"He saw her before he saw anything else in the room."
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As I walked through the streets of Paris with Armen beside me, my thoughts drifted away from the conversation and back to the one person who never seemed to leave my mind—Eros.
Even here, thousands of miles away, I could almost feel his presence, like an invisible tether that connected us no matter where we were.
The way he held me before I left for this trip, his arms wrapped around me as though he never wanted to let go, still lingered. I smiled faintly, thinking of how he whispered promises in my ear, telling me that the distance wouldn't change a thing between us.
I missed him so much.
Eros was the kind of man who made it impossible not to feel adored. He was relentless in the way he loved me, almost obsessive at times, but in a way that made me feel safe, cherished.
His texts and calls never stopped, even if they came at the most inconvenient moments. He always wanted to know how I was, what I was doing, and if I was okay. Sometimes, it felt like he thought I might disappear if he stopped paying attention for even a second.
And deep down, I liked that. I liked knowing that someone cared about me so intensely, that I was always on his mind, no matter what.
But here I was, with a boy I barely knew while the memory of Eros tugged at my heart like a constant ache. I wondered what he was doing now—probably pacing around, worrying about me as usual. Or maybe he was with Arty, working on something or the other.
"Are you okay?" Armen's voice pulled me back to the present, and I blinked, realizing I'd been staring off into space.
"Oh," I said, forcing a small smile, "Yes, I was just lost in thought."
Armen gave me a curious look but didn't press. He wasn't the type to pry, and for that, I was grateful. It was strange—being with someone so different from Eros.
Armen was quiet, reserved, and didn't demand to know every little thing about me. In a way, it was refreshing. But at the same time, it made me miss Eros even more.
He would've picked up on my mood in a heartbeat and teased me until I finally gave in and told him what was on my mind.
We continued walking, the cobblestone streets beneath our feet, the scent of fresh pastries wafting from nearby bakeries. Paris was beautiful, and I should have been more present, more aware of the magic of this city.
But all I could think about was how much I wanted to share it with Eros. I imagined him here, his hand holding onto mine firmly and his eyes twinkling as he leaned in to whisper something dirty in my ear like he always did, making me laugh and forget everything else.
