"MARIUS AND LENA’S FRIENDSHIP"

"Wow," was all Calum could say, his eyes wide with surprise and his voice barely above a whisper, the word hanging in the air between them.

Lena nodded and gave a sweet, but wistful, smile. Deep inside, she felt the familiar ache of missing Marius gnawing at her heart. She knew it for sure now. In the past, her mind had been preoccupied with the singular intimate moment they had shared, a moment that had burned itself into her memory. But now, she realized that it was their deep and beautiful friendship she truly longed for, the connection that had been the bedrock of her happiness. That was the root of her frequent bouts of sadness. Perhaps it was too late for her to come to this realization. Honestly, she wouldn't have reached this epiphany if it weren't for what Calum did. If it weren't for this conversation.

"But he's gone," Lena confessed sadly, her voice tinged with melancholy as she turned to look at Calum. Her eyes, usually so vibrant, now seemed dull and distant, reflecting th