The small shop near the school was already crowded when they arrived. Students filled almost every table. Some were laughing loudly near the window, while others stood in line at the counter, trying to decide what to order. The smell of warm bread and fried food filled the room.
Ioana pushed the door open first. "Come on," she said, glancing over her shoulder. "If we're lucky, there might still be a free table."
Viviana followed her inside, with Luka right behind her. The noise didn't bother Viviana. In fact… she liked it.
For a long time after the accident, places like this had made her uncomfortable—too many conversations she couldn't join, too many voices she couldn't answer. But today felt different. Today she wasn't alone.
She could feel Luka's calm presence in her mind.
"You look happy," Luka's voice said softly in her thoughts.
Viviana smiled a little as they walked toward the counter. I am.
"Because of lunch?" he teased.
Maybe. A small pause. Mostly because of you.
Luka didn't answer immediately, but she could feel the quiet warmth of his reaction.
Ioana was already studying the menu above the counter like it was a serious mission. "Okay," she said dramatically. "This is the hardest decision of the day." She pointed upward. "Chicken sandwich." Then another. "Ham sandwich." Then another. "And the dangerous one."
Viviana tilted her head.
Ioana pointed directly at the cheese sandwich. "That one."
Viviana took out her phone and typed quickly. Why is it dangerous?
Ioana sighed like someone who had suffered greatly. "Because cheese is my enemy."
Viviana frowned slightly. You don't like cheese?
Ioana gasped like she had been insulted. "LIKE cheese? I LOVE cheese." Then she sighed again. "But my body hates it."
Viviana looked confused.
Ioana leaned closer and lowered her voice. "I'm allergic to milk."
Viviana's eyes widened slightly.
Ioana nodded. "Milk, cheese, butter, ice cream… all of it."
Viviana typed again. That sounds difficult.
Ioana shrugged. "You get used to it." Then she smiled a little. "But I discovered it in a very stupid way."
Viviana immediately looked curious. What happened?
Ioana laughed softly. "Fourth grade." She raised one finger. "Pizza day at school."
Viviana already had a bad feeling about this story.
Ioana continued. "I ate two big slices of pizza. Because I thought nothing would happen." She paused. "Thirty minutes later… I was in the nurse's office and my parents had to come pick me up."
Viviana covered her mouth with her hand, trying not to laugh.
Ioana laughed too. "My mom was not impressed."
Luka chuckled quietly beside them.
Ioana pointed at him. "Hey, don't laugh. It was traumatic."
"You survived," Luka said calmly.
"Barely."
Finally, they ordered their food. Viviana chose a small sandwich and lemonade. Luka ordered a chicken sandwich and juice. Ioana chose a salad and a drink, carefully checking the ingredients.
When their trays arrived, they found a small table near the window. Sunlight fell softly across the table, and outside students walked past the shop, talking and laughing.
Ioana sat down first. "Okay," she said happily. "Now we can actually talk."
Viviana smiled and took out her phone. Ioana watched her fingers move quickly across the screen. "You type really fast."
Viviana shrugged slightly and showed the screen. Practice.
Ioana nodded slowly. "I guess that makes sense."
For a moment they ate quietly, but it wasn't uncomfortable silence. It was calm.
Then Ioana suddenly asked, "So… how did you two meet?"
Viviana and Luka both paused for a second. Viviana typed: At the hospital.
Ioana blinked. "The hospital?"
Viviana nodded. Check-up.
Ioana looked at them curiously. "That sounds like the beginning of a movie."
Luka smiled faintly. "Just a coincidence."
Ioana rested her chin on her hand. "Life is full of coincidences."
Viviana felt Luka's voice again in her mind. She's very curious.
Yes, Viviana answered. But she seems nice.
"Maybe," Luka said quietly.
Ioana took another bite of her salad and pointed her fork toward Viviana. "So you're good at math."
Viviana nodded.
Ioana groaned immediately. "I hate math." She leaned back dramatically. "Numbers and I have a complicated relationship."
Viviana typed. But you must be good at something.
Ioana smiled proudly. "I'm good at art." She pointed to her bag. "I draw a lot."
Viviana's eyes lit up. Really?
Ioana nodded. "Mostly characters. And sometimes teachers."
Luka raised an eyebrow. "Teachers?"
Ioana grinned. "Caricatures."
Viviana laughed silently.
Then she typed again. Are they good?
Ioana shrugged. "My friends say yes." Then she pointed at Viviana's phone. "What about you? Besides being good at math."
Viviana thought for a moment and typed: I like reading. And music.
Ioana nodded approvingly. "Same." Then she pointed at Luka. "What about you?"
"I like sports," Luka said. "And I draw a little."
Ioana looked impressed. "Wait… you draw too?"
Luka shrugged. "A little."
Ioana leaned forward with interest. "Okay… now I'm curious."
Viviana smiled.
The conversation continued easily—music, movies, funny stories from school. For the first time in a long time, Viviana felt like a normal teenager having lunch with friends.
No strange looks. No uncomfortable silence. No feeling of being left behind. Just laughter and simple conversations.
And in a quiet way, Luka felt something similar. Before Viviana, his world had been very small—school, home, hospital visits, sometimes sports practice.
He had friends, yes, but conversations were often slow. People got tired of repeating things, and some stopped trying after a while. Silence followed him everywhere. He had learned to live with it.
But now it was different.
Since the day he met Viviana, something had changed. For the first time in years, he didn't feel separated from the world. With her, conversations were effortless, natural, alive.
He didn't have to read lips. He didn't have to guess words. He simply understood her. And somehow… that made the silence disappear. Not completely. But enough.
Luka looked at Viviana for a moment while Ioana was telling a story about a teacher who once fell asleep during class. Viviana laughed silently, covering her mouth with her hand.
For a second, Luka remembered the hospital hallway where they had first met—the confusion, the impossible moment when he heard her thoughts. Back then it had felt unreal. Now it felt… normal.
Viviana suddenly looked at him. Their eyes met.
What? she asked in his mind.
Luka smiled slightly. Nothing. A pause. I'm just glad I met you.
Viviana felt warmth spread through her chest. Me too.
Ioana noticed this more than once, but she didn't say anything. Not yet.
Luka, however, was watching. Not obviously—just carefully. Something about Ioana caught his attention. Small things. The way she sometimes looked at both of them when they weren't speaking.
The way her eyes moved between them during those quiet moments, as if she were trying to understand something. Not exactly suspicious. Just… observant.
Still, Luka kept that thought to himself. He didn't say anything to Viviana. He didn't want to worry her. But in the back of his mind, a small question remained.
Why is she watching us so carefully?
Viviana suddenly felt Luka's voice again in her mind. Are you having fun?
She smiled softly. Yes.
Good. A small pause. You deserve normal days too.
Viviana felt warmth in her chest. For a moment she simply looked at him, then quickly typed something and showed the screen to both of them.
I'm glad I met you.
Luka smiled softly.
Ioana looked between them and smiled too. "Well," she said, "you two are actually adorable."
Viviana blushed a little.
And for the first time in a long time… she didn't feel like the quiet girl who couldn't speak.
She felt like Viviana again.