I’m sitting by my uncle’s bed, watching the slow rise and fall of his chest. The doctors say he’s recovering, and I should feel relief, but the truth is... I don’t. 

Not fully.These past days have felt like a blur and an eternity at the same time. Every moment, I’m trapped between two worlds—one where I’m grateful he’s getting better, and another where I’m suffocating under the weight of everything I can’t express.

Each time I see Rafa’s smile, my heart aches in ways I can’t explain. It’s like... I’m being healed and broken, all at once.

The strangest thing is, she doesn't even have to say anything. Just the sight of her, the way her lips curve into that soft smile, makes me feel like I’m on the edge of something—something I can’t define. 

It’s not just love or longing... it’s a deeper confusion that churns inside me, growing every time I try to push it away.

I can’t talk to anyone about it. Not Dad, not anyone here. So, I plaster on a smile, pretend everything’s fine. 

I crack jokes, make it seem like I’m the cool, calm Azer everyone knows, but inside, I’m dying. It’s like my heart is being stitched back together with one hand, and torn apart with the other. 

It hurts, but the strange thing is... I don’t want it to stop.

How can these 15 days feel so fast, yet so unbearably long? 

Each one bleeds into the next, filled with hospital visits, hushed conversations, and fleeting glances at Rafa. 

Time slips by like sand through my fingers, and yet every second feels heavy—so damn heavy.

As I step onto the terrace, the winter chill wraps around me like an unwelcome embrace. 

The night sky is a deep shade of navy, and the stars twinkle brightly, mocking my restless heart. 

I lean against the railing, the cold metal biting into my skin, but I barely notice. 

My mind races with thoughts of Rafa, my heart caught in a tumult of confusion and longing.How can everything feel so heavy yet so fleeting? 

I can hardly grasp how the last fifteen days slip by, a blur of hope and despair. Every moment drags, yet it all rushes past me like a fleeting dream. 

I close my eyes, letting the cold air wash over me, but all I can think about is her smile—the way it lights up even the darkest corners of my soul.

“Hey,” a familiar voice breaks through my thoughts, pulling me back to reality. 

I open my eyes to find Rafa stepping into the moonlight, her breath visible in the frigid air. 

She wraps her arms around herself, shivering slightly, but her eyes shine with warmth.

“You’re out here all alone?” she asks, concern lacing her tone.

I nod, forcing a smile despite the turmoil inside me. 

'Just thinking.'

“About what?” she probes, 

her gaze unwavering, as if she can see straight through my facade.

'About… everything.'

I glance away, unsure how to express the chaotic mix of emotions swirling within me. 

“It feels like time is both speeding up and slowing down at the same time.”

She leans against the railing beside me, her presence comforting yet electrifying. 

“I get that. It’s been a lot for everyone,”

She says softly.The silence stretches between us, thick with unspoken words. 

I turn to her, finally finding the courage to voice what weighs on my heart.

'Rafa, I—'

But before I can continue, she cuts in, her voice trembling slightly. 

“Azer, I need to tell you something.”

My breath catches, anticipation coursing through me. 

'What is it?'

She takes a deep breath, gathering her thoughts.

(There’s a pause—a long, heavy silence that stretches between us, thick with everything we’re not saying. The night air hangs between us like a fragile thread, as if one wrong word could snap it.)

Rafa shifts her weight from one foot to the other, her arms crossing tightly over her chest. Her breath clouds in the cold air, but she doesn’t speak right away. Instead, she looks past me, her gaze drifting to the distant lights of the village as if searching for the right words. 

There’s a slight tremble in her hands, barely noticeable, but enough to tell me she’s not as calm as she seems.I wait, my heart pounding against my ribs, unsure if I should say something first or give her space. 

The seconds stretch, and all I can hear is the sound of my own breathing and the faint rustling of the wind through the trees.When she finally speaks, her voice is soft, almost hesitant, like she’s still unsure whether to say what’s on her mind.

"Azer..." 

She pauses again, biting her lip, her eyes flickering to mine for just a second before darting away. 

"I need to tell you something."

Her tone is different—quieter, more vulnerable—and it sends a shiver down my spine. My mind races, trying to brace myself for whatever is coming. I open my mouth to speak, but no words come out. 

Instead, I nod, urging her to go on, though part of me isn’t ready for what she might say.Rafa takes a step closer, her hand gripping the railing so tightly that her knuckles turn white. 

Her fingers drum nervously against the cold metal, a small, repetitive movement that betrays her inner turmoil. She exhales slowly, the breath shaky, as if she’s summoning all her courage.

"I’ve noticed... how you’ve been feeling," she says, her voice trembling slightly. "You’ve been trying to hide it, but I can see it. I can see... you."

“I’ve noticed how you’ve been feeling, how you keep trying to put on a brave face. And I know it’s hard for you.”

I open my mouth to protest, to tell her that I’m fine, but the truth catches in my throat. 

Instead, I just nod, a lump is forming there.

“I feel it too, you know?” 

she continues, her eyes shimmering with emotion. 

“I care about you, more than I probably should. But with everything going on… I don’t think we can be together right now.”

The words hit me like a punch to the gut.

Her words hit me like a sudden gust of wind, knocking the breath out of my chest. I freeze, my pulse quickening as if my heart can’t decide whether to stop or race ahead. 

For a second, I can’t move—can’t even think. Her voice feels distant, like it's coming from some far-off place, even though she's standing right beside me. 

My hands grip the cold railing, fingers tightening until my knuckles turn white, the chill biting into my skin.I want to say something—anything—but the lump in my throat grows, choking the words before they can form. 

My body feels stiff, like I’m rooted to the spot, every muscle locked in place by the weight of what she’s just said.

'But why not?'

desperation creeping into my voice. 

'Can’t we figure it out together?'

She shakes her head, her expression pained. 

“I wish it were that simple, Azer. I want to be with you, but… our families, everything that’s happening. It’s just not the right time.”

I want to argue, to fight for what I feel, but her gaze is steady, and I can see the truth in her eyes. I swallow hard, trying to keep my own emotions in check. 

'I understand,'

I say finally, though a part of me feels shattered.

“But that doesn’t mean I don’t like you,” 

she adds, her voice barely above a whisper.

“You mean so much to me, and I don’t want to lose that. I just need us both to be stable, to figure things out first.”

I look into her eyes, searching for a hint of doubt, but all I see is sincerity. 

I reach out, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear, the simple touch igniting something electric between us. 

'So, we just pretend?'

I ask, my voice cracking slightly.

She bites her lip, glancing down at the ground.

“Maybe we can just… take it day by day?”

There’s a heaviness in the air, a mix of hope and despair. I want to argue, to demand that we find a way, but the truth is I’m scared too.

'Okay,'

I agree, even though my heart aches at the thought.

But then, the unthinkable happens...