CHAPTER 3: The First Date
2589 Words
The first thing I learned about going on a date with a famous athlete was that apparently, you had to disguise yourself.
“Are you sure this is necessary?” I asked while looking at Adrian's cap and face mask.
He looked at me like I had asked the dumbest question ever.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because if someone recognizes me, we won't be able to eat.”
“Then don't wear the cap.”
He stared at me.
I stared back.
“Okay,” I said. “Bad idea.”
He laughed.
We were standing outside the university gate.
The sun was almost gone, and the sky was turning orange.
I could still hear Mika yelling somewhere behind us.
“LIA!”
I turned around.
She was standing with Sofia, Dani, and Carlo.
“WHAT?”
“TEXT ME!”
“I WILL!”
“LOCATION!”
“Mika!”
She cupped her hands around her mouth.
“DON'T TRUST HIM!”
Adrian laughed beside me.
I looked at him.
“Sorry.”
“No, she's funny.”
“She's annoying.”
“Same thing.”
I smiled.
Then I noticed Carlo making a heart shape with his hands.
I gave him the middle finger.
He laughed.
Sofia shook her head.
Dani waved.
And Mika just smiled.
That smile made me pause.
She knew.
Not everything.
But enough.
She knew that I liked him.
And maybe she knew I was scared.
I turned back to Adrian.
“Ready?”
He nodded.
“Ready.”
We started walking.
---
“Where are we going?”
“Dinner.”
“You already said that.”
“And you already asked.”
“I need details.”
“You'll see.”
“Adrian.”
“Lia.”
“Stop being mysterious.”
He laughed.
“Okay.”
He pointed toward a small street ahead.
“There.”
I looked.
A tiny restaurant was tucked between two buildings.
It had warm yellow lights and only a few tables outside.
I smiled.
“This place?”
“Yeah.”
“It's cute.”
“You like it?”
“Yeah.”
“Good.”
We went inside.
The place wasn't fancy.
No expensive decorations.
No celebrity treatment.
Just simple tables, good food, and quiet music playing in the background.
I liked it immediately.
We sat in the corner.
Adrian took off his cap.
I looked around.
“No one recognizes you.”
“That's the goal.”
“Does this happen often?”
“What?”
“People recognizing you.”
He nodded.
“Sometimes.”
“Is it annoying?”
“Depends.”
“On what?”
“On who recognizes me.”
I laughed.
“That's such an athlete answer.”
He smiled.
“What about you?”
“What about me?”
“Do people recognize you?”
I stared at him.
“I'm an engineering student.”
“And?”
“And nobody cares.”
He laughed.
“I care.”
I looked down at the menu.
“Cheesy.”
“You've said that already.”
“Because you keep being cheesy.”
He smiled.
“You like it.”
I didn't answer.
Because maybe I did.
---
We ordered dinner.
While waiting, Adrian looked at me.
“You're nervous.”
“No.”
“You are.”
“How do you know?”
“You keep tapping your fingers.”
I immediately stopped.
He smiled.
“See?”
“Stop observing me.”
“Can't.”
“Why?”
“Because you're interesting.”
I looked at him.
He smiled.
I looked away.
My cheeks were warm.
Again.
“You're blushing.”
“I'm not.”
“You are.”
“It's hot.”
He looked around.
“The air conditioner is on.”
I kicked him lightly under the table.
He laughed.
“Okay. Okay.”
Our food arrived.
For the next few minutes, we talked about everything and nothing.
School.
Training.
Professors.
Food.
Music.
Movies.
He told me he hated horror movies.
I laughed because he looked like the kind of person who would never admit being scared.
“Don't laugh.”
“I'm not.”
“You are.”
“You're a national athlete who can swim faster than everyone else but you're scared of ghosts.”
“They're different.”
“How?”
“You can fight people.”
“Ghosts too?”
“Exactly.”
I laughed so hard I almost dropped my fork.
He smiled.
“You're cute when you laugh.”
I stopped.
“Don't.”
“What?”
“Don't say things like that.”
“Why?”
“Because…”
I didn't know.
Because my heart would race?
Because I wouldn't know what to say?
Because I liked hearing it?
He waited.
I looked down.
“It's embarrassing.”
He smiled softly.
“Okay.”
For once, he didn't tease me.
And somehow, that made my heart beat even faster.
---
After dinner, we walked around the city.
The streets were busy, but the night was cool.
Adrian kept his cap low.
I walked beside him.
Our shoulders occasionally touched.
Neither of us moved away.
Then he stopped.
“Wait.”
“What?”
He pointed toward a small convenience store.
“Do you want ice cream?”
I looked at him.
“Now?”
“Now.”
“We just ate.”
“So?”
“You're an athlete.”
“And?”
“You need to watch what you eat.”
He looked offended.
“You're not my coach.”
“I could be.”
“No.”
“Why?”
“You'll make me do homework.”
“I should.”
He laughed.
We bought ice cream.
We sat on a bench outside.
For a while, we just watched people pass by.
Then Adrian spoke.
“Do you ever think about where you'll be five years from now?”
I looked at him.
“Five years?”
“Yeah.”
“I'll be working.”
“Where?”
“Somewhere with a good salary.”
He laughed.
“That's your dream?”
“Part of it.”
“What else?”
I thought about it.
“A house.”
“Big?”
“Not necessarily.”
“Pool?”
I smiled.
“Maybe.”
“Of course.”
“Why?”
“You'll have your own swimmer.”
I laughed.
“Confident.”
“I have to be.”
I shook my head.
“What about you?”
He stared at his ice cream.
“I don't know.”
“You said that before.”
“I know.”
“Why don't you know?”
He was quiet.
Then he shrugged.
“Because swimming has always been the plan.”
“And you don't want it anymore?”
“It's not that.”
“Then?”
He looked at me.
“Sometimes I wonder what happens when the thing you're good at isn't the thing you want anymore.”
I didn't know what to say.
So I said the only thing that felt right.
“Then you find something else.”
He smiled.
“You make it sound easy.”
“It's not.”
“Then why did you say it like that?”
“Because if you don't know yet, that's okay.”
He looked at me for a long time.
Then he smiled.
“Thanks.”
“For what?”
“Nothing.”
I smiled back.
We finished our ice cream.
Then he stood.
“Come on.”
“Where?”
“I want to show you something.”
“Again?”
“Yes.”
“Should I be worried?”
“No.”
“That answer makes me worried.”
He laughed.
---
We walked for about fifteen minutes before reaching a quiet riverside area.
There were a few people around.
Some couples.
Some students.
A few vendors.
The city lights reflected on the water.
I looked around.
“It's beautiful.”
“Yeah.”
He sat on a bench.
I sat beside him.
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
Then he reached into his pocket.
I looked at him.
“What?”
He pulled out a small piece of paper.
I recognized it.
The same list from the swimming complex.
I raised an eyebrow.
“You still have that?”
He looked embarrassed.
“Yeah.”
“Why?”
He folded it.
“Because it's important.”
I laughed.
“It's just a list.”
He shook his head.
“No.”
He looked at me.
“It isn't.”
I didn't know what to say.
He handed it to me.
I opened it.
The list had more things now.
- Coffee, no sugar.
- She doesn't like raisins.
- She gets quiet when she's nervous.
- She pretends she's not tired.
- Don't ask about her family.
- She likes blue.
- She hates being late.
- She laughs when she's embarrassed.
- She likes quiet places.
- She likes mango ice cream.
I looked at him.
“You added things.”
“Yeah.”
“You really remember everything.”
“I told you.”
“What?”
“I pay attention.”
I smiled.
“You're weird.”
“Maybe.”
I folded the paper carefully.
“Can I keep this?”
He nodded.
“Yeah.”
I placed it inside my bag.
He looked relieved.
I didn't understand why.
---
When we returned to campus, it was already almost nine.
My phone was exploding.
I checked it.
Mika:
WHERE ARE YOU?
Mika:
ARE YOU ALIVE?
Carlo:
If kidnapped, send pineapple emoji.
Dani:
Please don't listen to Carlo.
Sofia:
Just tell us you're safe.
I laughed.
I typed.
Me:
I'm alive.
Mika replied instantly.
Mika:
PROOF.
I took a picture of myself.
Then sent it.
Mika:
Okay.
Mika:
You look happy.
I stared at that message.
I did.
I really did.
Adrian looked at me.
“Your friends?”
“Yeah.”
“What did they say?”
“That I look happy.”
He smiled.
“You do.”
I looked at him.
“You make me happy.”
The words slipped out.
I froze.
So did he.
For a second, neither of us spoke.
Then his smile slowly appeared.
“Good.”
I looked away.
“Don't make it weird.”
“I won't.”
He smiled.
“I promise.”
---
The next morning, the five of us met at the cafeteria.
I barely sat down before Mika attacked.
“So?”
I looked at her.
“So what?”
“How was the date?”
“Fine.”
“Fine?”
“Yes.”
“That's all?”
“Yes.”
She narrowed her eyes.
“Did he kiss you?”
I almost spit out my drink.
“No!”
Carlo burst out laughing.
“Not yet.”
“Carlo!”
Sofia shook her head.
“Leave her alone.”
Dani smiled.
“Did you hold hands?”
I nodded.
Mika screamed.
“AYIEEE!”
Everyone looked at us.
I covered my face.
“Please.”
Mika grabbed my arm.
“Tell us everything.”
“There isn't much.”
“Everything.”
I sighed.
“Okay.”
I told them about the restaurant.
The ice cream.
The walk.
The riverside.
The list.
When I mentioned the list, everyone went quiet.
Sofia smiled.
“That is actually sweet.”
Dani nodded.
“Very sweet.”
Carlo leaned back.
“Bro is committed.”
Mika looked at me.
“And you?”
“What?”
“Do you like him?”
I looked down.
Then smiled.
“Yeah.”
The table went silent.
I laughed.
“What?”
Mika smiled.
“Nothing.”
She reached across the table and squeezed my hand.
“I'm happy for you.”
I smiled.
“Thanks.”
Then Carlo suddenly pointed behind me.
“Speaking of your boyfriend.”
I turned.
Adrian was standing near the entrance.
He smiled when he saw me.
He walked over.
“Good morning.”
“Good morning.”
He looked at my friends.
“Morning.”
Mika smiled.
“Morning, Athlete.”
Carlo stood.
“Bro.”
Adrian laughed.
“What's up?”
“You survived.”
“Apparently.”
Everyone laughed.
Adrian sat beside me.
He placed something on the table.
A small paper bag.
I looked at it.
“What is this?”
“Breakfast.”
I opened it.
A sandwich.
Fruit.
And coffee.
I stared at him.
“You remembered.”
He smiled.
“Of course.”
Mika looked at Sofia.
Sofia looked at Dani.
Dani looked at Carlo.
Carlo whispered loudly—
“She's gone.”
I laughed.
“Shut up.”
Adrian smiled.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
I took a sip of my coffee.
Perfect.
No sugar.
Exactly how I liked it.
And for some reason, that tiny detail felt bigger than any grand gesture.
Because he remembered.
He remembered the small things.
And maybe that was how love started.
Not with fireworks.
Not with dramatic confessions.
But with coffee.
With inside jokes.
With waiting outside classrooms.
With stolen fries.
With friends who teased you until you wanted to disappear.
With someone remembering how you liked your coffee.
It was simple.
It was young.
It was ours.
At least, I thought it was.
---
Later that afternoon, Adrian had training.
The four of us stayed in the library.
I was working on our project when Mika suddenly looked at me.
“You really like him.”
I smiled.
“Yeah.”
“Are you scared?”
I thought about it.
“A little.”
“Why?”
“Because he's…”
“Famous?”
“Yeah.”
“Different?”
“Yeah.”
She nodded.
“But?”
I looked at my phone.
There was a message from Adrian.
Adrian:
Training starts now. I'll text you later.
I smiled.
“But he makes me feel normal.”
Mika smiled.
“Then that's what matters.”
I nodded.
Across the table, Sofia was listening.
She spoke quietly.
“Just don't forget yourself.”
I looked at her.
“What do you mean?”
“Sometimes when you really like someone, you start changing without noticing.”
Dani nodded.
“Don't let that happen.”
I smiled.
“I won't.”
Carlo raised his hand.
“And don't stop hanging out with us.”
I laughed.
“Never.”
Mika smiled.
“Good.”
The five of us went back to studying.
And that was the thing about us.
No matter what happened with Adrian, I still had them.
They were there before him.
And I thought they'd always be there.
I thought the five of us would graduate together.
Find jobs.
Complain about adulthood.
Look back at college and laugh.
I thought our biggest problems would be exams, deadlines, broken hearts, and figuring out what we wanted to do with our lives.
I thought we had everything planned.
I didn't know that each of us would eventually walk into a future completely different from the one we imagined.
And I definitely didn't know that my own first step toward that future had already begun.
It started with a swimmer.
A cup of coffee.
A rainy afternoon.
And a boy who remembered everything about me.
Everything—
except the one thing I would eventually wish I had known from the beginning.
Who he really was.
- Writer
