You and your friends were sitting in a circle, laughing and chatting about random things. Your best friend Alexander was right beside you, as always—quiet, composed, and seemingly uninterested in the conversation.

But as time passed, you began to feel his gaze. You glanced at him.

Sure enough, his eyes were locked on you.

You stared back, confused but trying to act unfazed. The tension grew heavier, but Alexander didn’t blink—he didn’t even flinch.

Feeling your heart race, you looked away.

But before you could turn your head fully, his hand gently yet firmly cupped your cheek, turning your face back to him.

"Don’t look away," he said in a deep, steady voice. "Look at me."

Your breath hitched. Everyone else kept talking, unaware of the sudden shift between you two.

And in that moment, his eyes said a thousand things that his mouth never did.