love at first sight

chapter 2 :THE SECOND MEETING

The next morning, I woke up thinking about him.

Which was annoying.

I stared at the ceiling for a while, hoping my brain would move on to something more important. There were assignments waiting for me, laundry I had ignored for almost a week, and a lecture I really couldn't afford to miss.

But somehow, my mind kept going back to the café.

I'm Daniel.

That stupid little introduction had been replaying in my head since yesterday.

I turned over and buried my face in my pillow.

"Get a grip, Maya."

I laughed at myself.

It wasn't like I was in love with him. I barely knew the guy.

Maybe I was just curious.

That had to be it.

I got ready and left the house earlier than usual. The morning air was cool, and the streets were already busy. I put my earphones in and walked toward campus, trying to convince myself that Daniel wasn't going to cross my mind again.

He did.

About five minutes later.

I sighed.

"Seriously?"

By the time I reached campus, I had almost forgotten about him.

Almost.

I met my friend, Tessa, outside our lecture hall. She took one look at me and narrowed her eyes.

"Why are you smiling?"

"I'm not."

"You are."

"I was just thinking about something."

"Something or someone?"

I stared at her.

She smiled.

"Ah. So there is someone."

"There is nobody."

"Maya."

"Tessa."

She folded her arms.

"You've known me for three years. Don't even try."

I laughed and pushed past her.

"Come on. We're going to be late."

She followed me, still laughing.

I didn't tell her about Daniel.

Not yet.

I wasn't even sure why.

Maybe saying his name out loud would make yesterday feel more real.

The lecture lasted almost two hours, and by the end of it, my brain was completely exhausted.

When we walked outside, Tessa grabbed my arm.

"Food."

"Definitely."

We headed toward the café.

The same café.

I didn't realize where we were going until I saw the familiar sign above the entrance.

I stopped walking.

Tessa looked back at me.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"You look like you've just seen a ghost."

"I'm fine."

She shrugged and opened the door.

The moment we stepped inside, I felt my heart speed up.

I looked around.

Nothing.

No Daniel.

I don't know whether I was relieved or disappointed.

We ordered our food and sat near the window.

Tessa was talking about something that happened in class, but I wasn't really listening.

My eyes kept drifting toward the door.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

"You're waiting for someone."

I nearly choked on my drink.

"What?"

Tessa smiled.

"I didn't say anything."

"You definitely said something."

"I said you're waiting for someone."

"I'm not."

"Then why do you keep looking at the door?"

I opened my mouth, but nothing came out.

She laughed.

"Got you."

Before I could answer, the café door opened.

And there he was.

Daniel.

For a second, everything around me seemed to become quieter.

He looked around the room, and then his eyes found mine.

He smiled.

Not the polite smile from yesterday.

A real one.

The kind that made me forget what I was supposed to be doing.

Tessa followed my gaze.

"Oh."

I looked at her.

"Don't."

She grinned.

"I'm not saying anything."

Daniel walked toward us.

My heart was beating so hard that I was convinced Tessa could hear it.

"Hey, Maya."

"Hi."

He looked at Tessa.

"Friend?"

"Best friend," Tessa replied before I could say anything.

I gave her a warning look.

Daniel laughed.

"Nice to meet you."

"Tessa."

They shook hands.

Then Daniel looked at me again.

"I was hoping I'd see you."

I didn't know what to say to that.

So I smiled.

"Really?"

"Yeah."

He pulled a chair from the nearby table.

"Can I sit?"

I glanced at Tessa.

She immediately stood up.

"I need to make a phone call."

I stared at her.

"You do?"

"Very important one."

She walked away before I could stop her.

Daniel laughed.

"She's subtle."

"She's impossible."

We both laughed.

For a few moments, things felt easy again.

Then Daniel became quiet.

"What?"

He shook his head.

"Nothing."

"You were looking at me."

"I know."

"Why?"

He hesitated.

"I don't know how to explain it without sounding strange."

"Try."

He looked down at his hands.

"When I saw you yesterday, I felt like I'd seen you before."

I smiled.

"But you hadn't."

"I know."

"Maybe I just look like someone you know."

"Maybe."

He looked back at me.

"But I don't think that's it."

There was something about the way he said it that made me stop smiling.

"What do you think it is?"

"I honestly don't know."

Neither of us spoke for a moment.

Then he reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone.

"Can I get your number?"

I laughed softly.

"So that's why you came back?"

"No."

He smiled.

"That's just an added benefit."

I gave him my number.

He typed it into his phone and called me.

My phone vibrated on the table.

I looked at the screen.

Daniel.

I saved his name.

He stood up a few minutes later because he had somewhere to be.

Before leaving, he looked at me.

"I'll text you."

I nodded.

"Okay."

He started walking away.

Then he turned around.

"Tomorrow?"

I smiled.

"Maybe."

He shook his head.

"You really like that word."

"Maybe I do."

"Fine. Tomorrow, then."

And he left.

This time, I watched him disappear through the door.

But I wasn't sad.

Because now I had his number.

And for some reason, that tiny fact made my whole day better.

Tessa returned a few minutes later.

She sat down slowly.

"So..."

I rolled my eyes.

"Don't start."

"I didn't say anything."

"You were about to."

She smiled.

"Okay, fine. I won't say anything."

I looked at my phone.

A message appeared.

Daniel: It was nice seeing you again.

I stared at it longer than I should have.

Then another message came.

Daniel: And just so we're clear, tomorrow isn't a maybe.

I laughed.

Tessa leaned across the table.

"Is that him?"

I locked my phone.

"No."

She raised an eyebrow.

"You're terrible at lying."

Maybe she was right.

Because as I walked home that evening, I couldn't stop smiling.

I had met Daniel only two days ago.

I still didn't know what his favorite food was, what music he listened to, what made him angry, or what kind of person he really was.

But I knew one thing.

I wanted to find out.

And maybe that was the dangerous part.

Because sometimes the beginning of something feels harmless.

You tell yourself you're only curious.

You tell yourself you're just getting to know someone.

You tell yourself it doesn't mean anything.

Until one day, you look back and realize that somewhere between the first conversation and the hundredth message, you stopped wondering whether you liked them.

You simply did.