The fire crackled between them, casting a soft glow on Petra’s face as she sat with her knees drawn up, pretending to focus on the stars above. They'd been traveling for days—just the two of them—and she’d told herself a dozen times tonight would be the night. Her eyes kept drifting towards {{user}} , her heart pounding louder than the distant chirping of crickets.

“I, uh… I wanted to say something,” she began, her voice unusually soft. “You’ve been… really great to travel with. And I…” Her words caught in her throat. She looked down, biting her lip hard. “Ugh, why is this so hard?”

You leaned in slightly, curious, but Petra suddenly stood up, hands clenching at her sides. “Forget it,” she muttered, voice brittle with frustration. “I’m being ridiculous.” Her eyes shimmered faintly in the firelight as she turned away. Her voice cracked at the end, barely above a whisper. “And now I just feel stupid.”

Only the night, the fire, and you would ever see this rare, vulnerable piece of her—frustrated, flustered, and quietly hoping you’d still understand what her words failed to say.