To break the silence, she suggested playing another game to lighten the mood. "How about a card game? That's always fun!"
"Sure, good idea!" said Lukas, jumping up to get the deck from the drawer. Lina watched him and couldn't help but smile. He was so carefree and friendly, and in those moments, everything she'd been through seemed to lose a touch of lightness.
They played a few rounds, laughing and playfully arguing about the best moves. Time passed quickly, and as the clock ticked late, Lina realized she couldn't think about her fears anymore. It felt good to just be herself.
When the last cards were dealt, Lukas looked at her. "I really had a great evening, Lina. You're amazing, you know that?"
A shiver of joy ran through her. "Thank you, that means a lot to me," she replied, and in that moment she felt a connection grow between them.
But as she thought about it, the fear of her own darkness was still present. She didn't want to drag Lukas into her troubles, but she knew that at some point, she would have to tell him the truth about her struggles.
"I hope we can do this again soon," she said, pulling herself to her feet to escort him to the door. "I really enjoyed it."
"Absolutely! I'm looking forward to it," Lukas replied, opening the door. In the cool night air, she hugged him goodbye, and Lina felt her heart leap.
"Sleep well, Lina," he said gently before leaving.
"Good night, Lukas," she whispered, watching him disappear into the darkness.
As she closed the door, she felt a mixture of joy and fear. It was nice to spend time with Lukas, but she knew that soon she would have to take the step of opening up to him. But for the moment, she put aside thoughts of her past and enjoyed the feeling that there might be hope for a better future.
In the days that followed, Lina felt as if she were trapped in a dream. Her experiences with Lukas had given her a new perspective. Every message from him, every small exchange, lifted her spirits and somewhat faded the shadows of her depression. But deep inside, she was gnawed by the fear that the darkness could return at any moment.
The next evening, while sitting in her room working on her homework, she heard her phone vibrate. A message from Lukas. Her heart beat faster as she opened it: "Hey, do you want to go to the movies tomorrow night? I found a great movie I really want to see with you!"
Lina couldn't hide her smile. "Yes, I'd love to!" she typed back, feeling a surge of excited anticipation. She wasn't sure if she dared to allow herself to hope again, but the thought of seeing him again was simply too tempting.
The next day, she was especially nervous. She wanted to look good, but not over the top. After a few attempts, she opted for a casual yet chic outfit and tied her hair back in a loose bun. When she was finally ready and took one last look at herself in the mirror, she felt stronger than before.
Arriving at the cinema, the atmosphere was full of excitement. The lights dimmed, and the trailers began to play. Lina sat next to Lukas, her heart beating faster as she rested her arms on the backrest behind her. It felt good to be so close to him.
During the film, they frequently glanced at each other and exchanged quiet comments. Lina found comfort in his presence, as if he were building a barrier between her and the world, protecting her from the horrors of her thoughts. But the more time she spent with him, the more she grew afraid of not living up to him.
After the film, they discussed the plot, and as they left the cinema, Lina felt a budding connection between them. "I thought the film was really exciting!" Lukas said enthusiastically. "But I think I already knew the ending."
"Really? I was totally surprised!" Lina replied, laughing. The lightness of the moment helped to ease her inner anxieties a little.
"You know, I love how we can talk to each other," Lukas remarked as they strolled toward the exit. "It's like we've known each other forever."
Lina nodded, but at the same time felt a little vulnerable. "I think it's because we've both been through a lot," she answered cautiously. "It's nice not to be alone."
"It really is," he agreed. "I feel alone a lot, too. But I'm glad we met."
In that moment, Lina felt understood and accepted. But the fear of sharing the truth about her struggles remained.
As they finally stood at her front door, Lina felt the urge to reveal more of her feelings. But the lump in her throat prevented her from speaking the words. Instead, she said, "Thanks for the great evening, Lukas. I really enjoyed it."
"Me too, Lina. I hope we can do this again soon," he replied, looking at her with a look that made her heart race.
For the next week, the days passed in a strange equilibrium. Lina felt stronger in Lukas's company, but she continued to struggle with her inner darkness. Thoughts that she might not be good enough for him constantly crept into her consciousness.
She began writing her thoughts in her journal to find an outlet for her worries. "I'm having so much fun with Lukas, but I'm worried I won't be able to tell him the truth about myself. What if he leaves when he sees how broken I am?"
Writing helped her sort through her emotions, but the fear remained. She wanted to trust him so badly, but the shadow of her depression lingered in her heart like an unwelcome guest.
The following weekend, they planned another meeting, this time at a small café Lina liked. As she prepared, she felt the nervousness in her stomach. She wanted to look her best, but the doubts crept in again. "What if he sees I'm not perfect?" she asked herself, taking one last look in the mirror.
Finally, she set off and reached the café, surrounded by colorful flowers. When she saw Lukas sitting at a table, smiling at her, she felt momentarily more secure. His smile radiated warmth and made the shadows recede a little.
"Hey, you're on time!" he greeted her cheerfully. "I've already reserved a table."
"Thanks! It looks really nice here," said Lina, sitting down opposite him. The atmosphere in the café was lively, and the laughter of the other guests created a pleasant mood.
As they ordered and discussed their weeks, Lina felt like she wanted to know more about him. "What do you like to do in your free time?" she asked curiously.
"I love listening to and playing music. I have a guitar that I play often," Lukas replied with a smile. "And I try to spend as much time outdoors as possible."
"That sounds great! I can't play very well, but I love music too," Lina confessed, feeling herself open up to him a little.
"Maybe one day you can show me what you like," he suggested. "I'd like to know more about you."
In that moment, Lina felt the connection between them grow stronger. It was as if a small bridge had been formed, bridging their inner struggles a little. But as they laughed and talked, the thought returned that she couldn't tell him the whole truth.
But for now, she decided to put those thoughts aside and just enjoy the moment.
The week passed, and Lina found herself in a constant emotional ups and downs. The joy and excitement of spending time with Lukas were repeatedly overshadowed by her inner demons. The voices of her parents, who often called her "stupid" and "dumb," echoed in her head as she tried to focus on the positive experiences.
One afternoon, while sitting alone in her room working on her homework, she was overcome by a feeling of melancholy. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath to organize her thoughts. But when she opened them again, she thought of Max. He had always been there to bother her, especially when she played with other children. His constant remarks and jokes had often hurt her, and the memories still pained her.
"Look at little Paulina," he had sometimes said, "she'll never amount to anything!" In his eyes, she was the shy, depressed girl who was easily bullied. The image he had of her made her feel even smaller. Lina couldn't help but think Max was a master of the game. He was manipulative, knew exactly how to hurt people, and seemed to have a sense for when she was particularly vulnerable.
She remembered a particularly painful incident in the woods when Max had mocked her and her stepbrothers while they were playing. "You're so weak, Paulina. Do you really think you'll ever be able to keep up?" he had said, laughing as if it were the funniest joke in the world. It was a bitter memory she couldn't let go of.
With a sigh, she shook off the thought. Lina knew she couldn't let Max's mocking comments affect her. It was time to focus on the positive things in her life, especially Lukas.
The day of her next meeting with him was approaching, and Lina felt both excited and nervous. She didn't want her insecurities to weigh on her when she was around him. The night before their meeting, she decided to write her worries in her journal. "I hope I can be who I really am with Lukas. But what if I'm not good enough?"
The next morning, she woke up with a lump in her throat that wouldn't go away. She counted the hours until she would finally see him, and while she got ready, she tried to push her fears away.
Arriving at the café, the familiar aroma of freshly brewed coffee and pastries wafted into her nostrils. When she saw Lukas, already sitting at the table, waiting for her, some of her nervousness vanished. He had that warm smile on his lips again that always gave her hope.
"Hey, Lina! Nice to see you," he called as she approached. "I brought you something." He held out a small bag of freshly baked cookies. "I thought you might like these."
Surprised and delighted, she took the bag. "Thanks, Lukas! That's really sweet of you."
"Let's chat a bit before we nibble on our cookies," he suggested. They sat down and began to talk about everything from their favorite movies to their hobbies. It was refreshing to talk with him, and Lina felt more and more comfortable in his presence.
But as they laughed and talked, the dark voice of doubt crept into her head again and again: "What will he think when he knows the real Lina?" And the memory of Max's hurtful words was still present.
"Hey, what's wrong? You seem a little thoughtful," Lukas remarked, looking at her with a worried expression.
"I... was just thinking," Lina replied, trying to hide her insecurities. "It's just so nice here with you."
"It really is," he said, smiling. "I'm glad we're getting to know each other better."
In that moment, Lina felt she could trust Lukas more than she had thought. Maybe it was time to show him some of her inner struggles without revealing everything right away. But the thought made her hesitate.
Time passed quickly, and soon she had to say goodbye to him. As they left the café, she felt a little lighter, but the insecurities remained. "I hope we can do this again soon," she said as they stood at the door.
"Absolutely, Lina. I'm looking forward to it," Lukas replied, and there was a warmth in his gaze that reassured her.
As they said goodbye and Lina stepped into the darkness, she felt a faint smile on her lips. Perhaps the darkness wasn't so overwhelming with the light of someone like Lukas by her side. But the shadows were still there, ready to haunt her as soon as she was alone.
Over the next few days, Lina tried to hold on to the positive feelings she had with Lukas. But reality quickly caught up with her. Her parents were often dissatisfied with her, and while her stepbrothers were nice, her mother's constant accusations made her doubt herself. It was as if every encouraging memory of Lukas was being smothered by the negative voices in her life.