Lila felt a pang of sympathy for him. She wondered what he was running away from, and what had hurt him so much.
She reached out and touched his arm gently.
“Hey, you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to, but I’m here if you need someone to talk to,” she said.
He looked at her again, and she saw a flicker of emotion in his eyes. He smiled faintly.
“Thanks,” he said.
They stared at each other for a few seconds, feeling a connection that they couldn’t explain. Then, he leaned in and kissed her softly.
Lila was surprised, but she didn’t resist. She kissed him back, feeling a surge of warmth and excitement. She wrapped her arms around him, and he pulled her closer.
They kissed for a long time, oblivious to the world around them. They only stopped when they heard someone coughing nearby.
They turned and saw the other volunteers looking at them with amusement and curiosity. They blushed and quickly moved apart.
“Sorry,” Jake muttered.
Lila smiled sheepishly.