Room

Mateusz and I met in our first year of high school. However, we never chatted during breaks or went to parties together. He always helped me if I asked, but that was all. At the end of the school year, we were offered a summer camp. The only condition was that 33 of our 36 classmates go. Fortunately, we managed to gather a good group. We were to stay in double and triple rooms. When we finally arrived, we were planning our activities. When the keys were handed out at the reception desk, we discovered there was no triple room, only a double. I knew Magda and Ola wanted to be together, so I gave up, but… a boy was supposed to join me… After long discussions, Mateusz was chosen. I was so shocked I didn't know what to say. As we went upstairs, I was devastated. We entered. The room was quite small. We had one advantage: a bathroom. We unpacked in silence. Only after a while did Mateusz whisper, "At least we'll get to know each other better." After a few minutes, there was a knock and they said dinner was ready. We went downstairs for dinner in silence. Discussions continued in the cafeteria. They mainly talked about me sleeping with a guy, and the girls' imaginations immediately went wild. I wanted to end the conversation and finally asked, "Is Mateusz any different, that you're talking about us like that?" That's when the discussion started.

"You know!" The girls became outraged. "He's one of the most handsome guys in the class!" They said it as if it were obvious. After lunch, we had free time. I went to the shower. I didn't want to leave, I felt so good... so many hours on the bus and finally a moment of rest. I heard someone calling from the room, "Ewa, can I come in?"

"Of course," I shouted. I heard the door gently open and after a few seconds, the water running... He must be washing up, I thought.

"Mateusz, will you hand me a towel?" I asked.

"Of course," he replied, but it was very shy. He knocked on the door and, turning sideways, handed it to me. I wanted to laugh when I saw his shyness

. There was a disco that evening, but I didn't feel like going. I decided to take a walk. I sat down near the resort, right by the lake, and admired the sunset. Suddenly, I heard footsteps behind me. I got scared. I was close to the resort, but there was a disco, and no one would have heard me. Someone put their hands on my shoulders—don't be nervous, it's just me.

After a while, they sat down next to me, and only then did I look at the person. It was Mateusz.

"What are you doing here?" I was surprised. I thought he'd rather be partying than admiring the sunset. He didn't say anything, just muttered, "Beautiful sunset." As time passed, it started to get chilly. Mateusz must have noticed, because he took off his sweatshirt and draped it over my shoulders. I put it on immediately.

- How did you know I was cold? - I asked very quietly.

"Your hands... were shaking," he replied in a whisper. "Although no one was there, we spoke in whispers." After a moment of silence, Mateusz whispered: "I want to tell you something..." Unfortunately, he didn't get to say what he meant, because his friends came and practically started shouting at us: "Where have you been? Haven't you told anyone? We were worried about you?" They looked at me strangely when they saw me in Mateusz's sweater. That day, I didn't find out what he wanted to tell me.

The next day, we had a game. The girls wrote notes to the guys they liked, and vice versa. Two people distributed the notes. Two days later, the solution was supposed to be announced. Of the 80 residents of the center, I received 8... During my stay, I gained trust in Mateusz and read the notes in his presence. I rejected 6 immediately. One note read: "We've only known each other for a short time, but since arriving here, I've felt something for you. I'm not indifferent to you. I'd like to get to know you better. Shy." I received notes every few hours. They were nice and I read them with pleasure. In the evening, I looked for Mateusz. I found him in one of the guys' rooms. Magda was with them. Mateusz was writing something, but he stopped immediately when I entered. I tried to get them to tell me who it was, but they fell silent, and I got no answers. In the evening, there was a bonfire. I had a great time. We roasted sausages, sang, and danced. Even though everyone was having a good time, you could feel the tension growing. Tomorrow was supposed to be the outcome of the party. The next day, everyone was nervous. I was calm, although I was curious about who Shy was. That evening, the solution came. Shy didn't show up. Magda must have known who he was because she told me: "He said he'd definitely come."

I nodded and went to my room. I took a bath and decided to go to bed. I was lying there reading a book when an angry Mateusz came in. I didn't ask anything. "If he wants to, he'll tell me what happened," I thought. After a long moment, furious, with his back to me, sitting on the bed, he said, "I ruined everything!" I didn't know what he'd ruined, but I guess I didn't want to ask. "My mom's in the hospital, she broke her leg," he continued after a moment. I could see he was devastated. I got out of bed and hugged him from behind. I was supposed to do something, but I didn't have time over the phone...

"What?" I tried to gently coax him into speaking.

"First of all, I'm Shy, and secondly, I live in the country." I think he was waiting for an answer... I could feel his heart racing...

"So what?" I tried to figure out what he meant.

He looked at me and asked seriously, "Doesn't that bother you?"

"Was it supposed to?" I asked, surprised.

From that evening on, everything changed. We held hands, hugged. Last evening Mateusz whispered: I wish it could always be like this and that it wouldn't be ruined when we came back...

That's when we kissed for the first time

"It won't," I whispered. And it isn't.