The Flame of Love

The next day, Delia awoke to sunlight filtering through the curtains, gently touching her face. She opened her eyes and, not immediately aware of where she was, lay in silence for a while, listening to her sensations. The room around her was calm, cozy, but... alien. Her head ached slightly, and her body felt slightly tired, as if she had experienced something significant, but could hardly remember what.

She turned her head and immediately noticed that the bed she was lying on was completely different. Not like the one in her dorm room - it was bigger, with a soft white coverlet, and the air in the room was fresh and, compared to what she was used to feeling in the hallways of the dorm, much quieter. The furniture in the room was pleasant, but not too bright, and even the smell was different - not like in that old building, but fresh and neutral, smelling of new fabric and wood.

Delia still couldn't understand what was happening to her. She had indeed come here with Jo last night, after they had agreed on the apartment, but it had all happened so quickly. Everything had seemed calm, without unnecessary words, without celebrations and worries - they had simply brought their things and settled in. And now she was waking up here, in a new apartment, feeling slightly confused, not understanding how she had ended up in this space.

She looked around again. There were no familiar sounds, no familiar surroundings. It was as if she had just entered a completely new world, where neither her past nor her usual routine existed. There was a silence that was almost unbearable, as if the very environment was designed to force her to be alone in her thoughts.

Delia rose slowly, feeling her body reluctantly awaken. Stretching, she glanced at the clock on her nightstand and realized that she had woken up late. The whole day was just beginning. There was a strange feeling that she should have done something by now, gone somewhere, but all of this seemed so unimportant compared to everything she had experienced in the last few days.

Then her gaze fell again on the interior of the room-the new apartment she and Jo had chosen. It was, in essence, another new beginning. And although Delia couldn't quite comprehend how she had gotten here, she sensed that this place wouldn't be as alien as she thought. Perhaps this was where she could find her place, where she could begin to build something of her own.

The bedroom door creaked and Delia turned her head. Jo appeared in the doorway, dressed in a simple white T-shirt and with a wide, slightly mischievous smile on his face. In his hands he held a cup of coffee, from which a light, morning aroma wafted, filling the room. His steps were confident and calm, as if he was the owner here, and all this new environment did not seem alien to him.

"Here," he said, walking over to the bed and placing the cup on the nightstand next to her. "Coffee for you."

Delia, still not fully awake, looked at him with a grin. She felt a little confused, but tried to hide it.

"Coffee in bed," she joked, raising herself up on her elbows and smiling. "I didn't expect such attention from you."

Her words were light, but there was something warm, almost playful, about them. Jo responded to her joke with an even wider smile, a slight laugh in his voice, and came a little closer.

"Well, since we got as close last night as two adults can get," he said with a slight squint, "then I'm simply obliged to behave with you as if you were my fiancée."

His words were soft, but with a hint of confidence that added a lightness to the moment. Delia, looking at him in surprise, felt her heart beat a little faster. It was all happening somehow unexpectedly - they had really been close yesterday, and at that moment there was something frankly sincere in his words.

She laughed, but this laugh was no longer as light as before. It was full of some strange excitement. Why did his words cause such a feeling in her chest? Maybe she was no longer ready for this.

"Are you sure you're ready to treat me like that?" Her voice became quieter, a little more serious, although there was still a joke in her eyes.

Jo laughed in response, looking at her again with a soft but confident gaze.

"With you? Of course I am. You know I don't like doing things halfway," he added, sitting down on the edge of the bed and carefully handing her a cup of coffee. "So, if you don't mind, tomorrow I can bring you breakfast in bed. And maybe more than just breakfast."

His words, although joking, were sincere, and Delia felt her tension ease a little. She accepted the cup, and their fingers brushed lightly against each other. It was brief, but enough to make her feel like there was something special between them again.

"Let's see how you behave with this coffee," she answered with a smile, trying to hide her awkwardness.

Jo smiled back, and his face flashed the familiar, friendly smile. In that moment, despite everything that had happened before, Delia felt like she could start a new chapter in her life, and this moment, this coffee, this simple but warm conversation, was a good start.

Delia slowly lifted the cup to her lips and took a sip. The warm coffee filled her insides with a pleasant warmth, carried away all her morning thoughts, leaving space for something important, hazy and at the same time tangible. She put the cup back on the nightstand and, after a moment's hesitation, got out of bed, not taking her eyes off Jo.

Her gaze became more intent, almost searching. It was so calm, so confident and open, that she felt as if she were on the threshold of something new and important. It was as if she were trying to read him, to understand what was behind that smile, behind his easy manner. But there was no hidden hint in his eyes, no understatement - there was just honesty in them, warm and clear. Delia felt her heart leap again, a strange lightness appearing inside her.