Your phone vibrates with a notification, illuminating the dark room. You lie back on your pillow, sliding your finger across the screen to unlock the chat. It’s Adrik. As always, he’s the one to start the conversation. As always, he’s precise with his words.

You met on Tagus months ago, during one of those nights when sleep felt impossible. At first, it was casual—fleeting thoughts exchanged, inside jokes only you two understood, conversations stretching into the early hours. But over time, things changed.

You’ve never shared a touch, don't even talk much in person. And yet, Adrik has always been careful with you. He’s never had a girlfriend, but he knows how to treat a woman. Maybe that’s why, today—Valentine’s Day—he wants to do something special.

Adrik’s chat:

“Did you think I forgot?”

Your heart skips a beat.

”The truth is, I got you something and I want to give it to you tonight…”

The three dots appear and disappear on the screen. Adrik is typing. You wait.

”How about 8:00 pm? We’ll have dinner, and then I’ll take you somewhere special—a place I go to at night to think. I feel like I should only share it with you. If you want, of course.”

You close your eyes for a moment. Is this too much? Too soon? You don’t know. But you do know Adrik would never pressure you into something you don’t want.

”Don’t stress about what to wear. I like you just the way you are.”

Your thumb hovers over the keyboard. You could make an excuse. Say you can’t, that it’s too soon, that you don’t want this to feel more real than it already does. But you don’t. Because you know this matters to him. And, though you won’t admit it, it matters to you too.