My fingers tightened on the strap of my light blue backpack, the plaid fabric of my uniform bow digging slightly into my collar. Each step sent a dry crunch through the fallen autumn leaves, their papery edges blown away in a sudden gust.

“Hey, Wolfie!”

            The sound bounced off the brick wall of the school, a nickname I made just for Eric, who’d slipped out of class ahead of me. His head turned, his gaze finding mine. A shadow seemed to cling to his usually bright blue eyes, a stark contrast to the sun-dappled warmth of the autumn leaves swirling around us. My hand dove into my oversized backpack, my fingers closing around the smooth, cellophane-wrapped lollipops - my prize for acing the exam. The corners of his mouth twitched upwards as I offered him one. Our tongues met the satisfying plop of candy. The taste burst of strawberries, a sweet wave of happiness washing over me with each swirl.

“Wolfie,” I said, a little shyly, “You know, I’m happy I get to give you a lollipop for once.” 

He curiously looked at me, taking a pause.

“You always get first place… and you always give me your extra candy to make me feel better… So, yeah… this is nice.”

            A wide grin stretched across my face, and my feet felt light, carrying me into a little skip. I looked back, catching his gaze lingering on the glistening candy in his hand for a moment, a small smile touching his lips. It was a pocket of pure, uncomplicated joy, just two friends sharing sweetness before the sharper edges of the grown-up world could fully intrude. 

            Lost in the warmth of our shared moment, I didn’t notice the looming figure until I bumped squarely into his solid form at the bottom of the hill.

“A…Ah, I’m sorry, mister!”

            The apology tumbled out, automatic as a reflex. But a man, whose features seemed familiar, remained silent, unmoving. My gaze traveled upwards, taking in the sheer height. He didn’t even glance down. His attention fixed on Eric, a dark weight settled on him, vanishing Eric’s earlier joy and leaving his face pale.

“Eric, we’re going home now.” The man’s voice held a sharp edge. Eric stood frozen, defiance flickering in his eyes.

“Mom… Mom was supposed to pick me up,” Eric mumbled, his voice small.

“It doesn’t matter who picks you up. The end goal is the same. You’re coming home. Now.”

Ignoring Eric’s quiet plea, the man’s hand snatched the half-eaten lollipop, the sticky candy arcing through the air before landing with a soft thud on the dirt.

“Hey! That’s not right!” I blurted out, my arms crossed. 

Wasting food was practically a sin in our house. An adult should know better! My brief surge of courage evaporated as his hand lifted, a shadow falling over me.

Eric’s small hand gripped the man’s arm, pulling with desperate urgency, steering him towards the waiting car.

“I’ll go! Okay? I’ll go,” Eric’s voice, tight with fear yet heavy with resignation, cut through the air.

My eyes fixed on Eric’s retreating figure; the little stuffed bear charm I’d given him bouncing against his backpack with each forced step. At the car door, he hesitated, his small shoulders hunched. For a second, I thought he might turn, might look back. But the moment stretched and snapped with the sharp thwack of the closing door, a sound that echoed the sudden hollowness in my chest. The car’s polished surface reflected my small, bewildered face as it pulled away, carrying Eric with it. A sharp pang, unfamiliar and painful, tightened my chest. My gaze drifted down to the discarded lollipop, already attracting a line of busy ants, a sticky monument to joy that had been so abruptly crushed.

The memory faded slowly, like mist dissolving in the morning light.

I blinked back into the present.

Eric sat across from me on the couch, his glass of wine half-empty.

Even after all these years, the thought of that man still left a tightness in my chest.

Living with someone like that every day…

I couldn’t imagine it.

“Well,” I whispered, trying to lighten the heaviness in the room, “you could’ve texted me to reschedule things if it were that serious.”

Eric sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.

“I tried,” he said. “But she was crying so hard I thought something might happen if I left the room. I’d left my phone in the kitchen.”

He leaned back against the couch.

“After about an hour she calmed down… but then she insisted I stay the rest of the night.”

I raised an eyebrow.

“And when I told her I already had plans,” he continued, “she said it was fine if I canceled them.”

He gave a dry laugh.

“Because apparently she’s more important than whoever I was meeting.”

I took a slow sip of my wine, hiding the small flicker of irritation that rose in my chest.

“At that point, I knew she was fine,” he continued. “But when I opened the door…”

He shook his head.

“Mia was standing there.”

My brow lifted slightly.

“My sister had texted her to come over,” he said. “She thinks Mia and I should date. Says she comes from an excellent family and that we’d ‘look good together’.”

He sighed again.

“The whole thing was a setup.”

I studied his expression carefully.

“And Mia?” I asked quietly.

He blinked.

“What about her?”

“Do you want to date her?”

The question came out more directly than I intended.

Maybe it was the wine. Maybe it was the long day.

Or maybe I was just tired of pretending I didn’t care.

Eric stared at me for a moment.

Then he laughed softly.

Not mocking, but warm.

He scooted closer to me on the couch.

Before I could react, his hand gently brushed a damp strand of hair away from my cheek.

The movement was slow. Careful, almost hesitant.

“Sel,” he murmured.

His icy blue eyes flicked between my eyes and my lips.

My heart thudded loudly in my chest.

When he leaned closer, my eyes closed instinctively.

The kiss was warm.

Soft.

Nothing rushed.

Just a quiet meeting of lips that felt strangely familiar, like something that had been waiting for years to happen.

The faint sweetness of wine lingered between us.

For a moment, the world felt completely still.

When we finally pulled apart, my face felt hot.

Eric smiled, his voice low.

“Does that answer your question?”

I tried to hide my smile by lifting my glass again.

“Not really.”

His grin widened.

He reached an arm around my back, trying to pull me closer—

I flinched slightly as my bandaged side shifted.

He froze instantly.

“Oh—sorry. I forgot about your injuries.”

“It’s fine,” I said quickly, waving it off.

We shifted apart again, both suddenly very aware of how close we had been.

For a few seconds, neither of us spoke.

Then Eric broke the silence.

“The person I’m interested in…” he whispered, looking directly at me, “is you.”

My fingers tightened slightly around my glass.

“I don’t care about Mia,” he continued. “And I definitely don’t care about who my sister thinks I should date.”

His voice softened.

“I like you, Sel. I always have.”

The words settled gently between us.

A warmth spread through my chest that had nothing to do with the wine.

“I want to get to know you again,” he added. “The real you. Not just the memories from when we were kids.”

For a moment, I struggled to find my voice. Then I smiled slightly into my glass.

“I’d like that too.”
“What was that?” he teased, leaning closer again. “I didn’t quite hear you, Moonie.”

The old nickname made my face burn instantly.

“I said—” I groaned, standing up quickly to hide my embarrassment. “I like you too, okay?!”

Eric laughed quietly behind me.

I escaped into the kitchen under the excuse of checking my phone.

That’s when I noticed the three missed calls and several messages.

Avery.

A small knot of worry formed in my stomach.

I called him back immediately.

“Hey Avery, what’s going on?”

Eric leaned against the doorway, watching me curiously.

“Sel,” Avery said. “I’ve been looking into Kari’s situation, and I think I found something.”

His tone sounded serious.

“Something that’s honestly a little worrying.”

I straightened slightly.

“What do you mean?”

“I’d rather talk about it in person,” he said. “Is that okay?”

I glanced toward Eric.

“Yeah…” I spoke. “I’m home. You can come over.”

Then I added. “Eric’s here too.”

There was a brief pause on the other end.

“Eric?” Avery repeated.

His voice sounded… tighter.

“Just the two of you at this hour?”

I sighed.

“Long story. We were supposed to go out earlier, but a lot happened today. I ordered pizza too, so… it works out.”

The call ended. I lowered the phone slowly.

I hadn’t noticed Eric come up behind me, whispering softly into my ear.

“Well,” he said.

“Looks like our date just turned into a group meeting.”

----------------------------------------------------

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Art: Petra Eggert