Fading Love's Memory

Therapy Session

The morning sun cast a golden hue over the school grounds as Jake arrived early, his heart still buoyed by the fresh happiness of his confession to Ziah. He found her sitting on a bench in the courtyard, her sketchbook open on her lap, her pencil moving gracefully over the paper. Jake smiled, admiring her focus and talent.

"Hey, Ziah," Jake greeted, taking a seat beside her. "What are you working on?"

Ziah looked up, her eyes lighting up at the sight of him. "Just doodling a bit. Trying to capture the morning light."

Jake watched her for a moment, feeling a warm sense of contentment. Before he could say more, Marcelo appeared, his usual energetic self.

"Hey, Ziah!" Marcelo called out, walking over. "Can you help me with a drawing for our art class? I'm terrible at it."

Ziah glanced at Jake, a hint of apology in her eyes, then smiled at Marcelo. "Sure, Marcelo. What do you need help with?"

As they started discussing the drawing, Jake decided to give them space. He spotted Brian nearby and walked over to him.

"Hey, Brian," Jake said, sitting down beside him. "I wanted to talk to you about Ziah."

Brian looked up from his book, curiosity in his eyes. "What's up? Everything okay?"

Jake nodded, feeling a mix of excitement and nerves. "Yeah, everything's great. I just wanted to share more about how things are going with her. But first, there's something else."

Before he could continue, Marcelo interrupted, having followed Jake over. "Hey, Jake! I've been meaning to ask you-who's your crush?"

Jake chuckled, deciding to have a little fun with the question. "Secret, but I can give you some clues. First, she's beautiful. Second, she has some eyes. And third, most importantly, she's passionate."

Marcelo's curiosity was piqued, and he grinned. "Interesting! Let's meet later at the bench and you can tell me more."

"Sure thing," Jake agreed. As Marcelo walked away, he turned back to Brian. "Meet us at the bench later too, okay?"

Brian nodded, a knowing smile on his face. "Got it. See you then."

Feeling lighter, Jake returned to Ziah. She had finished helping Marcelo and was now alone again, back to her sketching. Jake took a seat beside her, their shoulders almost touching.

"Hey," he said softly. "I was thinking, there's something I want to talk to you about."

Ziah looked up, her eyes filled with warmth and curiosity. "What is it?"

Jake took a deep breath, feeling a mix of anticipation and relief. "It's about us. About how I feel and how this all started for me."

Ziah smiled, setting her pencil aside. "I'd love to hear it."

Encouraged by her openness, Jake began to share. He talked about the moments that had drawn him to her-the way she focused so intently on her art, her quiet strength, her kindness. He spoke about the little things that had made him realize his feelings, how every day he found himself thinking about her more and more.

Ziah listened intently, her expression softening with each word. When Jake finished, she took his hand, her touch warm and reassuring.

"Jake," she said softly, "I've felt the same way. I noticed you from the beginning too. Your kindness, your honesty. I saw how you treated others, and I couldn't help but admire that. And then, slowly, I realized I was developing feelings for you."

Jake's heart soared at her words. He had hoped for a connection, but hearing her feelings mirrored his own was beyond what he had expected.

"I'm so glad you feel the same," Jake said, his voice thick with emotion. "There's something else I need to tell you, though. It's about what happened last night."