After classes I came back to the hall, trying to find Eric in the crowd of running out of college students. I saw him talking to a girl from the other group. I was afraid to come up to him, but I did it. Their conversation stopped and I apologized for it.

   "Excuse me, Eric" said I. "Are you going? I've been waiting for you."

   He began to stutter as soon as he noticed me. Eric told the girl that he had to go. I smiled at her, but she looked at me in a weird way.

   "I am", he whispered. "I'm free".

   The walk was adorable. We were laughing a lot, when I was making some funny jokes. Eric was telling me stories from his past and asking me about my own life. I couldn't help telling him about my friends. I thought after my speech he knew almost everything. He repeated he was interested in my previous life so often that later I thought it wasn't the truth.

   "Is Eva your best friend?" Eric questioned and I was confused that he hadn't learnt it yet.

   "Yes, she is! Haven't you heard me?" I behaved impolitely.

   "I have. I've just decided to ask about it again."

   "We have been close friends since I went to school for the first time."

   "Uh-huh. I've seen her at college."

   I didn't find out why he had asked me that and what he wanted to know, but I noticed our conversation was a little bit boring. I offered him to call Eva to suggest joining our walk. I remembered she wanted to get acquainted with the newbie very much. So, was it a perfect chance to do it? I hoped she wouldn't refuse.

   Eric nodded with no pleasure when he heard my idea. But I understood that the silence was his positive answer. I found «Eva» in the contacts of my phone and pressed the call button. After some long buzzes she was on the line.

   "Hi, darling!" I exclaimed.
  
   "Hi, Sophie!"

   "What about walking with Eric right now?"

   "Sorry, what?" she didn't understand what person I meant. "What are you getting at?"

   "Do you remember the newbie from the vocal faculty? He has helped me today and I am showing him around our town. Would you like to join us?"

   She yelled out. Fortunately, Eric didn't hear that.

   We met Eva near her house. The streetlights were being turned on as it was getting dark, but my watch showed me that it wasn't so late. Eva was glad to talk to the guy and I could see she liked him. They looked cute together. I tried to stand somewhere farther from them not to interfere with their conversation. I couldn't find out if Eric liked her too. The lucky end of the day was the sight of Chinese lanterns in the sky in the shape of different hearts and stars. We were looking mind-bendingly at that miracle and imagining they were real falling stars. I wished to find love that year. As soon as Eva looked at me, I saw in her eyes she wished the same thing.

   To finish perfectly that amazing evening we went to a pub in our street. The smiles on our faces proved that Eva was happy and I was happy for her too. Was it all we needed? I was hesitating, but I thought yes.