Lena and Alex had agreed to meet at the local coffee shop that afternoon to work on their project. As Lena walked through the door, she spotted Alex sitting at a table in the corner, his nose buried in a book.
"Hey," she said, sliding into the chair across from him. "What are you reading?"
"It's a book about the history of Columbine," he replied, holding it up for her to see. "I figured it would be a good place to start."
Lena smiled, impressed by his initiative. As they began to read through the book together, Lena was struck by how much they had in common. They both loved hiking in the nearby mountains, and they shared a passion for music, particularly classic rock.
As they worked, Lena found herself opening up to Alex in a way she never had before. They talked about their families, their dreams for the future, and even their fears.
"I don't know," Lena said, taking a sip of her latte. "Sometimes I worry that I'm not doing enough, you know? Like, I'm about to graduate high school, and I still don't know what I want to do with my life."
Alex nodded sympathetically. "I feel the same way sometimes. But I think that's okay. We're young, we have plenty of time to figure things out."
Lena felt a warm feeling spread through her chest as she looked at Alex. She felt like he really understood her, like they were on the same wavelength.
As they finished up their work for the day, Lena couldn't help feeling a sense of excitement. Maybe this project would be the start of something more than just a school assignment. Maybe it would be the start of a real friendship, or even something more.
As she walked out of the coffee shop, Lena turned to Alex. "Hey, do you want to come to the park with me tomorrow? It's supposed to be really nice out."
Alex smiled. "I'd like that."
ns 15.158.61.48da2
