A Walk Through Memories

Elara walked beside Theo in comfortable silence, the soft crunch of gravel beneath their feet filling the quiet gaps between them. The campus garden wasn't particularly large, but it was peaceful, with neatly trimmed hedges and scattered wooden benches under the shade of tall trees. It was one of the few places on campus where students could escape the usual rush of university life.

"So," she finally said, breaking the silence. "What did you want to talk about?"

Theo exhaled softly, his hands tucked into the pockets of his hoodie. "I guess I just realized we haven't really talked lately."

Elara glanced at him, slightly amused. "We literally studied together last week."

"That doesn't count," he muttered, kicking a small pebble along the path. "You've been… different. Distracted."

She hesitated, knowing exactly what he was referring to. The system had pushed her into spending time with people she might not have otherwise, shifting the balance of her usual routine. And Theo, who had always been a steady presence in her life, had noticed.

"I guess I've just been trying to… open up a little," she admitted. "Meet new people."

His eyes flickered with something unreadable before he looked away. "Is that a bad thing?"

"No," she said quickly. "Not at all. It's just… new."

Theo nodded but didn't say anything right away. Instead, he led her toward a bench near the pond, gesturing for her to sit beside him. As she did, he leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees.

"You remember when we first met?" he asked suddenly.

Elara blinked at the unexpected question. "Of course. High school. You wouldn't stop correcting the teacher's explanations in physics class."

Theo smirked. "Hey, it's not my fault she kept using the wrong formulas."

She laughed. "Yeah, but I was the only one who actually listened to you."

"That's why I started talking to you." He tilted his head slightly, watching her. "You were the only one who didn't think I was annoying."

Elara shook her head. "I never thought you were annoying. Just… precise."

Theo chuckled but didn't respond right away. Instead, he looked down at his hands, as if debating something. "You know, I used to think that was enough."

She frowned. "What was?"

"Just having you around. Studying together. Talking about random things," he said quietly. "But lately, I've been wondering if I was just… waiting."

Elara's heart skipped a beat. "Waiting for what?"

Theo exhaled, leaning back against the bench. "For you to notice."

She swallowed, suddenly feeling the weight of his words. They had always been close, but she had never questioned their relationship beyond friendship. Not until now.

"Theo, I—"

"I'm not saying you have to give me an answer," he interrupted gently. "I just wanted to say it. Before things get more complicated."

Elara felt her pulse quicken. She had spent years keeping her feelings for others buried, and now, one of her closest friends was confronting her with emotions she hadn't even realized were there.

Her phone buzzed in her pocket, and for once, she ignored it.

She looked at Theo, searching for the right words. "I don't want to lose you."

His lips curved into a small, knowing smile. "You won't."

They sat there in silence for a while, watching the pond ripple under the breeze. And for the first time, Elara wondered if she had been too focused on chasing something new to see what had been in front of her all along.

Later that night, Elara sat on her bed, staring at her phone screen.

"New Challenge: Acknowledge an existing love interest's feelings. +30 Confidence Points."

She sighed, running a hand through her hair. The system had a way of making everything feel like a game, but this wasn't something she could treat as a simple task to complete.

Her mind was spinning. Caleb had been easy to talk to, easy to be around. But Theo… Theo had always been there. A constant. A safe place.

She shook her head, flopping back onto her pillows. She had no idea what she was supposed to do now.

And for once, the system didn't give her an answer.