Falling for the Goddess

The God Who Fell for Her

The bathroom door shut with a resounding thud.

Adrian Blake watched Sara Hart's retreating figure, her flustered movements resembling a startled rabbit. A helpless smile tugged at the corners of his lips as he shook his head and sat down on the edge of the bed.

He stared at the photo album in his hands, his fingers pausing briefly before flipping open the first page.

The initial photo didn't register with him at first—a wide shot of a chaotic and unfocused crowd with no clear subject in the frame.

But as he turned to the second page, then the third, a realization hit him like a thunderclap. His heart pounded, and it felt as if his blood was rushing backward.

Every single photo in the album featured him.

The first was from his senior year in high school—a school assembly marking the hundred-day countdown to exams. In the sea of blue-and-white uniforms, he stood in the far corner, indifferent and slightly bored, gazing off to the side.

The next was a shot of his back, captured as he blended into the crowd rushing toward the stairs after the Monday morning meeting.

Then there was another: a distant silhouette of him sitting alone on a bench under the shade of a sycamore tree.

Page after page, every photo showcased his back, his profile, or a fleeting shadow of him within a group. The shots were subtle, almost unnoticeable, yet unmistakably him.

In the bottom corner of each photo, there was a handwritten date, sometimes accompanied by a short note:

"We sat just one table apart in the cafeteria today."

"He looks so good in his uniform. No matter where he is, I can always spot him instantly."

"Graduation is coming. I hope he gets everything he wishes for."

"Happy graduation."

"He came back for a speech, wearing a white shirt. He seemed a little happier than before."

"It rained today, but I still use the umbrella he gave me."

"In North Capital University... will I ever see him again?"

Adrian's chest tightened, bitterness and ache spreading within him.

He had suspected, had vaguely guessed Sara's feelings toward him, but he had never imagined they had started this far back. He hadn't even known they'd crossed paths in high school.

Had she always watched him from some hidden corner, quietly documenting these fleeting moments that only she cherished? The thought struck him like a knife. How lonely must she have been, standing in the shadows, collecting fragments of their non-existent interactions, weaving them into something meaningful?

Flipping through the album, Adrian's heart ached with every note, every snapshot. Her emotions were bare, candid, and fervent as if burning straight through the pages into his soul.

The photos stopped at her senior year, leaving the final page blank—save for a single handwritten line:

"Loving someone is like creating a faith, worshipping a god who might fall at any moment."

"But my god will never fall."

Adrian traced the words with trembling fingers. At the end of the line, the ink was slightly smudged.

Had she cried when she wrote this?

His chest felt heavy, and his eyes burned. Picking up a pen from the bedside table, his hand shook slightly as he added his words to the page.

In the bathroom, Sara was lost in her spiral of thoughts, barely aware of what she was doing. She almost used shampoo as body wash in her daze.

What would Adrian think after seeing the album? Would he find her strange or obsessive? Would he feel burdened by her unspoken feelings?

She had been in the bathroom for over half an hour, psyching herself up. She had been waiting for this day—the day she would lay her heart bare. No matter what happened, she reminded herself; at least she'd finally taken that step.

Yet, outside the bathroom, all was silent. She couldn't hear a single sound.

Taking a deep breath, she opened the bathroom door with just a crack, peeking cautiously into the bedroom.

Adrian heard the noise and lifted his head. His piercing gaze locked onto her, the photo album still resting on his lap. His eyes were dark, intense, and filled with emotions she couldn't quite decipher.

Their eyes met, and Sara felt a shiver down her spine. Her heartbeat quickened, and her fingers tightened on the doorframe.

"Sara," he said, his voice low and husky.

"Come here."

Her legs felt weak, but she stepped forward. He set the album aside with deliberate care, his gaze unwavering as she approached.

Adrian pulled her gently into his lap when she was only a few steps away. The sudden closeness sent her pulse into overdrive.

"You... you saw everything?" she stammered, clutching his shirt with trembling fingers.

Adrian tilted his head, his lips curving into a soft, almost teasing smile. "Mm. Is there anything you want to say to me?"

Sara gripped his shoulders tightly, her knuckles whitening. "I... I already said everything in the album..."

"But I want to hear it from you," Adrian murmured, his voice a tender caress. His arms tightened around her, holding her like she might slip away.

Sara buried her face in his chest, her cheeks blazing with heat. Shielded from his gaze, she found her courage.

"Because..." she whispered, her voice muffled.

The room was silent save for their breathing, heavy and intertwined.

"I like you," she finally confessed, her words spilling out in a rush. The moment they left her lips, her eyes brimmed with tears.

She had waited for this day for so long.

Adrian froze, her words sinking deep into his soul, setting his blood aflame. He cupped her face, his thumbs brushing away her tears.

"Say it again," he whispered, his voice cracking slightly.

"I like you," she repeated, meeting his gaze through her tears.

Adrian's heart clenched painfully as he leaned in, pressing soft, reverent kisses to her damp cheeks, her trembling lips. Each kiss was an unspoken promise, a testament to his overwhelming emotions.

"Don't cry," he murmured against her skin. "Aren't you curious about my answer?"

Sara's tear-streaked eyes widened. "Your answer?"

Adrian gestured toward the album. "Look."

Her fingers fumbled as she flipped through the pages. The familiar photos and notes blurred past until she reached the final page. There, beneath her heartfelt words, was a new line written in his bold, decisive hand:

"I will give you the devotion of a man who has never believed in anything before."

Her god had fallen—for her.