Lea suddenly felt that her heart was beating much louder than allowed.
The park had become quiet.
At least, that's how it seemed to her.
Of course, there were still people around. Somewhere a dog barked. In the distance, a car passed by.
But all of that reached her only muffled.
“Noah ...”
She couldn’t say more.
Noah looked at her.
He seemed just as nervous as she was.
Maybe even more nervous.
“My parents have made their decision,” he said once again.
Lea nodded slowly.
“I understand that.”
“Okay.”
“And?”
Noah took a deep breath.
Then exhaled again.
“We are not moving.”
For a moment, nothing happened.
Lea just stood there.
As if her brain had decided to first process the information.
“Not?”
“No.”
“Not at all?”
“Not at all.”
“Hamburg is off the table?”
“Completely.”
Lea felt something inside her loosen.
Something that had been tense for the past few days.
The relief hit her so suddenly that she had to laugh.
Just like that.
Noah looked at her.
Then he had to laugh too.
“That’s quite a clear reaction.”
“Sorry.”
“No.”
He smiled.
“Actually, not at all.”
Lea shook her head.
“You have no idea how happy I am right now.”
The words came out before she could think about them.
But this time she didn’t regret them.
Quite the opposite.
Noah suddenly became serious.
Not unpleasantly serious.
More attentive.
“Actually,” he said quietly, “I think I do.”
For a moment, no one said anything.
The evening sun was now low between the trees.
The sky had become surprisingly clear after the rain.
Lea knew she would probably remember this moment for a long time.
And she had the feeling that Noah knew that too.
“You know,” he finally said, “I actually wanted to tell you something else.”
Lea’s heart immediately decided to cause trouble again.
“Something else?”
“Yes.”
“Today is a very talkative day for you.”
Noah laughed briefly.
“Normally, I’m not very good at that.”
“I noticed.”
“Thanks for the support.”
“Always happy to help.”
Silence again.
Then Noah looked down at the path in front of him.
“Hannah told me weeks ago that I’m an idiot.”
Lea had to laugh.
“That sounds like Hannah.”
“Yes.”
“Why exactly?”
Noah shook his head.
“Because I kept talking about you and still did nothing.”
Lea blinked.
Once.
Twice.
Then once more.
“What?”
“That’s exactly what Hannah said too.”
“No, I mean the first part.”
Noah smiled uncertainly.
“You understood that part correctly.”
Lea felt her face grow warm.
Very warm.
Dangerously warm.
“Oh.”
Noah started laughing.
“There it is again.”
“What?”
“Your ‘oh’.”
Lea briefly hid her face behind her hands.
“Someday I’ll manage full sentences too.”
“No stress.”
“Thanks.”
For a few seconds, they just stood there.
Side by side.
In the evening light.
And although no one said anything, it didn’t feel empty.
Quite the opposite.
Then Noah cleared his throat.
“Lea?”
“Yes?”
“I like you.”
Lea looked at him.
Directly.
Without looking away.
For the first time.
And suddenly everything was very simple.
The past weeks.
The bus rides.
The nervousness.
The many thoughts.
Everything made sense.
She smiled.
“Good.”
Now Noah was the one who looked surprised.
“Good?”
Lea nodded.
“Yes.”
Then she took a small step closer.
“Because I like you too.”
For a moment, Noah seemed to have forgotten how to respond.
Lea found that surprisingly endearing.
Finally, he grinned.
That real, honest grin that she now knew so well.
“This is probably the best day of my year.”
“Mine too.”
“Even better than the canceled math homework last week?”
“Okay, don’t exaggerate.”
They both had to laugh.
The sun slowly disappeared behind the trees.
And somewhere behind them, a bus passed by.
Without either of them paying attention.
Because for the first time in a long time, no bus stop was important.
Only this moment.
And it was not over yet.