Layla lay sprawled across her bed, phone in hand, staring at Liam's last message. "A maybe from you feels like a yes already." His words had a way of lingering in her head, echoing louder than they should.
She sighed, scrolling absently, before pressing Zara's name on her contacts. It took only a second for her friend to pick up.
"Someone sounds restless," Zara teased. "It's late. Why aren't you asleep?"
"I could ask you the same thing," Layla shot back. "But fine—you're right. I'm restless."
Zara giggled softly. "Let me guess… Liam?"
Layla groaned, burying her face into a pillow. "I hate how you always know."
"Because you're obvious," Zara replied without mercy. "So spill. What's he done this time? Another midnight surprise?"
"No," Layla said, hesitating. "He… he asked me out."
There was silence, then Zara's voice rose, playful but curious. "Wait, what? Like, a date date?"
"Dinner," Layla clarified quickly. "Just dinner. He promised no detours, no unexpected tricks."
"And this makes you nervous because…?"
"Because—" Layla sat up, fumbling for words. "Because last time we met, it was overwhelming. Fun, yes, but… I wasn't prepared. And now… dinner? I don't know if I should say yes."
Zara's laughter was warm. "Layla, he's asking you to dinner, not to sign a lifetime contract."
Layla frowned. "Easy for you to say. You don't know what it feels like… being afraid of letting someone in, then realizing maybe, just maybe, you want to."
Zara's tone softened, the teasing fading into comfort. "You've been through pain, Layla. I get it. But you can't live in the shadow of your past forever. If Liam is as patient as you say, then maybe—just maybe—dinner could be more than a meal. It could be a step."
Layla chewed on her lip, thinking. Zara was right, but fear still tugged at her chest.
"You think I should say yes?" she asked quietly.
"I think," Zara said firmly, "you should stop overthinking and let yourself breathe. If he makes you laugh the way you've been laughing these past days, if he makes you forget work stress the way you said he does, then… why not?"
Layla smiled faintly. "You're dangerously good at convincing people, you know."
"That's why you call me." Zara chuckled. "So… are you going to say yes?"
Layla sighed, a smile tugging at her lips despite herself. "I… might."
"Correction," Zara cut in, grinning through the phone. "You will."
After hanging up with Zara, Layla didn't send Liam a reply. She stared at the chat a dozen times that night, her fingers hovering over the keyboard, but each time she locked her phone and turned away.
The next morning, his message was waiting:
> Liam: Hope you slept well, sunshine.
She smiled at the nickname but left it unanswered. At work, she found herself rereading his words in stolen moments between tasks. Her heart itched to respond, but her mind whispered, Not yet.
Day one passed.
That evening, Liam sent another text:
> Liam: Long day? Don't overwork yourself, okay?
Still, Layla stayed silent. She wanted to see how much space he would allow her without complaint.
Day two came, and the ache of his absence pressed heavier than she expected. She caught herself scrolling back through their old conversations, laughing at old jokes, missing the lightness of his presence.
Yet Liam never pressed, never flooded her with question marks or accusations. He simply waited.
By the second night, Layla found herself whispering into the quiet room, "Why are you making it harder to resist you?"
She set the phone down on her nightstand, knowing tomorrow, she couldn't keep him waiting anymore.
And with that, she drifted into sleep, already crafting the words she would finally send.
Day three came.
Layla sat at her desk long after her colleagues had gone, the soft hum of the air conditioner filling the silence. Her phone buzzed again. She already knew who it was before even checking.
> Liam: Evening, Layla. I hope today didn't drain you too much. Don't forget to eat, please.
She exhaled slowly, her chest tightening. Three days of silence and still—still—his words were gentle. No blame. No demands. Just care.
Zara's words echoed in her head: "If he makes you laugh the way you've been laughing… why not?"
This time, she didn't overthink. She didn't lock her phone. She typed, her hands trembling slightly.
> Layla: Dinner. Yes.
Almost instantly, the typing dots appeared.
> Liam: You just made my week.
She laughed, shaking her head.
> Layla: I didn't even give you a day yet.
> Liam: Doesn't matter. Knowing you said yes is enough for now.
Layla leaned back in her chair, smiling to herself. For the first time, the idea of seeing him again didn't feel like a risk—it felt like possibility.
She whispered under her breath, as if confessing only to the room, "What are you doing to me, Liam?"
Almost late into the night, Liam decided to step out of his house to make inquiries about booking a space from one of the most expensive luxurious mall in town for the dinner date.
The coffee shop was buzzing with chatter when Liam spotted him—his oldest friend, Kareem, fresh off a flight from Europe. They embraced like brothers, the kind of hug that carried years of shared history, unspoken loyalty, and the relief of familiarity.
"You look different," Kareem said, sliding into the booth across from Liam. His accent carried traces of Paris now, smooth and confident. "Lighter. Happier. Did you finally win the lottery?"
Liam chuckled, stirring his coffee. "Not exactly. But… something like it."
Kareem's eyes narrowed. "Ah. A woman."
Liam didn't deny it. Instead, his lips curved into a smile he couldn't hide. "Her name's Layla."
Kareem raised his brows, leaning forward like a man about to hear the juiciest story. "So tell me about this Layla who managed to crack the shell of Liam-the-stonehearted."
"She wasn't supposed to," Liam admitted, his voice quieter now. "She made me wait. Three days before saying yes to dinner. But when she finally did…" He trailed off, shaking his head with a grin. "It felt like winning something I didn't know I was competing for."
Kareem laughed. "I leave for a few years and suddenly you're a poet? What's happening to you, man?"
Liam smirked, but his eyes softened. "She's… different. She's cautious, sometimes distant. Her past has scarred her. But she's also smart, funny, stubborn in the most fascinating way. And when she smiles, Kareem… I swear it's like the rest of the world fades."
Kareem leaned back, whistling low. "I never thought I'd see this day. You've met hundreds of women, but this one? She sounds like the only one who ever made you nervous."
"She does," Liam admitted. "And that's exactly why I can't let this dinner be ordinary. I need her to feel… safe with me. But also to see that I'm serious."
Kareem grinned knowingly. "So, what's the plan?"
Liam's eyes sparkled. "You'll see. Just know… it won't be dinner as usual."