(After few days, at the community center.)
Henry stood outside the community center with his hands shoved inside his jacket's pocket. He sighs and glance at that old building standing in front of him, thinking to himself 'a few hours of work and he'll be free to go'.
He steps inside and greets other who were already there, some chatting and introducing themselves, some standing alone looking at their phone while volunteers lined up to sign.
He joins the line, signs his name and clips the volunteer badge on to his jacket.
He walks around the room, slowly and familiarizing their faces and names. At a distant, he sees a figure. Ava was there too, talking to one of the elderly volunteers, hair neatly tied, sleeve rolled up and ready to work.
He was lost for a moment when he saw her.
She notices him, standing alone, some few meters away as she glances toward his direction.
Their eyes met for a moment.
A smile gradually appears on his face.
So, did she.
They slowly walk toward each other.
"Oh," she says, standing at arm's length. "You're -"
"Yeah," he replies, cutting her in mid-sentences. "I'm surprised I ran into you here."
"I'm more surprised," she continues, a small smile forming on her face. "I occasionally volunteer here and I've never seen you before."
"I had some free time," he replies, rubbing his head. "so, I thought I'll help here as I saw the notices stating that they needed volunteers."
"well," she says after a pause. "I'll see you around."
"yeah, I'll see you around." He says, fluttering with happiness.
Meeting each other here- unexpected and unplanned, made everything feel closer.
Before either can walk away, the coordinator claps his hand, gaining everyone's attention.
"Thank you everyone for gathering here, we really appreciate your help today." the coordinator says, screening the assigned work behind him. "check the screen for assignment and let's get started."
They stared at the screen, looked at each other and smiled.
He cautiously says with a soft laugh, "Guess we'll working together."
"Yeah," she replies, glad that they get to spend some time together. "seems like that."
They collect the brush, paint, other stuff and began to paint the room side by side.
"So… how have you been lately," he asks, moving his brush up and down the wall.
"Great, but mostly busy." She answers. "what about you."
"Nothing special," he says, his voice soft and low.
As the minute passes, they were enjoying the work. Not because painting was easy but because they found comfort in each other's presence.
Neither he nor she has confessed but they knew how other felt toward them, it was just a matter of time before things were said out loud.
Seeing each other and getting to work together at the community has made harder for them to keep distance anymore.
After a while, he says "There's a paint on your face." Gently wiping the paint off her face.
"Oh... Thank you," she says, her face turning slightly red.
He smiles, glancing at her face.
For a brief moment the air between them carries something that's unspoken.
Time flew so fast for them, hour felt like a minute and minute felt like a second.
The work and the whole morning felt barely like an hour as the coordinator gather them around for a lunch.
After the lunch, they return to their work and the conversation deepens between them, they talk more openly- the reason why she volunteers, her daily routine and why he decided to volunteer that day.
The closeness feels different now, more noticeable and harder to avoid.
As the day came to an end, people start to leave one after another yet neither of them moves right away until he offers to walk her home.
"umm… can I walk you home?" he asks, a little hesitant.
"sure," he replies, with a wide smile on her face. "Thought you would never ask."
They walk out together into the dusk of the evening, step naturally falling in sync.
They walk side by side at the first, their shoulder almost touching each other. They keep glancing at each other simultaneously as if neither of them wanted to meet others gaze.
"you're tired," he says finally, breaking the silence.
"A little," she admits.
He nods in agreement. "yeah… me too."
The street grew quieter and the sky begins look beautiful as the sun hover low.
As they walk farther from the center, they realize that there were so many things they wanted to say to each other but they felt the silence were too precious to break.
Mid way to her house, their hand was drawn closer to each other, centimeter by centimeter till their pinky were inter locked.
They looked at each other, neither of them breaking the inter-lock, their expression making others chest feel warm and unsteady all at once.
They took their own time to reach her home, longer than the required time.
Finally, they reach her driveway, the same driveway where he picked and dropped her during their pervious dinner night.
"Well," she says, stopping and turning toward him, her pinky finger tightening its grip around his, as if saying she doesn't want him to leave. "This is me."
"Yeah," he says, suddenly aware of the quiet environment surrounding them. "I'm gladly we got to spend time together today."
She smiles at him, genuine and happy.
They stood there for a while, neither of them walking away from other. They stood so close that they can feel others warm and hear others soft breath.
She steps, closer toward him, her eyes closed, the space between them naturally disappearing.
He notices it before it happens, the way she stepped closer, her emotion directed toward him.
He lifts his hand, breaking their inter-locked finger, gives a soft, warm and long hug and whispers into her ear.
"I wanted to say something to you," he says, his voice filled with sincerity. "so, will you go for a date, tomorrow at 6:00 pm."
She didn't say anything, she nods indicating she will go. She wasn't disappointed but she genuinely happy.
He pulls himself back.
"good night," he says, holding her shoulder and looking into her eyes.
"good night." She answers, smiling.