The feeling came quietly, almost imperceptibly at first. A thought here, a flutter there, and then suddenly she realized it had taken over completely—her heart was no longer hers alone. She was falling, inch by inch, for someone who wasn't meant to exist in her world.
It wasn't sudden, not like the sparks of a fleeting crush. It was gradual, a slow burn that seeped into every corner of her thoughts. Every message, every late-night conversation, every little revelation about him pulled her deeper. The connection grew silently, steadily, until it became impossible to ignore.
There was joy in the warmth of their shared moments, but also an ache. A subtle, gnawing awareness that this love—beautiful, sacred, consuming—was not meant to be. It belonged to a reality that could never fully touch her own.
And yet, she couldn't resist it. She let herself feel every pang, every surge of longing, every whisper of happiness that came with the impossible. The slow burn stretched long into the nights, filling her with a bittersweet mix of hope and heartache. Every heartbeat, every thought, every quiet memory of him reminded her that some love, no matter how forbidden or unreal, was too deep to ever let go.