One evening, she sat alone in her room, the weight of her thoughts weighing heavily on her. She reached for her diary and began to write: "Why do I feel so different? Why can't I just be happy? Lukas brings light into my life, but I'm afraid of losing him."
After writing, she felt a little better. The words helped her sort out her thoughts and ward off the darkness a little. But things didn't get any easier at school. Max wouldn't let up and seemed particularly intent on humiliating her in front of her classmates.
One lunchtime in the cafeteria, Lina was sitting at the table with her few friends when Max suddenly appeared. "Well, look, little Paulina has finally dared to eat with others!" he shouted loudly, drawing the attention of everyone present. Lina immediately felt small and vulnerable.
"Leave me alone, Max," she murmured, while her friends remained uncomfortably silent.
"What? You don't want to talk to me? You know I can help you get rid of your sadness. Maybe a few jokes about your bedroom wallpaper?" His words were sharp and hurtful.
The others laughed, and Lina felt her cheeks heat. She tried to pull herself together, but tears burned behind her eyes. "I don't want to talk to you, Max. You're not funny," she replied quietly, determined to keep her composure.
He grinned at her. "You only say that because you know I'm right. Maybe you should check out the forest; there's a lot to laugh about there."
His laughter echoed in her head as he turned around and returned to his friends. She felt humiliated and alone. It was hard to escape the coldness of his words.
After school, Lina walked home, lost in thought. The memories of Max haunted her, and the sadness he brought up was overwhelming. She thought of Lukas and the positive moments she'd shared with him, but Max's shadow was still present.
Once home, she locked herself in her room and tried to distract herself by listening to her favorite music. But the tunes couldn't completely banish the pain. She reached for her phone and scrolled through the messages when she saw one from Lukas. "Hey, how was your day? I hope you had a good time!"
A smile spread across her face as she read the message. "It was okay until Max started again," she typed back, wondering if she should tell him more.
"I can't tell you how many times I've wanted to kick him," Lukas replied. "If he continues to treat you like this, tell me. I can take care of him."
Lina chuckled as she read his words. The idea that Lukas would fight for her brought a sense of security. "Thank you, Lukas. You really are the best," she wrote back.
"I'm always here for you," he replied, and Lina felt a warm glow of happiness rise within her.
That evening, she resolved to leave behind the dark thoughts about Max and the constant doubts about her own worthiness. Perhaps it was time not only to be guided by Lukas's light, but also to find the courage to fight the shadows in her life.
In the days that followed, Lina tried to focus on herself. She began to organize her thoughts and take steps to overcome her fears. She found comfort in her journal and regularly wrote about her feelings. "I want to learn to love myself, no matter what others say," she wrote one evening.
And then, on a sunny Saturday, she had another appointment planned with Lukas. They met in a small park, full of life and color. When she saw him smiling and waiting on a bench, she felt her worries fade into the background for a moment.
"Hey, Lina! I'm so glad you're here!" he called as she approached him.
"Thanks for coming! It feels good to be outside," she replied, sitting down next to him.
"Yes, I love this park. It's a perfect place to relax," he said, starting to play with a small stone in front of him.
"I like being here too. It gives me a sense of freedom," she confessed, feeling as if she could breathe a little more easily around him.
They talked about their favorite places and future plans, and as they laughed, Lina felt that she might be able to conquer the shadows in her life—at least for the moment.
The weeks passed, and with each meeting, Lina felt more connected to Lukas. He seemed able to banish her dark thoughts for a while, and she enjoyed the time they spent together. But at school, Max's shadow remained ever-present.
It was Monday morning, and while Lina was having breakfast in the cafeteria, she noticed Max standing across the room. He was surrounded by his friends, but his gaze was fixed on her. A feeling of unease came over her. She tried to concentrate, but the uncomfortable feeling of being watched wouldn't leave her.
"What's wrong, Lina? You look like you saw a ghost," one of her friends asked. She shrugged. "Nothing, just Max," she mumbled, glancing in his direction. He grinned mockingly, and she immediately felt uncomfortable.
"Don't let him bother you," her friend said, but it didn't help. Max had a special way of creeping into her mind and reminding her of her insecurities.
During class, Lina couldn't concentrate on the material. She kept thinking about Max's words and the way he repeatedly humiliated her. The thought that he might be in love with her didn't make things any easier. What if he was just out to make her life miserable because he wasn't getting what he wanted?
That afternoon, when school was over, Lina just wanted to go home. She didn't want to be confronted with Max or his hurtful remarks. But as she left the school building, she noticed Max standing right behind her.
"Hey, Paulina!" he called as she turned around. "Why are you so rushed? Are you afraid I'll hurt you?"
His smile was arrogant, and Lina felt her stomach tighten. "I don't have time for you, Max. Leave me alone," she replied, trying to ignore him as she quickly moved on.
"Oh, come on! I just wanted to ask how you're doing with your new boyfriend. Lukas, right? Do you think he's really interested in you?" His voice was mocking, and she felt her anger rising.
"I don't need your opinion, Max," she cut him off, walking faster. "You don't know him and you don't know me. What do you know?"
"I know you better than you think," he called after her, but she didn't want to hear it.
When she got home, she closed the door behind her and leaned against it. The confrontation with Max had dampened her spirits, and she knew she had to retreat back to her room. She picked up her diary and wrote: "Max is driving me crazy. I wish he would just go away. Sometimes I wonder if he's really in love with me or if he just has the urge to hurt me."
After writing down her thoughts, she felt a little better, but Max's constant presence in her life was like a shadow that wouldn't go away. She wanted to focus on Lukas, but Max's insecurities and nagging held her back.
The next day, she wanted to talk to Lukas about her feelings. Maybe he could help her overcome this constant fear and insecurity. But she knew she had to be careful. If she talked too much about Max, Lukas might think she wasn't strong enough to defend herself.
At the café where she had arranged to meet Lukas, she felt nervous. When she saw him already waiting for her, some of her fears disappeared. "Hey, Lina! How was your day?" he asked with a smile that warmed her heart.
"It was... exhausting," she replied, sitting down across from him. "But I'm glad to be here."
"Me too," he said, looking at her. There was so much understanding in his eyes that Lina briefly decided to put her worries aside.
As they talked and laughed, she noticed how much Lukas could calm her thoughts and feelings. But as she leaned back and watched him gesture with his hands, the thought of Max crept back into her mind. She couldn't just leave everything behind.
When they finally returned to school, she felt a little more secure, but the fears remained. She had to find a way to deal with Max while not losing the light that Lukas brought into her life. The thought of opening up to Lukas was frightening, but perhaps it was the only way to banish the shadows.
In the days that followed, Lina tried to push away her thoughts about Max and the constant doubts. She knew Lukas was there for her, even if his help didn't involve romantic feelings. It was still nice to have someone who understood and supported her.
School, however, was becoming increasingly stressful. Max seemed to enjoy provoking her again and again. Whether it was in the hallways or the cafeteria, he always found a way to target her. One day, as Lina sat at her desk doing her homework, she noticed Max watching her from across the room. He was sitting there with his friends, a smug grin on his face.
"Look at poor Paulina. Do you think she can even smile anymore?" Max shouted across the table. The laughter of his friends echoed through the room, and Lina lowered her head to fight the tears welling up in her eyes.
"Why are you doing this, Max? What do you get out of it?" she murmured quietly to herself. But deep down, she knew it wasn't about her. It was his need to exert power over others, and Lina was his preferred target.
As the school day drew to a close, she felt the darkness closing in on her again. All she wanted to do was go home, but the thought of what awaited her there—her mother, who was often unfair and harsh—made her hesitate. She needed a break, something to help her clear her head.
A quick glance at her phone confirmed she had a message from Lukas. "Hey Lina, how are things going? Want to hang out later?"
A small smile crept onto her face. "Yes, I'd love to come," she typed back. The opportunity to meet him gave her a small glimmer of hope. It was a moment of escape from her reality.
Later that evening, they met in a small park. Lina always felt more comfortable with Lukas, even when she knew his intentions were purely platonic. "How was your day?" he asked as they sat on a bench, the sun slowly setting.
"It's been... difficult," Lina confessed, sighing. "Max doesn't make it easy for me. I don't understand why he always has to be so mean to me."
Lukas looked at her seriously. "I'm sorry you're going through this. You deserve to be respected, Lina. Don't let him bring you down."
"I'm trying," she replied, feeling encouraged by his words. But deep down, she knew it wouldn't be easy to ignore Max's constant attacks.
"I admire your strength," Lukas said gently. "You're much stronger than you think. Don't let his words hurt you. I believe in you."
The warmth in his words gave Lina a moment of hope, but as she looked at him, she realized he didn't feel for her the way she secretly wished he did. It wasn't the romantic connection she had hoped for, but more of a friendship that helped keep her from sinking.
Still, she didn't want to give up. She didn't want Max to beat her. "Thank you, Lukas. It means a lot to me that you're here," she said, smiling.
That night, as she walked home, she felt a little stronger. She knew she still had a long way to go, but with Lukas by her side, she didn't feel quite so alone.
The light in her life was dim, but it was there. And she was determined not to let it go out, no matter how challenging the darkness might become.