Night talks

After a long day of hard work and fun, our group is exhausted. As everyone settles into their tents, Lina and Maria share one. Maria is adjusting her pillow, preparing to drift off to sleep, while Lina appears restless, fidgeting with her hands and avoiding eye contact with her friend. Sensing something is on Lina's mind, Maria nudges her gently, encouraging her to speak up.

"What's bothering you, Lily?", asks Maria, "Don't keep it bottled up. Tell me what's on your mind."

Lina takes a deep breath and removes her earrings as she musters the courage to express her thoughts, "I noticed something during our game of trust earlier. There wasn't an app running on your phone, was there?"

Maria chuckles softly, her eyes fixed on the night sky visible through the tent window, "You caught me," she says, "There was no app running while we played the game. I think it's still too early for such technology, don't you?"

Lina agrees, "Honestly, I'm glad there wasn't an app", she says, resting her head on the pillow and looking up at the sky, "The game was about trust, and we needed to trust each other's words. That's the whole point of the game."

"I guess you're right", Confirms Maria, cheeks heating a little since she's about to confess something a bit embarrassing, "You know, it really made me so happy, when Alex said that he's afraid of losing me as well... I think I reached heaven when he spelled out those words."

"You genuinely love him it appears", Adds Lina, a warm smile drawn between her cheeks, "Alex is a lucky boy, to say the least. He got quite a wholesome person as his partner."

"Come on, I'm not that good", Adds Maria as the scene of the night sky is pictured in her ruby eyes. She stays quiet for a while, reflecting on her feelings toward her boyfriend, then adds, "It's because I'm with him, that I can be considered a good person."

"What do you mean?", Asks a confused Lina.

As Maria poses again, lost in her thoughts for a moment, she can't help but reflect on the profound impact that Alex had on her life. It wasn't just that he made her happy, though that was certainly true. There was something deeper, more fundamental about their relationship that filled her with a sense of purpose and meaning.

"With Alex, I feel like I can be the best version of myself", Continues Maria, her voice low and earnest, "He inspires me to be kinder, more patient, more understanding. I don't know how he does it, but whenever I'm around him, I feel like I'm capable of anything. I actually believe that I'm the lucky one, to have someone who complements me in every way... To have Alex, as my partner..."

Lina listens intently, her own heart swelling with emotion. She can feel the passion and devotion in Maria's words and voice, and it's filling her with a sense of awe and wonder.

"That's amazing," Lina whispers, reaching out to gently clasp Maria's hair, "You and Alex have something truly special."

"So... Sharing your love with someone brings out the best version of you", Adds Lina, her heart fluttering, "Love is truly magical..."

Maria smiles, feeling a surge of affection for her friend, "It's not just Alex, though.", She says, gaining more of Lina's attention with that line, "Romi has quite an impact in my life as well. He's emotionless, no lie. And yet, he's always so caring, so compassionate. Whenever I'm feeling down or lost, he's the one who lifts me. He helps me make out to Alex all the time.", She laughs softly, a gentle, musical sound that filled the small tent with warmth and light, "He won't hesitate to bring himself down simply because I'm falling back... He's a truly amazing person, Lily, and I feel so lucky to have him in my life."

Maria shifts onto her left side, her gaze drifting towards nothingness with a sense of hesitation, "Lily," she says, her voice barely above a whisper, "I've been thinking about something. You know how you said that sharing love is magical?" She pauses, her eyes flickering with a hint of sadness, "Well, I've been wondering if that's true for Romi too. I mean, he's emotionless, always so closed off. But I can't help but think that maybe... Maybe if he had someone to share his love with, he could be so much more."

Her voice trails off, and for a moment, there's a heavy silence in the air. Then, she turns to Lina with a pleading expression, "So, can you help me? Can you be the one to bring that out in him? Can you make him smile, even if it's just for a moment?"

As her eyes widen after feeling that emotional symphony brought by Maria's words dance inside her ears, Lina stops playing with her friend's hair, and then closes her eyes, "It will take some time...", She shares, her heart filled with concern for Romeo, "It'll take a while for me to muster the courage and tell him how I truly feel...", She takes a deep breath and responds gently, "I wish I could use that magic, to make Romeo smile, not for us, but for himself... I do believe that love has a way of awakening feelings in even the most emotionally closed-off people. Maybe Romeo just needs the right person to come along and show him what love really means. And who knows, maybe that person is me", she says with a soft smile, her eyes glinting with hope, "But regardless, I think it's worth a try to see if my feelings can reach him. Romeo deserves it, deserves even more..."

She closes her eyes and then finishes with one last sentence, "I will make him smile, Maria. Even if it means selling my soul to the devil to do so..."

That's when Maria grabs into her blanket and draws a smile at its finest, "Thank you, Lily", She says, gratitude palpable in her voice as one drop filled with blazing emotions leaves her eye, "Sleep tight!"

-Lina: "Yeah... Good night!"

Then there are Alex and Edward, sitting across from each other, their deck of cards spread out between them. As they play a game before bed, Alex breaks the silence, "So, you don't want anyone to underestimate you, huh?" He lays down the Prince of Spades card, studying Edward's reaction, "That's why you want to prove that you're worthy of Romi's rivalry?"

"You're right," Edward replies, hesitating for a moment before placing the Joker card down, "I can't stand the thought of being looked down on by others. That's probably why I've always tried to be a reliable person." He pauses, considering which card to play next.

"But you know what's strange?" he continues, "Unlike everyone else, I don't feel angry or frustrated when Romeo avoids me. It's like he's not doing it on purpose." Edward finally decides on a card and places it down.

Alex nods in understanding, "Romi doesn't see you as someone to look down on, Ed. I do know that much. In fact, he doesn't look down on anyone. His personality is just different from ours since he doesn't express that many emotions. But that doesn't mean he thinks any less of us, or you. It's actually the opposite", he adds, his eyebrows furrowing in thought.

"Romi looks down on himself, not on others...", Alex continues, his tone serious, "He sets high standards for himself and sometimes struggles to meet them. It's not that he thinks he's better than anyone else, it's just that he's hard on himself."

Edward listens intently, processing what Alex was saying. It was an interesting perspective, and one he hadn't considered before.

"I see", he says finally, "I guess I never thought about it that way. Maybe I've been too focused on trying to prove myself to him when really, he's just struggling with his insecurities."

Edward considers Alex's words for a moment before laying down a card, "He told us that he's afraid of being useless," he says with a sigh, "It's strange, you know? I've never seen him express any other emotion like that. And yet, he's afraid of being useless of all things?"

"What's wrong with that?", Asks Alex, "I believe that being afraid of one's uselessness is pretty reasonable, to be honest!"

"Reasonable, I can't deny that," Edward adds, his fingers deftly picking up a card as he continues to speak, before finally laying it down, "But when it comes to Romeo, that reasoning doesn't apply, if you ask me."

Alex looks up from his own cards, surprised to see Edward staring pensively into the dark sky above them, his expression etched with concern. Curiosity getting the better of him, Alex follows Edward's gaze and he's immediately struck by the beauty of the deep, enchanting blue above.

The two friends sit in companionable silence, lost in the moment and the simple joy of being alive. Despite the weight of Edward's words, the calm of the night sky is giving them both a sense of comfort and solace.

Edward's voice is filled with a sense of awe as he speaks of Romeo, "That reasoning doesn't apply to Romeo," he repeats, "he is the most useful person to ever exist, to say the least. He's not just helpful, he's amazing, so cool, and way too selfless... He's appreciated by most people, and I appreciate his existence too, not gonna lie."

There is a deep sense of admiration in Edward's voice, and Alex can't help but be moved by his friend's words.

"I genuinely want him to realize that he's just like this dark sky," Edward continues, his eyes still fixed on the sky above, "Even though it doesn't have stars to make it look more magical, people will always love to be topped by such a sight", Then His fingers trace the edges of a card, his gaze still fixed on the night sky above. At that moment, he seems lost in thought, contemplating the weight of his own words and the significance of what he was about to say.

Then, with a small but deliberate movement, he places the King of Hearts card on the table, "And, unlike other kings...", he continues, his voice soft but resolute, "he deserves to be loved by others and has the right to be chosen as a model to follow..."

Sitting in stunned silence for a moment, Alex starts feeling an even deeper sense of admiration for Romeo, and a newfound respect for Edward. And finally, he finds his words, "Wow...", He breathes, his eyes still fixed on the King of Hearts card, "That was really... Something... So Romi means that much to all of us ha..."

As for Sara, she reluctantly slips out of her tent, trying not to disturb the sleeping Anna inside. The chilly night air is making her shiver, and she quickly zips up her sweater to her chin, shielding herself from the cold. Tying up her long hair into a loose ponytail, she starts to walk, her hands clasped behind her back, taking in the beautiful scenery around her.

The gentle breeze tugs at her ponytail, and she pauses to look up at the moon, visible in the dark blue sky. But then her eyes catch sight of something even more beautiful - Romeo perched high up in a tree, enjoying some chocolate as he calmly surveys the landscape below.

Sara feels a pang of surprise and delights as she watches him from below, admiring the way the moonlight illuminates his features and dances across his chocolate-smeared lips. She can't help but wonder, "what is he thinking about? all alone in his peaceful perch?", While her heart skips a beat.

With a soft smile on her face, Sara decides to join Romeo on the tree. Climbing up on her own made a bit of noise, which caught Romeo's attention. As he turns his head, he finds Sara looking up at him, giggling softly. Lost in his eyes, she asks, "Am I intruding on your personal space? Should I step back?"

Romeo shakes his head slowly and offers her his hand, "I don't have personal space", He answers, "Just be careful not to fall since you'll be sitting higher than usual."

Taking his hand, Sara trusts him to lift her up, and she sits beside him on the branch. Although the branch was a bit small for two people, they find themselves sitting closer than expected, their thighs touching. This made Sara blush, "I'm sorry for the inconvenience," she says, trying to hide her embarrassment.

"It's no biggy", Adds the boy, still digging in his chocolate, "So, why aren't you asleep?", He asks, "Is there something bothering you?"

"No No… Not at all", She answers while gesturing with her hands, "Actually, I'm enjoying my time on this trip, to be honest."

"That's good to hear", He replies.

A moment of silence, they share. Until Sara raises her hand, pointing at the moon floating in the sky, "That's a full moon, right?", She asks, cautiously stealing some glances at the boy's features."

"It is", He answers, "Do you like the scene?"

"I love it!", She exclaims, happiness overflowing from her words as she takes some moments to talk to herself, "It's not only the lovely scenery, but I'm sharing it with quite an amazing person, of course, I'd fall for such a moment!"

"Is there... Is there something that comes up to your mind when you're looking at the sky?", Asks Sara, curiosity etched on her face.

Romeo takes a deep breath as if he has been waiting for someone to ask him that question for a long time, "Beyond its beauty, the sky is also a symbol of freedom and possibility", He says, "It represents the vastness of the world beyond our immediate surroundings and the potential for adventure and discovery. When I gaze at the sky, I'm reminded of all the things that are out there waiting to be explored and experienced."

As Romeo finishes speaking, Sara can't help but feel a sense of admiration and love wash over her. She's always been drawn to his deep and thoughtful nature and the way he sees the world with such wonder and curiosity.

She looks up at the sky, taking in its vibrant color. As much as she loves the sky on its own, she loves it even more because Romeo appears to be interested in it too. She feels her heart flutter as she realizes just how much she cares for him. She's always been drawn to his intelligence, his wit, and his kindness, but it's his interest in the world around him that really sets him apart.

"Romeo," she says softly, turning to face him. "You have such a beautiful way of looking at the world."

Romeo turns to her, his eyes meeting hers, and she can feel her heart skip a beat, "Thank you, Sara," he says, "I just think there's so much beauty and wonder out there, and I don't want to miss a single moment of it."

Sara feels her heart racing as she sits next to Romeo, her hand trembling as she reaches out to touch his thigh. She gazes into his eyes, lost in their depth, and feels a lump form in her throat. She knows she has to tell him how she feels.

"Romeo," she says, taking a deep breath to steady her voice. "I don't want to miss a single moment of you either..."

As she speaks, Sara's hand tightens on Romeo's thigh, her eyes never leaving his. She feels a surge of emotion welling up inside her, and she knows that she has to be honest with him about how much he means to her.

-Romeo: "Me? Why Me?"

But before Romeo can respond perfectly, Sara's nerves get the best of her. She stammers, trying to backtrack, "I... I... I mean... I meant the sky, yeah!"

Realizing how awkward she must appear, Sara quickly removes her hand from Romeo's thigh and covers her face with both hands. "What did I just do?" she mutters to herself, feeling like she's made a complete fool of herself.

As she screams internally, Sara tries to regain her composure. She takes a deep breath and lowers her hands, "I think it's about time to get some sleep, right?", She says, slowly returning to her calm self.

"Yeah, I guess you're right", He answers as he keeps an eye on her while she's getting down, "Good night, Sara."

"You're not getting back to your tent?", Asks Sara, her feet finally touching the ground.

"I want to stay still a little longer", Adds Romeo.

"As you wish then. Good night!", Sara says with a wave as she begins to walk away. Romeo watches her go, raising his hand to wave back before placing it on his forehead when he loses her sight. A sudden feeling of exhaustion washes over him, as he reflects on his thoughts, "I haven't been sleeping well lately. And now these heavy headaches come by out of nowhere..."

Leaning against the tree, Romeo lets out a heavy sigh, "I guess those symptoms are starting to join the show", he mutters to himself, "This is such a drag..."

Romeo closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, trying to push away the overwhelming exhaustion that threatens to consume him. He knows that he cannot afford to give up now, despite the relentless battles that he faces each day. His mind is filled with thoughts of his mother, and the weight of responsibility he carries for her well-being.

"Mother... She still needs me," He whispers to the wind, feeling a sense of desperation wash over him, "I need to keep fighting, to save more money for her surgery... It's still too early for me to give up."

Feeling his eyelids growing heavy all of a sudden, and his body is giving in to the exhaustion that has plagued him for so long. His thoughts become muddled, and his body feels heavy while still avoiding getting some rest and letting the boy sleep.

"Mother... I will stay strong... At least for you..."