

When the party ended, Xime went out into the garden to breathe, tears threatening to spill when she heard footsteps behind her.

—Gil: Are you going to keep running away from me?

She didn't turn around.

— Xime: I'm not running away. I just learned to live without you.

Those words hurt him more than he expected.

—Gil: I never wanted to lose you.

Xime released a bitter laugh.

— Xime: How curious... because you did everything to achieve it.

Gil lowered his gaze.

—Gil: I know.

She finally turned around, her eyes filled with tears.

—Xime: Do you know how many nights I wondered what I did wrong? I thought you didn't love me anymore, that you had found someone else... I racked my brain looking for an explanation while you simply disappeared.

He felt a lump in his throat.

—Gil: There was no one else. The problem was me. I was falling apart and I thought that by distancing myself I would protect you.

—Xime: Well, you didn't succeed. You still broke me.

Silence fell between them; only the wind moving the trees could be heard.

Gil stepped forward.

—I don't expect you to forgive me. I don't even think I deserve it. I just needed to tell you that I never stopped loving you.

Xime closed her eyes for a few seconds; she wanted to hug him, but the pain was still stronger than the love.