Per Aspera Ad Astra

Some stories stay with us longer than the people who were in them. Some feelings linger long after the relationship that caused them has faded. This is a story about how first crushes don’t always bring joy — sometimes they bring a mirror to the wounds we’re not ready to face.

Markus wasn’t just a boy. He was my first confusion. My first big question mark. I met him through a friend, and even in the beginning, I sensed something both magnetic and unsettling about him. I was cautious, yet full of hope. Hope that this could be something that leads me closer to love.

At first, everything felt gentle — small gestures, glances, quiet texts. My heart raced when he looked at me. But even then, there was something in the air that made me doubt — why would someone who calls you special also be the one to hurt you when you’re most vulnerable?

My friend’s warnings were gentle but clear: “You’re too good for him.”
But I didn’t listen. I wanted to believe that love could change people.