Love worth fighting for

Prologue: 'The Spark'- (Mason's Perspective)

(372 words)

•───────────────────⋅☾ ☽⋅───────────────────•

I hadn't planned on staying long at the party. It was the same as all the others. Loud music, people trying to outdo each other with shots, Matt making a fool of himself in the front yard. I was planning on slipping out the back door to leave but when I stepped onto the deck, I spotted Angelina sitting on the steps alone. Something made me stop. I've seen her around campus before, but we've never really talked. She always seemed quiet, like she had her own world she carried with her wherever she went.

I didn't expect much when I sat down next to her, maybe just a few polite words and small talk before heading to my car. But as soon as we started talking, something just clicked. I realized there was something different about her. She wasn't trying to impress anyone or be something she wasn't. She just was. And for some reason, that made me want to keep talking to her.

There was a calmness to being with her that I hadn't felt in a while. The conversation wasn't forced, and even the silences felt natural. Like I didn't need to constantly fill the space with words. I found myself relaxing in her presence, enjoying the simplicity of just sitting there, watching the stars. The silence was comfortable.

When Mia came to take her home, I felt an unexpected sadness to see her leave. I didn't want this to be the last time we talked. So, on a whim, I pulled out my phone and asked for her number.

"Actually, do you mind if I get your number? In case we, you know, don't run into each other?"

I held my breath.

When she handed me her phone, I smiled and let out a sigh of relief. I didn't know where this would go, but something about Angelina intrigued me in a way I couldn't quite explain.

As they walked away, Angelina felt a flicker of excitement. Something she hadn't expected to find tonight. And though neither of them knew it yet, this was the beginning of something that would change them both. Something that would grow and be tested in ways neither of them could have predicted.

•───────────────────⋅☾ ☽⋅───────────────────•