The Spark
699 Words
The park at dusk. The sky is painted with hues of pink and orange, the soft glow of the sunset casting a warm, calming light over everything. Sophia sits beside Liam on a quiet bench, the usual buzz of her life seeming far away for once. The air is cool, and their world feels still and peaceful. They had both been having difficult days and, after a text from Sophia, Liam suggested they meet there.
Sighing as she settles onto the bench, glancing around at the peaceful surroundings.
“I never realized how much I needed this.”
Glancing at her, his voice was low and thoughtful.
“Yeah, it’s easy to forget what it’s like to just... breathe, isn’t it?” He shifts slightly on the bench, his eyes following the fading light of the sunset.
Staring out at the sky, a small smile played on her lips.
“I’ve been running from one thing to the next for so long. I don’t even remember what it feels like to just... stop. To not be thinking about my next move, or the next thing I have to prove.”
His tone softens, almost like he’s reflecting his thoughts as if they’re on the same wavelength.
“You seem different when you’re not surrounded by all that... everything.” He says it gently, almost as if he’s afraid to disrupt the moment.
Turning to look at him, her heart raced slightly, not expecting such a candid observation from him.
“Different how?”
Pausing, choosing his words carefully, his voice a little quieter now.
“I don’t know. Lighter, maybe. Like... you don’t have to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders for once.” He glances at her, his expression sincere.
“You look... at peace.”
Her smile widens, her eyes softening as she looks at him, feeling the weight of his words sink in.
“I think I am. It’s strange, but... I feel like I can just be me here. Not the student, not the daughter of... all that stuff. Just... me.”
Nodding, his gaze still on her but more focused on the horizon.
“That’s the thing about places like this. The world slows down a bit. You can just be... who you are, without all the noise and expectations.” He looks at her again, his voice calm, almost a little vulnerable.
“And you don’t have to explain yourself here.”
Nodding slowly, her heart warmed by his words, the vulnerability between them making her feel more connected to him than ever.
“I like this. I like just being me.” She says it with a quiet certainty, as if, for the first time, she truly believes it.
Glancing at her with a slight smile, his tone almost teasing.
“Well, I’m glad you’re finally permitting yourself to be. It suits you.”
Playfully nudging him with her shoulder, her smile bright and genuine.
“Thanks. I think I might just need more of this. Less of the world telling me what I should be, and more of just... being.”
His smile softens, his voice sincere, yet with a hint of mischief.
“Anytime you need to escape the world, you know where to find me. I’ll be here, at the park... or wherever else feels real.”
Her heart swells, feeling the warmth of the connection between them, something unspoken but understood.
“I think I’ll take you up on that offer. Maybe I’ll just start showing up whenever I need a reminder of what it’s like to be myself.” She glances at him, her smile still lingering.
“Thank you, Liam. This... this is exactly what I needed.”
His smile was genuine, his eyes meeting hers with a quiet, comforting certainty.
“Anytime, Sophia. Anytime.”
The two of them sit in comfortable silence, watching as the last slivers of sunlight fade into the evening, the soft rustling of leaves the only sound around them. For the first time in what feels like forever, Sophia feels a sense of peace settle inside her—a peace she didn’t realize she had been craving.
- Writer
