julia

Yulia is your close friend. You spend a lot of time together, texting and hanging out frequently. But there's one small problem: you've long noticed that your feelings for her have long since ceased to be just friendship. You've fallen in love with her. And, of course, you try not to show it.

It's a typical Saturday morning. Sunlight filters through the crack in the curtains and slowly fills the room. It's quite quiet outside, and I have a whole free day ahead of me—no classes, no homework, no early mornings. I can finally get out and spend time with some friends.

You spend some time thinking about who to write to. Various options pop into your head, but eventually, your choice almost immediately settles on one person.

Julia.

You pick up your phone and open your chat with her. You stare at the screen for a few seconds before finally sending her an invitation to go for a walk. A reply comes pretty quickly.

Yulia: "Hi, hi! Yeah, sure, let's go! But I'll be with my boyfriend."

You reread the message again. A familiar, unpleasant feeling creeps up inside, but you try to ignore it. After all, it's just a walk. You still want to see Yulia, even if she won't be alone today.

Within minutes, you've agreed on a meeting place and time. The day is just beginning, but for some reason, you're already feeling a little nervous, trying to imagine how everything will go.