Jenn's POV
It had been two days since that unforgettable night—the night he confessed his love and kissed me like I was the only person that mattered in his world. And since then… complete silence.
No texts. No calls. Nothing.
Andres had just vanished.
My chest felt tight, my mind restless with every what-if. What if I overwhelmed him? What if the idea of me leaving scared him? What if… he regretted everything?
I sat on the couch, hugging a pillow, while Jas was scrolling through her phone, glancing at me every now and then. "He'll come around, Jenn. Maybe he just needs some time."
"Time?" I snapped. "He kissed me like I was his entire world, Jas. And then he disappeared. Who does that?"
She placed her phone down and gave me a knowing look. "A man who's falling too hard, too fast."
I sighed, sinking deeper into the pillow. "We only have 10 days left. How can I fall in love when I know it's already ending?"
Jas looked at me gently. "Maybe… it's just beginning."
Before I could respond, my phone buzzed.
Andres: "Come to the place where we had our first real conversation. I need to talk. Please."
My heart skipped a beat. Without saying a word, I jumped to my feet, grabbed a jacket, and ran out the door.
—
It was the park. The little bench near the lake where he once told me he loved chai more than coffee—just to impress me. I spotted him standing there, hands deep in his pockets, looking like a storm was brewing in his head.
When he saw me, relief washed over his face. "Kainaat…"
I crossed my arms, trying to hide the million emotions battling inside me. "So, disappearing is your thing now?"
He walked closer, looking completely torn. "No. I just— I didn't know how to handle everything I was feeling. I was scared."
"Of what?" I whispered.
"Of how real this is. Of how I've never wanted something so badly, yet feel like I'm about to lose it."
Tears pricked my eyes.
He stepped closer. "I haven't slept properly since that night. Your words keep replaying in my mind. That you're leaving. That this might be temporary. But it doesn't feel temporary to me, Jenn. Not one bit."
"I didn't want to hurt you, Andres. That's why I didn't tell you earlier. But now… it's killing me inside."
He gently cupped my face, his thumbs brushing away the tears that escaped. "Then don't say goodbye. Not yet. Let's not think about the end. Let's just live what we have. Right now. Together."
His forehead rested against mine.
"I'm in love with you, Kainaat," he whispered. "Madly. Deeply. Hopelessly. And I'd rather have these last 10 days with you than spend a lifetime wondering what if."
My heart cracked open completely.
I threw my arms around him, burying myself in his chest. "I love you too, Andres. So much it scares me."
He kissed me again—this time slower, deeper, filled with aching tenderness. The world disappeared, and it was just us, like we existed in a bubble of our own making. His hands tangled in my hair, mine clutching his shirt like a lifeline.
When we finally pulled apart, he held me close. "You're not going anywhere tonight."
"I can't," I whispered. "Jas would—"
"She already knows. And she told me to 'bring her girl back in one piece.'"
I laughed through my tears. "That traitor."
He smiled. "I think she just wants you to be happy. And so do I."
As we sat down on the same bench where it all began, I leaned into his side, his arm wrapped securely around me. It felt like home. Like something we never expected but always needed.
In that moment, I wasn't thinking about tomorrow. Or borders. Or traditions. I was just a girl in love with a boy who made the world feel a little less scary.
And for the first time, I believed in something bigger than the doubts.
I believed in us.