WHILE WE WAITED 1 - by Shuliê

Episode 1 ‎Eleven Days‎‎Some relationships have names. ‎Others exist somewhere between friendship and love, in that confusing space where two people know exactly how they feel about each other but still don't know what to call what they have.‎‎That was where Priscilla and Daniel were.‎‎They loved each other.‎‎At least, they were almost certain they did.‎‎Their feelings had grown far beyond ordinary friendship, yet neither of them had been brave enough to take that final step and say, This is a relationship.‎‎It wasn't because they didn't want each <a class="tc-blue external-link external-link" href="https://other.They" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">other.They </a> did, Deeply.‎But love was easy to feel and much harder to define.‎‎Daniel wasn't looking for something temporary. If he was going to give his heart to someone, he wanted something that could last. Something genuine. Something that could someday lead to marriage.‎‎And that thought alone made everything more complicated.‎‎Priscilla wanted love too.‎‎The thought of starting something so serious sacred the both of them.‎What if they weren't ready?‎What if they rushed it?‎What if something beautiful between them became complicated because they gave it a name too soon?‎‎So they <a class="tc-blue external-link external-link" href="https://waited.They" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">waited.They </a> talked. They watched each other. And somehow, while they were trying to understand what they were, they kept falling deeper in love.‎Their personalities couldn't have been more different. Online, Priscilla was a completely different person. Behind her phone screen, she was confident.‎‎She could tell Daniel how much she missed him. She could tease him endlessly. She could call him sweet names and say things she would probably never have the courage to say while standing in front of him.‎She could type paragraphs without hesitation.‎But put Daniel in front of her...‎Everything changed.‎‎Her confidence disappeared.‎She suddenly became shy.‎‎She would look at him and smile, then quickly look away.‎‎She could spend twenty minutes thinking about whether she should move a little closer to him.‎And Daniel found it amusing.‎‎"You're so different online," he once told her.‎‎"How?"‎‎"Online, you have plenty to say."‎‎"I still have plenty to say."‎‎"Then say it now."‎‎She became quiet.‎‎Daniel laughed.‎‎"Exactly."‎She rolled her eyes.‎‎"You're annoying."‎‎"And yet you like me."‎‎She couldn't answer that one.‎‎Because he already knew.‎‎Daniel, on the other hand, was almost the complete opposite.‎‎He preferred real life.‎‎He wanted to see her face when she spoke.‎‎He wanted to hear her laugh instead of reading on a screen.‎‎He wanted conversations that weren't interrupted by typing indicators and delayed replies.‎‎Most importantly, he wanted Priscilla to learn how to express herself around him.‎‎"Stop hiding behind your phone," he would tell her.‎‎"I'm not hiding." She would always say.‎‎"You are."‎‎"How?"‎‎"Because you're brave online and shy in person."‎‎She would smile.‎Maybe he was right.‎‎But she couldn't help it she told herself she was going to improve on that.‎‎There was something about being around him that made every feeling she had suddenly feel bigger.‎‎Especially when he wore his glasses.‎‎Daniel sometimes complained about them.‎‎They gave him headaches.‎‎Sometimes his eyes hurt.‎‎Sometimes he wished he didn't have to wear them.‎‎But Priscilla never understood why he disliked them so much. She loved seeing him in them.‎‎"You look good with your glasses," she told him one day.‎‎"I don't like them."‎‎"I do."‎‎"They hurt."‎‎"Still..."‎‎"Still what?"‎‎"I like looking at you in them."‎‎Daniel smiled.‎‎"You really like glasses that much?"‎‎"I like you in glasses."‎‎He shook his head.‎‎"You and your glasses."‎‎She laughed.‎‎But she meant every word.‎‎She loved the way he looked.‎‎She loved the person wearing them even more.‎‎And Daniel loved the way she reminded him of that whenever he complained.‎‎They were still trying to figure themselves out when something unexpected came up.‎‎Priscilla had to travel for a family trip.‎‎Eleven days.‎‎The moment Daniel heard about it, something changed in his expression.‎‎"Eleven?"‎‎She nodded.‎‎"Eleven days."‎‎"That's long."‎‎"It's not that long."‎‎"It is."‎‎"We'll survive."‎‎She was just trying to smile.‎‎But somewhere inside, she knew she would miss him too.‎‎Before she left, they decided to see each other one last time.‎‎They planned an evening date.‎‎Nothing extravagant.‎‎Just the two of them.‎‎A snack. A long walk.‎‎A quiet place where they could sit and talk without worrying about time.‎‎It would be the last time they would see each other before her trip.‎‎And somehow, that simple fact made the date feel much more important than either of them expected.‎‎They prepared for it.‎‎They bought a few things.‎They made plans.‎‎They imagined how the evening would go.‎‎But as usual, life had its own plans.‎‎The timing didn't work out exactly as they had hoped. ‎Things were delayed.‎For a while, it seemed as though the date might not happen the way they had planned.‎‎But eventually...‎‎They met.‎And somehow, once they were together, none of the earlier stress seemed to matter anymore.‎‎They ate together.‎‎They walked.‎‎They talked.‎‎And talked.‎‎And talked.‎‎Hours passed without either of them noticing.‎‎They sat together for a long time, simply enjoying each other's presence.‎There was something peaceful about being there.‎‎No screens.‎‎No typing.‎‎No distance.‎‎Just them.‎‎At some point, they relaxed against each other, comfortable enough to simply stay there without needing to fill every second with words.‎‎For Priscilla, it was one of those moments she wished she could pause.‎‎Because she knew that once the evening ended, she would have to leave.‎And Daniel knew it too.‎‎Perhaps that's why the night felt heavier than usual.‎‎He had been hoping for something.‎‎A hug.‎‎Something simple.‎‎Something that would tell him everything she sometimes struggled to say.‎‎Priscilla wanted it too.‎‎She wanted to hug him.‎‎She wanted to hold him tightly and let him know how much he meant to her.‎‎But when the moment came...‎‎She froze.‎‎The shyness returned.‎‎She couldn't do it.‎‎Daniel waited.‎‎She knew he was waiting.‎‎And somehow, that made her even more nervous.‎‎The evening eventually came to an end.‎‎They had spent more time together than they originally planned and even went home late.‎‎But when they finally said goodbye, neither of them felt completely satisfied.‎‎Daniel wasn't happy.‎‎Priscilla wasn't either.‎‎There had been so much they wanted to express.‎‎So many things they wanted to do.‎‎And yet, the one simple thing they both secretly wanted hadn't happened.‎‎Still, they went their separate ways.‎‎Priscilla left for her family trip.‎‎And the distance began.‎‎But it didn't feel like distance at first.‎‎They talked every day.‎‎They called.‎‎They texted.‎‎She sent him pictures from time to time.‎‎He asked about her ‎She asked about his day .‎‎They told each other how much they missed one another.‎‎Sometimes they talked for so long and at times network would decide to end the call on they're behalf.‎‎Eleven days suddenly didn't feel like eleven days.‎‎Because they were counting.‎‎Day Eleven.‎‎Day Ten.‎‎Day Nine.‎‎Every day that passed brought her closer to coming home.‎‎And Daniel was looking forward to it.‎But there was something else.‎‎During their conversations, Daniel made her a promise.‎‎Or perhaps it was better described as a deal.‎‎"If you keep your promise," he told her, "I'll keep mine."‎‎Priscilla smiled.‎‎"And what's your promise?"‎‎"You'll find out."‎‎What you have to do is to do what you talked to me about yesterday.‎‎"Which is ?"‎‎You promised to hug me when you return. ‎‎The hug she hadn't given him before leaving.‎‎"Fine," she said.‎‎"When you come back, you owe me one."‎‎"One what?"‎‎"You know exactly what."‎‎She laughed.‎"A hug?"‎"A proper one."‎‎She shook her head, smiling.‎‎"Okay."‎"Promise?"‎‎"Promise."‎‎"And I have to tell you something when you do."‎‎Her smile faded slightly.‎‎"Tell me what?"‎‎"You'll find out when you come back."‎‎That answer only made her more curious.‎‎But Daniel wasn't giving in.‎‎So she waited.‎‎And they continued counting.‎‎Eight days.‎‎Seven days.‎‎Then, just when seven days felt close enough to touch...‎‎Everything changed.‎‎The school announced a strike.‎‎At first, it didn't seem connected to them.‎‎Then they realized what it meant.‎‎Daniel would be going home.‎‎Priscilla would remain with her family.‎‎The plan that had seemed so simple suddenly disappeared.‎‎She wasn't returning to school after the trip.‎‎He wasn't going to be there waiting for her.‎‎The countdown suddenly meant nothing.‎‎The eleven days they had been counting toward had turned into something much longer.‎‎Two weeks.‎‎Then possibly three.‎‎Twenty-one days.‎‎Twenty-one days without seeing each other.‎‎Twenty-one days without the conversations they were used to having face-to-face.‎‎Twenty-one days without the hug she had promised him.‎‎Twenty-one days without Daniel telling her what he had been keeping to himself.‎‎The news hit them harder than either expected.‎‎Priscilla stared at her phone, reading the announcement again.‎‎Daniel sat quietly on the other end of the conversation.‎‎Neither of them knew what to say.‎‎For the first time since she left, their daily countdown no longer felt exciting.‎‎It felt painful.‎‎They had been waiting.‎‎Waiting to see each other.‎‎Waiting to finish what they had started.‎‎Waiting for the right moment.‎‎And now, just when that moment seemed close...‎‎It had been taken away from them.‎‎Maybe this was just another delay.‎‎Maybe it was nothing.‎‎Or maybe...‎‎It was life quietly asking them a question neither of them was prepared to answer.‎‎Could what they had survive the waiting?‎‎Neither Priscilla nor Daniel knew.‎‎All they knew was that twenty-one days suddenly felt like an eternity.‎ To be continued......‎

While We Waited

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