The rain was falling in soft sheets, blurring the city lights into golden streaks. I hugged my coat tighter, wishing I hadn't stayed so late at the café. My shift had ended hours ago, but a last-minute order had kept me behind.
As I rushed across the street, dodging puddles, I didn't notice him until it was too late. A collision of sharp, sudden, and entirely my fault.
"I'm so sorry!" I gasped, looking up.
He bent slightly, brushing water from his jacket. "It's fine. Are you hurt?"
His eyes, they caught me off guard. Dark, intense, yet strangely gentle. I nodded, fumbling with my words. "I…. I'm okay."
There was a pause, a silence that felt longer than it should. Then he smiled, a small, almost shy smile that made my heart skip.
"I haven't seen you around before," he said. "Do you live nearby?"
I shook my head, unsure why I felt compelled to answer. "Not really. Just passing through."
For some reason, it felt like more than just a random meeting. Like fate had decided to place us on the same rainy street, at the same time.
And in that fleeting moment, something inside me whispered: this isn't the last time we'll meet.