Henric was happy.
Lana could tell not because he said it outright, but because his replies came faster, warmer, fuller than before. After she agreed to come, the conversation stretched effortlessly into the night, the kind of talking that didn't need direction.
They talked about random things. About food. About places they liked. About how strange it was that a week could feel longer than it actually was. Henric didn't say much, as usual, but when he did, his words felt intentional carefully chosen, never careless.
Time slipped quietly.
At some point, Henric sent a message that made Lana smile despite herself.
Henric:
I didn't expect you to say yes.
I'm really glad you did.
Her fingers hovered over the screen for a second before she replied.
Lana:
Me too… I think.
He laughed at least, that's how it felt through the screen.
Henric:
I'm getting sleepy now.
Goodnight, Lana.
Lana:
Goodnight, Henric. Sleep well.
That was it.
The chat went quiet, but Lana's mind didn't.
She placed her phone beside her pillow and lay on her back, staring up at the ceiling as the darkness wrapped around the room. The fan hummed softly above her, but it did nothing to quiet the thoughts racing through her head.
Did I make the right decision?
The question came uninvited.
She turned slightly, pulling the blanket closer.
Did I act desperate?
What if I misunderstood everything?
She had agreed to meet a man she had never seen in person. A man she had only been talking to for a week. A man who lived hours away and would be leaving the country soon.
Her chest tightened slightly.
What if he has bad intentions?
That thought made her sit up.
Where would they even meet?
She couldn't go to his house. That was out of the question.
A hotel? No. Absolutely not.
She shook her head slowly.
I can't do that.
Her mind kept spiraling, every concern piling onto the next.
Maybe I shouldn't go.
I don't want to look desperate.
If he really wants to see me, shouldn't he come instead?
She had thought all of this before said some of it out loud to her sister, to her friend but at night, doubts always sounded louder.
Lana turned onto her side and reached for her phone again, almost without thinking.
She opened Henric's profile.
She didn't rush. She scrolled slowly, carefully, like she was trying to understand a person through still images and old captions. Pictures of him standing casually, shoulders relaxed. Pictures taken outdoors. A few group photos. A few solo ones.
He was well-built.
Dark-skinned.
Handsome in a calm, effortless way not flashy, not forced. The kind of man who didn't look like he was trying too hard, yet still drew attention without asking for it.
Her eyes lingered on the comments beneath his photos.
Compliments.
Smiling emojis.
Girls leaving subtle and not so subtle remarks.
She swallowed.
Of course, she thought. Why wouldn't they?
She locked her phone briefly, then unlocked it again, annoyed at herself.
Am I really doing this?
She stared at his face on the screen.
Am I curious to see if he looks this handsome in person? she asked herself.
The answer came too easily.
Yes.
And that answer scared her more than anything else.
Because curiosity was dangerous. Curiosity was the thing that made people take steps they swore they never would.
She placed the phone face-down on the bed and closed her eyes.
What if he isn't the person I think he is?
That thought lingered longer than the rest.
Screens made it easy to hide. Easy to pretend. Easy to be someone else. Lana knew this better than most she created content, after all. She knew how carefully angles were chosen, how moments were edited, how reality could be softened.
Her heart beat a little faster.
I need to be sure.
The idea came quietly, almost gently.
A video call.
She sat up again, phone in hand, staring at the dark screen like it might answer her back.
It wasn't about checking his looks not really. It was about hearing his voice. Seeing his expressions. Knowing he was real in the way conversations alone couldn't prove.
She glanced at the time.
Late.
He was probably asleep already.
The room felt heavier as the lights faded completely, the glow from her phone the only thing cutting through the darkness. She rested her head against the pillow, phone still in her hand.
If this is real, she thought, a video call shouldn't be a problem.
And if it wasn't…
She didn't want to finish that sentence.
Lana opened their chat again, thumb hovering over the keyboard, uncertainty buzzing quietly beneath her skin.
Somewhere between doubt and desire, between fear and hope, she realized something she hadn't allowed herself to admit before.
This wasn't just curiosity anymore.
This was the moment before something changed or ended.
And as she stared at Henric's name glowing softly on her screen, one question echoed louder than the rest:
Do I want to know the truth… or do I want to stay safe in not knowing?