LITERARY CORNER

 Faith in you

By Anna Kontopoulou

“What is love to you?” he asked while I was lying next to him and he was gently playing with my hair. His question was something I had never thought about before in my entire life due to the fact that love is extremely hard to define, and I don't have such a strength to look deep down into my soul and create its definition. It goes beyond my limits and abilities, so I never actually tried to think of what love is to me.

I looked in his eyes and noticed him patiently waiting for my answer, evidently being in no rush and adoring me. His touch remained soft on my hair, and every now and then he would caress my cheek as well. I knew that his question was sincere and that he wanted to have a meaningful conversation with me in order to feel more compassionate towards me and, of course, to build a deeper connection with me. 'So, what is love to me?' I wondered in my mind as I kept looking in his eyes, trying to find the correct words to reply to his question.

The more I kept looking at him, the more I persuaded myself that love was him. And that's what I wanted to tell him, because he was my love, but something was holding me back from saying the word 'you'. Something was preventing me and not allowing me to say that. It was my heart... My heart wanted me to utilize all of my emotions and face them in order to give a complete definition. Something more accurate, more affectionate, coming directly out of my heart. Because yes, he was my love, but, love wasn't only him.

It was his love for me, his respect for me, his guidance and reassurance, his smile and laugh, his beautiful soul that was filled with kindness and his warm heart. It was the safety I have always felt around him, his secure hug, his will to never hurt me. It was all the seconds we had shared together, all the dates we had gone on, from a nice dinner at the nearby restaurant to just lying together under the stars. It was also the intimacy, the emotional and physical support that we would offer each other when needed, and the quickness to respond to messages and calls. It was the romantic moments and the slight teasing. The funny moments as well, where laughter seemed to be the only sound in the world. Love to me was also the fun I have always had with him and how fast time always passed when we were next to each other. Moreover, I realized it was how we loved being with one another and how much we both longed to be together again every moment we had to be apart.

But it was also the sad moments. Our emotional breakdowns, our need to take things off our minds, and the times we even needed to cry on each other's shoulders. And obviously I shouldn't forget to mention the struggles we've been through as a couple. All the fights, the misunderstandings, the sadness, the moments of despair, and forgiveness in the end of each dispute. We weren't perfect, and that was okay because we were still young, nothing but two teenagers trying to express their love. We made 'perfect' together, step by step, with our imperfections. I could say we were perfectly imperfect, and that was all we needed. It was only then, when I came to see that love was everything I had been through so far with him. At that moment I knew exactly what to reply.

I brought my attention back to the present and noticed his look still being on mine, his patience never-ending and he looked amazed by how much I had been thinking of his question. I let a smile, full of love, be formed on my lips, and I took a deep breath, savoring that moment between us. He was still playing with my hair as if losing physical contact with me would make the world end. Finally, my voice broke the calm silence of the room and gave him the answer he had been waiting for.

“Love to me is like handing you a loaded gun, pointed directly at my heart, and trusting you not to pull the trigger.” After my statement, a moment of complete silence followed, and all I could hear was my heart pounding in my chest. I don't remember with clarity what he answered or what happened next, but there was one thing I am certain about. And that is the feeling of his lips softly connecting with mine. Just like that, words and time were erased for the both of us. And I knew that no matter how hard things would get, neither of us would ever pull the trigger.

SHORT STORY

By Elisavet Strantza

It was raining outside and Alice was sitting by the windowsill, watching the raindrops fall on the pavement. A buzz sounded from her phone and the screen lit up, it was a text from her friend Anna. “Wanna go to a party at Jennie's place this Saturday?” Anna was asking. Alice thought about it for a moment but she decided to say yes.

Two days later ......

Alice was staring at her closet for almost an hour trying to decide what to wear at the party, she ended up going for a cute top and her favorite jeans. She called Anna to inform her she was about to leave, grabbed her keys and headed out. When she entered the party the first person she saw was Nick, he was wearing a blue t shirt, black jeans and he had his hair styled as usual, everyone said he was the most attractive guy in school but Alice never thought so, probably because they were really good friends. She said a quick hi to him and headed to the kitchen for a drink. She headed back to the living room to find her friends when all of a sudden a female figure appeared in front of her, she tripped and they fell together on the floor with both of their drinks spilled all over them.

“Oh, I'm really sorry I didn’t see you.”

Alice was stunned, the girl’s name was Emma, she knew that only because she had seen her interact with some of her friends a couple of times. Her long brown hair were a bit messy from the fall, but she was still gorgeous. She had green mesmerizing eyes and her lips were a dark pink shade. Alice couldn't take her eyes off of her, but she shyly replied.

“Em, it’s okay”

“No it’s not, let me help you get cleaned up.”

The girl led her to the bathroom.

“Here, let me help you.” Emma said while grabbing a towel and dabbing it to Alice’s face where she has spilled her drink. “You are Alice, right?”

“Yeah”

“Cool, I'm Emma. Hope I didn’t ruin your shirt or your makeup, though you are just as pretty as before.”

“Em, thanks”

None of them moved, you could feel the tension in the room, Emma's hand tucked a strand of hair behind Alice's face. They were staring deep into each other's eyes, they finally pulled back and smiled at each other.

“You are really pretty, just so you know.” Emma said.

“Thanks, you too” Alice was noticeably blushing and she looked to the ground.

“Wanna go back to the party?”

“Sure”

They stayed close to each other and talked for hours. Before heading home they exchanged numbers and 2 minutes after they said goodbye, a text appeared on Alice's phone, it was from Emma and it said “Can I take you out sometime:)?”

 

❤️❤️❤️

A dream come true

By Eleftheria kolovou

 

-"I'm telling you dude she felt so real. Ugh! You don't understand. You think that all this is a ridiculous but to me it's something that makes me feel whole..."

-"Yeah yeah, whatever you say buddy. But I do wonder why you're so fixated on such things, it's only a dream after all."

-And I keep telling you it's not just a dream it's reality everything in those dreams is real!

-Everyone quiet down! A loud chorus of 'yes' was heard and the teacher continued,

-"Today we have a new student so treat her with respect and did not soil our school's name." Following this, a girl entered the room. She had black hair and shiny purple eyes that looked like they were hiding an abyss behind them at the same time.

-Hello everyone my name is Lily. I hope that we can all be friends!

-Dude dude!

-Whisper or the teacher will hear us idiot! What is so important?

-T-That girl...

-What about her?

-She is the girl from my dreams!

-No way!

-There's no way I'm losing my chance. I'm going in. Having said that he walked up to her desk and asked, "Hey, um Lily right? Have we um, maybe met before?

-I think that you know this better than me mark.

-What?

-Mark sit down!

-Yes teach.

Later that night, a storm was brewing outside but Mark could think nothing but Lily. ' I know, I'll just go to sleep and meet her there  that way she will have no excuses.' He pulled the covers and within seconds he was out cold. He started walking forward, the same path he would take every night, and then stop under a sakura tree. The strange thing about this tree was that it was always blooming, no matter the season outside or his internal turmoil. But this night was different, the person that should have been standing under the tree like always, is nowhere  to be seen. 'Does that mean that my hunch was right?' "COME OUT, I KNOW YOU'RE THERE!' he shouted but the only thing he heard were the empty echoes of his own words.Mark had enough.

It has been three day since she came to his school and he never saw her again in his sleep. Show this time, he decided to take matters into his own hands.

-Okay everyone, don't forget to do your homework!

'There she is I'll wait till she in front of the janitor's room and then ill make my move.' 'Now's my chance!' Mark sprinted towards her and in an instant shoved her inside the closet. He held her hands firmly but at the same time gently.

-Now you can't escape me. Tell me the truth! The thing you said back then was the truth wasn't it?

-Ohh, someone looks like a puppy who has lost it's master, don't you now?

-Don't test me woman!

-Or what? You're going to hit me, choke me? Please Mark i know you better that anyone, even your own self. And i know that you are not capable of doing such monstrosities.

-So you admit it!

-I never denied it in the first place. So why did you seek me out like this?

-I-i-i-

-Please stop again bear to hear your stuttering anymore. I'm just teasing you. I already know why you're here.

-Really?!

-Yeah so hear you go. Lily stood on her tip toes and gave mark a fleeting miss on his lips. She started walking out but Mark grabbed her arm.

-Why?! Why would you kiss a stranger so easily?

-Stranger? Silly didn't I just tell you that I've known you for years? And, just how I've known you for that long, you have too, idiot.

-B-but still...

-Ughhh, you don't get it do you? Look down on your pinky.

-Huh? What abou- OH MY GOD!

-Get it now? Fate has given us a chance to live happily ever after just like in fairytales. Why? I don't know, but what i do know is that i have the person i love most, entwined with me by a thing that they call a 'red string of fate'. And that blessing alone is a dream come true.

-Anyways my number is in your pocket. Try to be less gullible and call me! She shouted as she skipped away. Mark's face turned into a tomato and he clenched his equally red hand where his heart is. 'Fairytale? Maybe this really is a fairytale. But even if that's the case this really is a dream come true'. And they all lived happily ever after...