From that single afternoon in the park, everything changed.
It wasn’t dramatic at first.
There were no declarations of love.
No grand promises.
No cinematic moments beneath pouring rain.
Just one conversation…
that somehow never ended.
The next morning, before Linda’s alarm even had the chance to ring, her phone vibrated softly on her bedside table.
Still half asleep, she reached for it.
There it was.
A message from Othamane.
*”Good morning, sunshine. I hope today gives you at least one reason to smile.”*
Linda smiled before she had even opened her eyes.
It became a habit almost immediately.
Every morning began with him.
Every night ended with him.
Somehow, without planning it, they slowly became part of each other’s daily routine.
They talked while eating breakfast.
They exchanged messages during lunch breaks.
They sent voice notes while walking through busy streets.
Even the smallest moments of their days became things they wanted to share.
If Linda saw an unusually beautiful sunset…
she sent him a picture.
If Othamane discovered a new café…
he immediately took a photo.
If one of them heard a song they loved…
the other would receive the link within seconds.
Little by little, two separate lives began intertwining.
Sometimes they talked about nothing.
Sometimes they spent an hour laughing because one of them had made a terrible joke.
Sometimes they debated movies, books, or music until two o’clock in the morning.
Other nights, they simply stayed on the phone in silence, listening to each other’s breathing because even silence felt comforting when it was shared.
Linda had never experienced anything like it.
She no longer checked her phone hoping for a message.
She expected one.
And somehow…
Othamane never disappointed.
—
Weeks passed.
Then one evening, Othamane asked a simple question.
*”Would you like to meet?”*
Linda stared at the screen.
Her heart immediately began racing.
She knew this moment would come eventually.
Still…
reading those words made everything suddenly feel real.
She typed…
Deleted.
Typed again.
Deleted once more.
Finally she answered.
*”I’d like that.”*
—
