The hallways buzzed with students chatting and lockers slamming, but Ava hardly noticed. Her mind was on Alex on the way he looked at her, the stolen glances she swore she had caught. Could he really like her as much as she liked him? Her chest tightened with anticipation and a thrill she couldn't quite name.
She passed by groups of friends, smiling politely but barely hearing their chatter. Today felt... different. Today felt like the beginning of something she had been waiting for all her life. And maybe-just maybe-this story would have the happy ending she had always dreamed about.
It was already Friday, and Professor Williams had finally left the lecture hall, leaving a quiet hum of chatter behind. Ava was busy packing her things from the desk, her mind still buzzing from the day's lessons, when a familiar presence caught her off guard.
Alex. He walked up to her with that effortless grace that always seemed to make heads turn, a smile lighting up his face. "Hey, Ava," he said casually, though there was a warmth in his tone that made her heart skip a beat. "Looks like you actually enjoyed Professor Williams' lecture today."
Ava blinked, caught completely off guard. "Sure... I did," she replied almost immediately, her voice betraying the nervous excitement fluttering in her chest.
He leaned slightly closer, his smile widening. "How about we... have dinner tonight? Somewhere new."
Ava froze for a second, her mind racing. Did he just... ask her out? Her lips curved into a smile before she could stop herself. "Are you asking me out?" she teased, a playful lilt in her voice.
"Yes," he answered simply, as if the words were the most natural thing in the world.
"Sure," she said, her voice trembling slightly with excitement. "Pick me up by seven."
Without another word, she grabbed her bag and walked away quickly, her heart pounding wildly in her chest. She couldn't risk him changing his mind. Tonight... tonight could be the start of something she had been dreaming about for years.
Ava walked home with Gabriella, still buzzing from the encounter with Alex. The streets were alive with the usual Friday afternoon chaos-honking cars, people rushing by, and the scent of street food drifting through the air. By the time they reached the bus station, Ava's heart was still racing.
She swiped her card to pay for the bus and slid into an empty seat beside an elderly lady. The woman had a gentle smile and kind eyes that made Ava feel unexpectedly at ease. Alex, unknowingly still on her mind, sat next to the window, and Ava leaned her head against the glass, lost in thought.