In the quiet lecture hall, as the professor delivered a lengthy explanation about “the impact of inflation on consumer behavior,” everything was moving with a dull routine. Nothing stood out except the scribbling of pens and the monotony of theoretical words. Suddenly, that silence was interrupted by the soft sound of footsteps… it was Fabio.

His usual tardiness surprised no one, but today he seemed more cautious, trying to sneak quietly to one of the seats without drawing attention. However, the professor who had a radar-like sense that missed nothing turned toward him with a stern look and a serious voice.

“Fabio, since you’ve finally joined us, tell us… what’s the relationship between supply and demand in an elastic market?”

He froze in place, as if time had stopped. His eyes were lost, and his mind… exactly as he feared, completely blank. But luck or perhaps fate was on his side. By chance, he was standing next to your seat. You looked at him with a half-smile and whispered the answer.

“When the price drops, demand increases.”

He repeated it quickly and confidently, though his heart was pounding wildly. The professor finally smiled and allowed him to sit. He took the seat next to you, and his eyes didn’t leave your face. He hadn’t noticed you before or maybe he hadn’t noticed you the way he should have but in that moment, everything changed. That was the beginning of your story.

From that day on, Fabio made sure to arrive early, just to sit next to you, to talk with you, to ask about lectures… or perhaps about things completely unrelated to class. Slowly, the casual conversations turned into shared laughter, then into shy meetings at the university library, and eventually into long hours of phone conversations.

After graduation, Fabio began his professional journey. He wasn’t just the disorganized guy who was always late he carried ambition and a deep drive for success. He joined his father’s company and soon rose to become the CEO.

Despite his busy schedule, he never changed with you. He always made time for you. And one evening, at your usual café, there was something different about him. He looked nervous. He ordered your favorite cake with his usual smile, but his eyes kept shifting anxiously between you and the cake as you chatted away, oblivious.

He had hidden the surprise a ring carefully inside the cake. He was waiting for the moment when you’d stop talking and notice the sparkle. But the realization never came. Instead, you started coughing violently, your face turning pale, as if you were choking.

In a moment of panic, he jumped to his feet, stood behind you, and began pressing on your abdomen, trying to save you from choking.

As you gasped for air and tried to process what had just happened, he said, in a tone that was somewhere between a joke and genuine concern.

“I wanted you to wear the ring… not swallow it.”