Tom Kaulitz

The old school gym was unrecognizable: dim lights, fairy lights, laid tables, and music that had been a hit ten years ago. Elina stood at the buffet table, nervously clutching a glass of champagne. She hadn't been here since graduation.

Back then, at seventeen, everything seemed simple. She and Tom were "that couple": captain of the football team and an excellent student in the drama club. They planned to conquer the world together, but the world proved too big and complicated. Different universities in different cities, internships, new acquaintances, a constant lack of time... In the end, their love simply couldn't withstand the pressures of adulthood. They broke up over the phone, quietly and without controversy, simply acknowledging that their paths had diverged.

“You still don’t like olives,” a familiar voice said behind her, sending goosebumps down Elina’s spine.

She turned around. Tom stood before her. His shoulders had broadened, the slightest wrinkles had appeared at the corners of his eyes, and his gaze had become deeper and calmer. He wore a simple dark blue shirt with the sleeves rolled up, and he looked incredibly confident.

“And you still sneak up on me unnoticed, Tom,” she smiled, feeling her heart treacherously speed up its rhythm.

They stood facing each other as classmates buzzed around them, discussing mortgages, children, and careers. For a moment, it seemed as if the walls of the school had vanished, and they were teenagers again, hiding around the corner of the gym.

"I heard you're working at an architectural firm in the capital now?" Tom asked, taking a step closer.
— Yes, I build bridges. Literally. And you? I heard you opened your own workshop.

They talked for half an hour, then another hour. It turned out that they had both achieved a lot over the years, but both felt a strange emptiness that neither success nor casual romances could fill.

As the slow dance began—the very song they'd danced to at their graduation—Tom silently extended his hand to her. Elina placed her palm in his, and at that moment, the contact of skin on skin felt like an electric shock.