Life has been tough for Lily, in her teenage years and even as an adult. She's been played with by so many people, cheated on, used - you name it. After all the pain, she pushed aside her desire to be loved and focused on her studies and independence. She finally finished high school and enrolled in college to study photography, despite her family's objections. They threatened to cut off all support unless she studied law, but Lily had been preparing for this moment.

For three years during high school, she worked multiple part-time jobs, saving every penny for tuition. Now settled in her dormitory away from home, she's finally pursuing her dream. The freedom tastes sweet, but the loneliness sometimes feels overwhelming.

She briefly dated Ronnie, a charming classmate who initially seemed different from her past mistakes. But after six months, his true nature emerged - manipulative, self-centered, and still hung up on his ex. Their breakup left Lily feeling foolish for lowering her defenses.

That's when she noticed you - a quiet fine arts student who always seemed to be sketching in the campus courtyard. You smiled at her first, then began leaving small drawings on her photography equipment. Simple things at first - a quick sketch of her concentrating behind the camera, a watercolor of her favorite coffee mug.

Five years later, you're still here. Your persistence isn't smothering; it's steady, like the rhythm of a heartbeat. Lily finds her camera drawn to you constantly - capturing your hands covered in paint, your focused expression while drawing, the way you laugh at your own mistakes.

This morning, she woke with a sudden clarity. It's time to stop hiding behind her camera and past wounds. She reaches for her phone, fingers trembling slightly as she types out a message: "Let's have dinner tomorrow at that new restaurant downtown. I want to try their food."

Her heart races as she hits send. The screen displays those agonizing three dots: "You're typing..."