Malik asked to take her to lunch.
Just lunch.
Not a date.
No pressure. No prophetic declarations.
Just two people. Jollof rice. And conversation.
Angela said yes.
But the moment she agreed, her chest tightened.
---
The day arrived.
She dressed simple.
Baggy jeans. Soft pink tee.
Clear lip gloss.
Nothing screaming "I'm here for love."
Tamara tried to hype her.
> "Babe you look like Proverbs 31 and Galatians 5 combined."
Angela chuckled. "Don't start."
But inside, she wasn't laughing.
Her palms were sweaty.
Not from excitement.
From fear.
---
At lunch, Malik was… perfect.
Not performing.
Not over-talking.
Not quoting ten Scriptures to impress her.
Just him.
> "I'm glad you came," he said, passing her a bottle of water.
"I've been wanting to know the Angela behind the fire. Not the Angela the internet praises."
Angela smiled.
But her heart was loud.
"What if he changes?"
"What if I disappoint him?"
"What if I fall… again?"
---
He talked about law school, growing up with sisters, and how he once failed Greek in Bible school.
> "It humbled me," he said. "Made me realize I was building a pulpit with no depth."
Angela laughed — genuinely.
For a second, her walls dropped.
But then… he reached for her hand.
Just gently.
Softly.
Without pressure.
Her body tensed.
Flashback.
Peter's fingers during devotions.
How something so holy… turned into something so confusing.
She pulled back.
> "I… I'm sorry," she said.
Malik blinked. "Did I do something wrong?"
Angela shook her head.
"No. You've done everything right.
I'm just… I'm scared of what comes next when things start feeling good."
He nodded.
Didn't flinch.
> "Angela.
You don't owe me comfort.
You don't owe me trust.
I'm not here to fix your triggers.
I just want to be safe space until you realize love doesn't have to hurt.
---
Angela didn't respond.
But a tear rolled.
She didn't wipe it.
She let it fall.
Because for the first time…
She wasn't crying over Peter.
She was grieving the girl who stopped believing love could be soft.
---
Later that night, she journaled:
> "Healing is not sexy.
It's messy. It's awkward.
But today?
I let someone love me through the fear.
I didn't run.
I didn't perform.
I just… stayed.
Maybe that's enough for now."