---💕 The first collision 💥

------ The clouds had just emptied their anger on the streets of Lagos, leaving behind a quiet mist and puddles that shimmered beneath the streetlights. Mercy adjusted her scarf and picked up pace, her notebook clutched to her chest like a lifeline. The day had been long, and the weight of her part-time job pulled at her shoulders. Her breath fogged in the air as she neared the café, the warm glow from inside calling her in like a promise. She wasn’t supposed to be late, not again. But her lecturer had held her back after class, and now she was thirty minutes behind. She pushed the café door open, the chime above jingling softly. The familiar scent of roasted coffee beans and buttered bread hit her nose just as her shoulder slammed hard into someone’s chest. Her notebook slipped from her grip, scattering loose pages across the floor. “Oh my God, I’m so sorry—” she blurted, dropping to her knees. But the stranger had already crouched, reaching for the papers. Their hands touched. His was warm. Firm. And something about that brief contact sent a tiny jolt through her. She looked up — and froze. He wasn’t from around here. His charcoal-gray suit was too clean for Lagos streets, his wristwatch too polished. And those eyes… stormy, unreadable, like clouds right before a downpour. “Careful,” he said, handing her the notebook. His voice was deep, smooth, like it belonged in another country entirely. He didn’t let go immediately. “Thanks,” she whispered, barely audible. They stood at the same time, awkward tension thick between them. “I didn’t see you,” she said quickly, brushing invisible dust off her jeans. “I noticed,” he replied, lips curving into a slight smirk. Mercy’s cheeks burned. “I work here,” she added, as if that explained anything. “Then I guess fate did the job for me,” he said casually, eyes scanning her face. “I’m Adrian.” There was a confidence about him, but not arrogant — more like someone used to getting what he wanted without asking twice. “Mercy,” she replied, almost too quickly. A brief silence settled. “I should let you work,” Adrian said finally. “But maybe… I’ll be back. You can bump into me again.” He left with a wink before she could respond, his cologne lingering in the air long after the door shut behind him. Mercy blinked. What just happened? Outside, the rain had started again — soft this time — but inside, her world had shifted. She didn’t know it yet, but that unexpected collision was the beginning of something she never saw coming. Something she wouldn’t be able to walk away from. ---