We were at our usual table, books spread out in every direction. But unlike other days, focus seemed to slip away. Rafael scribbled numbers in his notebook with the same calm as always, but I could tell: his eyes weren't fully there. And neither were mine.
Even so, neither of us gave in. We kept going, as if insisting was enough to keep our minds in place.
After a few exercises, which he corrected patiently, Rafael leaned forward.— You'll do well tomorrow — he said, in a tone that didn't sound like encouragement, but certainty.
I smiled awkwardly.— I hope so… because I don't think I can survive another day of studying.
He calmly closed the book in front of him, lifting his gaze to meet mine.— Then you don't need to. My job here is done.
His careless tone pulled a nervous laugh out of me.— That's not fair, leaving me now. — I said, standing quickly to help stack the books.
I carried some over to the nearby shelf, but noticed one of the volumes needed to be placed higher up. I dragged the little wooden step stool from the corridor and climbed a few rungs, holding the book tight against my chest.
— Just this one more… — I murmured, searching for the right spot on the shelf.
That was when I felt the silence shift. Rafael had come closer, balancing a few more books in his arms. I glanced sideways, almost unwillingly, and found him standing right there at the foot of the ladder.
For a moment, everything felt like slow motion. I was a few steps above, and for the first time, I didn't have to lift my head to look at him. The library's soft light touched his dark hair, tracing firm lines across his face, shadows against angles that were already perfect on their own.
He lifted his eyes. His gaze rose and caught mine, and it was as if the whole world narrowed into that single instant. My legs wavered…
And then the ladder shook.
A chill ran down my spine. The book almost slipped from my hands. Before I could cry out, I felt his arm wrap around me, pulling me back with strength and precision.
In less than a second, I was against Rafael's chest, breathless, my heart racing. But not just mine. I could feel his too — steady and fast.
I couldn't move. I didn't want to. My cheeks burned, but my eyes locked on his, as if there were no escape. And the longer I looked, the more certain I became: there was nothing imperfect there. His face was… just perfect.
My head spun. For a heartbeat, I had the clear impression that this would be my first kiss. That it would happen right there, in the library corridor, right after a heroic act from someone everyone else called a troublemaker, but who with me was only… protective and tender.
That was when the last book slipped from my hand. The thud against the floor shattered the spell.
Rafael set me down far too quickly. Only then did I notice the books scattered across the floor, abandoned in the rush to catch me. He picked them up calmly, as if it were nothing. But inside me there was a certainty: for that brief moment, I had been more important than anything else he carried.
— One day I'll get tired of saving you from crashing to the ground — he muttered, dryly, though the tone didn't quite hide everything.
I swallowed hard, too shaken to reply.
We left the library awkwardly, walking side by side until we reached the street.
— You'll be fine tomorrow — he said suddenly, firm, as if doubt wasn't an option.
I smiled, my fingers gripping the strap of my backpack.— If I do well, I'll treat you to something really tasty. As a thank-you.
He didn't answer right away, but the corner of his mouth almost betrayed a smile.
At my gate, he stopped. I started to go in, but the words escaped before I could stop them:— Hey, Rafael! — I called, too loud, because he was already walking away. — Where do you go every night?
My heart tightened while I waited.
He turned his head over his shoulder and answered:— Always the same place… taking care of what needs to be taken care of.
And he kept walking, leaving me there with my chest full of questions, and the feeling that his answer was only the tip of something much bigger.