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Have You Ever Found a Compliment in Words Not Said?
Sometimes a comfortable silence is the biggest compliment of all
We met in our bedroom.
I mean, we met for the first time in the place we both considered our bedroom.
In fact, he slept on top of me.
This isn’t sounding any better, is it? Let me explain.
Back then, it was perfectly normal to have shared gender dorms in the backpacker hostels. I wonder if this is still prevalent today?
Anyway, I was working and traveling my way around New Zealand. I stayed put for a few weeks in Auckland, to save a bit of money before continuing my adventures.
Stefan was a bit older than me. He was moving his life from South Africa to New Zealand. He had a month to bide his time before his girlfriend joined him. They both had jobs to go to, and a home to create.
I was pining for my long-distance romance. Stefan was alone with time on his hands.
I was gregarious, boisterous, and still immature in my ways. He was cool, calm, and modest. His words were carefully crafted with sincerity and humor. There was an air of authentic confidence surrounding him- it was captivating.
