His eyes were so dark it was easy to get lost in them. His skin, pale and flawless, looked like something out of a fairy tale. The scent he wore was soft, delicate, barely noticeable—but impossible to ignore. Tiny freckles danced across his cheeks, drawing attention to his lips—red, tempting, irresistible. Watching them move as he spoke filled me with extraordinary calm, a quiet sense of belonging. I knew it in that moment: I just wanted to be with him. He was the most beautiful and perfect man I had ever met. From the moment I first saw him, I was enchanted by his mere existence. Even now, I still can’t believe he’s real.

  That’s what went through my mind when I saw him wearing that pastel blue jacket, gray pants, and crisp white shirt.

  Leo had captivated me since we were kids. We’d been classmates since preschool, and from that first day, I quietly devoted myself to him. I didn’t mind being just his eternal best friend. Having him close was enough to make me feel whole. The years passed, and even in college, we continued to share some classes. To him, I was still one of his closest friends, and though he often talked about fleeting romances, I told myself it didn’t hurt. I had come to accept that we would never be more than friends. But even that—simply being his friend—meant more to me than any relationship I’d ever had.

  My thoughts were interrupted when Leo’s voice brought me back to reality.

  “Lía? Were you listening?” he asked in a playful tone. “I want to know what this paragraph says. You’re brilliant, but your handwriting is a mystery.”

  I laughed at the interruption and leaned over to read the notes out loud.

  I was known for my loose clothing, which made my figure a mystery. But it didn’t matter. My smile, my gentle eyes—that’s what people noticed. Everyone in class saw how I looked at Leo, how natural our connection was.

  At that moment, Leo’s phone rang. A message from his girlfriend, Claudia. Her class had ended and she was waiting downstairs.

  “Sorry, Lía, I have to go. Claudia messaged me—we have a date. I promise I’ll join you and the others for dinner after finals next time. Oh, and congrats on passing all your finals. Here, I got you a lollipop. The same kind we used to have when we were kids.”

  I smiled softly, resting my arms on the desk, then brought my hands to my face, squinting gently.

  “Thanks, Leo. What would my life be without you?”

  He smiled instinctively and gave me a playful pinch on the right cheek before hurriedly packing his notebooks. Then he left to meet Claudia, his girlfriend of two years. She was bold, sensual, and had a complicated personality—but when it came to Leo, she was always affectionate.

  It was clear that Leo was completely taken with her. They were the perfect couple, bringing out the best in each other, like characters pulled from a romance novel. And though many watched them with quiet fascination, no one could deny how good they looked together.

  “See you Sunday at Sara’s birthday,” Leo called, rushing out of the classroom.

  In his hurry, he bumped his shoulder on the doorframe, drawing a wave of laughter from those still inside. He peeked back in with a mischievous grin, flashed one last smile, and disappeared—leaving behind a trail of joy as everyone returned to their tasks, still laughing.

  Lía returned to her seat, gently running her fingers over the pages of her notebook, pretending to read. It was a little ritual she did every time Leo touched something—she liked to imagine his warmth lingered there. As she flipped through her notes, she realized she had misspelled the word “country.” Her cheeks flushed as she suddenly understood why Leo had laughed earlier. She quickly reached for some white-out, but before she could apply it, her eyes caught something at the bottom of the page.

  The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

  She had written: “País, con S de sapo.” (Country, with an S for frog.)

  Lía burst out laughing and murmured to herself:

  “Even when he’s not here, he makes me laugh.”

  Just then, Mila approached. They’d been friends since high school and reconnected in college. Their friendship was odd but sincere. Mila always had a serious expression, as if she were perpetually annoyed—but deep down, she cared deeply for Lía, especially because Lía had a habit of getting distracted at important moments.

  She sat beside her in silence, sneaking a peek at the notebook. Then, in a low voice, she said:

  “You do realize everyone can see your little memory-collecting ritual, right? Leo’s already gone, and it looked like you were trying to absorb his presence through the paper… It’s kind of creepy.”

  Noticing the error in the notebook, Mila let out a chuckle and added:

  “Remind me to never ask you to write my résumé.”

  “I’m sorry to inform you, ma’am,” Lía replied in a playful tone, mimicking her, “it’s already been sent. You might get the job—I wrote that you’re very kind and proactive.”

  They both laughed as Lía finally began reviewing her notes for real.

  That’s when Alfredo joined them. For some reason, the three of them had become inseparable. Alfredo was a broad guy, like a teddy bear, always with flushed cheeks—even in the fall. His large hands and sturdy frame made it hard to imagine him ever getting angry.

  In a trembling voice, he said to Lía:

  “I didn’t pass the exam. I’ll have to retake it. Can I borrow your notes until Tuesday? I promise I’ll cook your favorite dish.”

  Curiously, Alfredo loved to cook, even though he wasn’t particularly good at it. But for some reason, whatever he made for Lía always tasted amazing… or at least, most of the time.

  “He should cook it first, then you decide if he’s earned the notes,” Mila cut in, raising an eyebrow.

  As Lía began packing her things, she said to Alfredo:

  “I can’t lend them out for that long. Why don’t you take a photo? Or better yet, copy them at Sara’s party. It’s obvious your sister will forget about everyone else, and we’ll have the office to ourselves… or maybe four of us, if Ricardo shows up.”

  She looked at Mila as she said it, and Mila instantly turned red. Still, her expression quickly hardened again as she replied firmly:

  “That could work. Because honestly, Alfredo, if you take the notes, I doubt you’ll even open them.”

  Alfredo agreed to the plan with a resigned sigh. Few people knew he was Sara’s twin brother—that stunning girl with a diva-like presence who, deep down, was actually a decent person. Though she loved her brother, she often ignored him, too busy chasing after any guy who caught her attention.

  The bell rang. Classes were officially over for finals—it was time to go. Lía slipped the lollipop Leo had given her into the pocket of her hoodie. Almost everyone in class left together. They were headed to a nearby restaurant to celebrate the end of the first term. Some would toast their successes, others would cry over their failures, but either way, what mattered was celebrating.

  When most of the group reached the first floor, Mila noticed Claudia walking back into the university. She was alone.

  Mila then said… “What’s Claudia doing here? Didn’t she have a date with Leo? Did they fight again? Come on, Lía, you’ve got to know,” Mila asked curiously.

  Lía, distracted, was nibbling on the lollipop Leo had given her moments before.

  “Claudia’s here?” she replied, barely paying attention.

  At that moment, Claudia walked past them. She gave Lía a disdainful look, greeted everyone except her, and muttered something unintelligible.

  Alfredo, who moved like a ghost with quiet steps, commented:

  “They must’ve fought again. I don’t understand how they can look so happy together, and then at other times… it’s like they hate each other.”

  “Maybe the only thing keeping them together is wild sex,” Mila added with a cheeky laugh. “Not that I think you know what wild sex is, Lía—but you probably know why they’re always fighting.”

  Lía, unbothered and still enjoying the candy, responded calmly:

  “No matter what happens, they always end up back together. I’ve lost count of how many times they’ve broken up. But they always… come back.”

  At that moment, Sara and the rest of the class gathered around, reminding everyone that the restaurant’s location had been posted in the class group chat. Nobody was allowed to miss it.