Kiss

- Alexei Sokolov:

The world seemed to stop the moment Nikolai grabbed the back of my neck.

My heart raced, hammering so hard against my chest that I thought it might shatter.

Time slowed, and for a split second, I could only focus on him—his soft gaze, the determined set of his jaw, and the way his lips parted drawing me closer like a force of gravity.

Then, before I could process what was happening, he pulled me down toward him, closing the distance between us.

And he kissed me.

The instant our lips met, everything else disappeared.

The suffocating darkness of the room, the oppressive weight of the stone walls, the faint stench of rust and dampness—they all vanished, drowned out by the explosion of color behind my closed eyes.

It was as if the entire world had turned into a kaleidoscope of rainbows, vibrant and blinding, each hue throbbing with life and energy.