The next few days, Maya kept thinking about him.
Not in a dramatic way.
Not like a girl falling in love.
Just… thinking.
About the way he looked at her.
Like she wasn't broken.
Like she was still whole.
Three days later, she saw him again.
Same place.
Outside her office building.
This time, it wasn't raining.
He was standing near a small coffee stand across the street.
When their eyes met, he gave her a small smile.
Not too much.
Just enough.
She hesitated for a second.
Then walked toward him.
"I was hoping I'd see you again," Daniel said.
Maya raised an eyebrow slightly.
"Do you wait for strangers often?"
He smiled.
"Only the ones who look like they're carrying too much on their own."
That made her quiet.
He wasn't flirting.
He wasn't trying to impress her.
He was just… honest.
"Coffee?" he asked gently.
"No pressure. Just coffee."
Maya looked at the cup in his hand.
It would be easy to say no.
It would be safer.
But something inside her whispered—
You deserve normal. You deserve small happiness.
"…Okay," she said softly.
They sat at a small table.
The conversation wasn't heavy.
He didn't ask about her past.
She didn't ask about his.
They talked about simple things.
Work.
Traffic.
How unpredictable the weather had been.
And for thirty minutes—
Maya forgot she was broken.
She laughed.
Not loudly.
But genuinely.
Daniel noticed.
He didn't comment on it.
But his eyes softened.
Because sometimes—
Healing doesn't come from grand gestures.
It comes from simple coffee.
And someone who stays.
The next few days, Maya kept thinking about him.
Not in a dramatic way.
Not like a girl falling in love.
Just… thinking.
About the way he looked at her.
Like she wasn't broken.
Like she was still whole.
Three days later, she saw him again.
Same place.
Outside her office building.
This time, it wasn't raining.
He was standing near a small coffee stand across the street.
When their eyes met, he gave her a small smile.
Not too much.
Just enough.
She hesitated for a second.
Then walked toward him.
"I was hoping I'd see you again," Daniel said.
Maya raised an eyebrow slightly.
"Do you wait for strangers often?"
He smiled.
"Only the ones who look like they're carrying too much on their own."
That made her quiet.
He wasn't flirting.
He wasn't trying to impress her.
He was just… honest.
"Coffee?" he asked gently.
"No pressure. Just coffee."
Maya looked at the cup in his hand.
It would be easy to say no.
It would be safer.
But something inside her whispered—
You deserve normal. You deserve small happiness.
"…Okay," she said softly.
They sat at a small table.
The conversation wasn't heavy.
He didn't ask about her past.
She didn't ask about his.
They talked about simple things.
Work.
Traffic.
How unpredictable the weather had been.
And for thirty minutes—
Maya forgot she was broken.
She laughed.
Not loudly.
But genuinely.
Daniel noticed.
He didn't comment on it.
But his eyes softened.
Because sometimes—
Healing doesn't come from grand gestures.
It comes from simple coffee.
And someone who stays.