The walk home from the café felt strangely quiet, but not the uncomfortable kind—more like both of them were thinking the same thing and neither knew how to start. The sun was low, painting the street in warm gold, and every so often their shoulders brushed. Each time it happened, Alex's pulse jumped.
They reached the point where their paths split. Usually they said quick goodbyes here. Today, Mia didn't move.
She shifted her weight, her phone looped in her fingers."Hey… can we talk for a sec?"
Alex nodded, trying to seem calm even though his stomach had instantly flipped.
Mia glanced down, then back up."You've been… different lately," she said quietly. "Not in a bad way. Just… quieter. And when I talk, you look like you're hearing more than what I'm saying."
Alex swallowed. "That's because I am."
Her eyes softened, curious. She stepped a little closer—not dramatic, just enough that Alex could smell the faint strawberry scent of her shampoo.
"I didn't want to assume anything," she admitted. "But I needed to know if I was imagining it."
"You're not imagining it," Alex said, and even though his voice shook a little, he didn't look away. "I… care about you. A lot. More than I expected to."
Mia let out a small breath, like she'd been holding it for weeks.
"Good," she said. "Because I care about you too."
There was a silence, not awkward—more like relief settling between them. Alex felt lighter than he had in months.
Mia looked toward her street, then back at him."We don't have to label anything right now," she said. "But I like… where we're heading. And I want to take it slow. Make sure it feels right."
Alex nodded quickly. "Yeah. Slow is good. No rush."
She smiled, and something about that smile made the whole day fall into place.
"Walk me to my door?" she asked.
"Yeah," he said, feeling warmth bloom in his chest.
They walked side by side, not touching, but every step felt like a beginning.