I arrived home with a light heart after dinner. It took me a while to get ready for bed, too busy replaying every detail in my memory.
That's when I heard the creak of the gate. I pulled the curtain slightly aside and saw him… Rafael, already outside, pushing the gate closed before heading down the street.
After so many days at home, he was back to his usual routine — the same one that had intrigued me since the first week. I thought, with a slight pang, that now that his father had returned, the silent nights would once again be filled with his mysterious footsteps.
I picked up a book I had been meaning to start for weeks, using it as an excuse to stay awake until he came back. I read two, maybe three pages before sleep won.
I woke to the alarm. The book lay open on the floor, fallen beside the bed. I had drifted off without noticing, and worse, hadn't seen him return.
In a rush, I got up, drank coffee with milk without bothering to prepare anything else, and opened the door. The sight made me smile: the landlord was in the garden, watering the flowers.
"Good morning!" I greeted, walking down the steps.
He raised his face, his eyes bright with a wide smile."Good morning, Helena. Did you sleep well?"
"Yes," I answered, adjusting the strap of my backpack. "Just enjoying my last calm morning… once exams start, it'll be a nightmare. I need to focus especially on calculus and geometry. I have no talent at all for that."
The landlord laughed, as if already holding back a response."Rafael has always been brilliant in those subjects, always got excellent grades. He's very smart, even if it doesn't seem so from the outside."
I nodded, trying to look composed, but inside I sighed. If only I had half of that ease…
At the university, the day passed normally. Professors talking endlessly, pages of my notebook filling with formulas I barely understood. During the break, I bought a sandwich and sat in a quiet corner, almost hidden.
I was distracted when a classmate stopped in front of my table. I could barely remember having seen his face before.
"Hi… you're Helena, right?" he asked, polite.
I nodded, surprised he knew my name, my mouth still full of bread.
"I'm Daniel." He extended his hand naturally, like a real introduction. "I'm putting together a study group for the exams. I noticed the calculus professor left you frowning more than once… thought it might be useful."
I choked a little on my sandwich, cheeks flushing."I… didn't know my face gave me away that much."
He laughed."It does. And look, no one learns everything alone. The group might help."
My first instinct was to refuse."I don't want to get in the way. I'd probably be the slowest of you all."
Daniel shook his head, serious."That's exactly what the group is for. Everyone helps in what they can. There's no reason for you to carry it all alone."
I hesitated. He grabbed my phone without hesitation, typed in his number, and saved it."Call me if you need anything."
I smiled, awkward but with a hint of gratitude.
I got home late in the afternoon, backpack heavy and thoughts heavier still. That's when a firm voice sounded behind me, unexpected, almost sarcastic:
"So, the young lady struggles with calculus?"
I turned so quickly I nearly tripped. It was Rafael. My heart leapt, my words came out tangled and senseless.
He raised one eyebrow, his tone laced with restrained irony."Interesting. I thought you were good at everything."
We started walking side by side. He wasn't smiling, but he also wasn't building walls. For the first time, Rafael had approached me on his own.