Rooftop Summer | EN- Jake

9

The next night, as the city began to darken with the approach of dusk, Hanna found herself once again drawn to the abandoned building. She hadn't planned to return so soon—hadn't really thought she would return at all—but something inside her pulled her back, a quiet insistence that there was something more waiting for her on that rooftop.

Her day had passed in a haze, her thoughts constantly drifting back to the boy she had sat with in silence. She didn't know his name, didn't know his story, but she couldn't shake the feeling that he understood her in a way no one else did. It wasn't just that they were both lost—it was that they had found something in each other's company, something that neither of them had expected.

When she reached the building, she paused for a moment, staring up at its dark, towering facade. The same pull she had felt the night before was there, urging her to step inside, to climb the stairs, to return to the rooftop. It was as if the building itself had become a refuge, a place where the world's harshness couldn't reach her.

Without a second thought, she slipped through the entrance and began her ascent. The building was as silent and empty as before, the only sound her soft footsteps on the worn stairs. Each step felt lighter than the last, the weight of her despair lifting with every stride. By the time she reached the top floor, her heart was pounding—not with fear or dread, but with anticipation.

She pushed open the door to the rooftop and stepped out into the cool night air. The city lay before her, a sea of twinkling lights and distant sounds, and for a moment, she simply stood there, taking it all in. The breeze tugged at her hair, carrying with it the scent of rain, and she breathed deeply, feeling the tension in her chest ease.

Then she saw him.

The boy was sitting in the same spot as the night before, his legs dangling over the edge of the rooftop, his gaze fix on the horizon. He didn't turn as she approached, didn't acknowledge her presence, but that didn't matter. Hanna knew that he was aware of her, just as she was aware of him.

Without a word, she walked over to the edge of the rooftop and sat down next to him, leaving just enough space between them to keep their silence comfortable. The concrete was cold beneath her, but she didn't mind. The night was peaceful, the city alive but distant, and she felt that same strange sense of calm settle over her.

They sat like that for a long time, side by side, both staring out at the city below. The silence between them was not oppressive or awkward; it was filled with unspoken understanding, a shared acknowledgement of the struggles they both carried. There was no need for words, no need to explain or justify their presence. They were simply two souls who had found each other in the vastness of the night.

After a while, Hanna shifted slightly, glancing at the boy out of the corner of her eye. His face was partially hidden by the shadows, but she could see the tension in his posture, the way his hands gripped the edge of the rooftop as if holding on for dear life. She wondered what had brought him here, what had driven him to seek solace in this forgotten place.

But she didn't ask. She knew what it was like to carry a burden too heavy to share, to keep your pain hidden from the world. She wasn't ready to share her own story, and she didn't expect him to share his. For now, it was enough to simply be here, together, without the weight of expectations.

As the minute passed, the city continued its quiet hum beneath them, a constant reminder that life was moving forward, even if they were not. The lights flickered, cars moved through the streets far below, and somewhere in the distance, a siren wailed, cutting through the night. But up her, on the rooftop, it all felt distant, almost unreal.

Hanna let out a slow breath, her shoulders relaxing as she leaned back slightly, her gaze drifting up to the sky. The stars were faint, barely visible against the glow of the city lights, but they were there, tiny pinpricks of light in the darkness. She hadn't really looked at the stars in a long time, hadn't taken the time to appreciate their quiet beauty. Now, they seemed like old friends, constant and unchanging, offering a sense of stability in a world that had turned upside down.

After what felt like an eternity, the boy finally moved. He didn't say anything, didn't break the silence that had settled so comfortably between them, but he shifted slightly, turning his head just enough so that Hanna could see his profile more clearly. His expression was thoughtful, his eyes distant, as if he were lost in memories.

Hanna didn't say anything, didn't ask what h e was thinking. Instead, she reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out a small, crumpled package of sour lemon candy. It was something that she had always carried with her, a small comfort in times of stress or sadness. The sourness of the candy had a way of grounding her, of pulling her back to the present when her thoughts became too overwhelming.

Without thinking, she opened the package and offered it to the boy, holding it out between them without a word. For a moment, he didn't react, his gaze still fixed on the horizon. But then, slowly, he turned his head and looked at her, his eyes meeting hers for the first time.

There was a moment of hesitation, a flicker of something in his eyes—surprise, maybe, or curiosity. But then he reached out and took a piece of the candy, his fingers brushing against hers briefly before he pulled back. Hanna watched as he unwrapped the candy and popped it into his mouth, his expression shifting slightly as the sourness hit his tongue.

She waited, unsure of what to expect, but then he did something that surprised her—he smiled. It was a small, barely there smile, but it was genuine, and it lit up his face in a way that made her heart ache. It was the first time she had seen him smile, and the sight of it warmed something deep inside her, something she hadn't realised had grown cold.

Hanna couldn't help but smile back, her own expression mirroring his. It wasn't much, but it was a start—a small crack in the wall of silence that had separated them. They still didn't speak, still didn't share their stories, but in that moment, it didn't matter. They had shared something else, something just as important—a moment of connection, of understanding.

The rest of the night passed in a comfortable silence, the two of them sitting side by side, their gazes fixed on the city below. The candy was a small thing, a simple gesture, but it had bridged the gap between them in a way that words couldn't. And as the hours slipped by, Hanna felt a sense of peace that she hadn't felt in a long time.

When the first light of dawn began to streak the sky with soft hues of pink and orange, Hanna knew it was time to go she didn't want to leave, didn't want to break the quiet companionship they had found, but she knew she couldn't stay forever. There was still a world waiting for her, still things she needed to face, even if she didn't know how.

She stood up slowly, stretching her stiff legs, and glanced over at the boy. He was still sitting there, his gaze now fixed on the rising sun, his expression thoughtful. Hanna hesitated for a moment, then reached out and placed the remaining candy on the ground next to him, a small, silent offering.

"Thank you," she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

The boy didn't respond, didn't look at her, but she could see the faintest hint of a nod, a silent acknowledgement of her words.

With a final glance at the city, Hanna turned and walked back to the door that led inside. As she descended the stairs, her footsteps echoing softly in the empty building, she felt lighter, more at peace than she had in days. She knew she would return to the rooftop, to the boy who had become her silent companion. And maybe, just maybe, they would find a way to heal together.

But for now, she was content to let the silence speak for them, to let the quiet bond they had formed grow in its own time.

And as the sun rose, casting its warm light over the city, Hanna stepped back into the world, ready to face whatever came next.