Episode5
932 Words
An Evening Stroll
The week rolled by faster than Sofia expected. Between office deadlines, endless meetings, and Clara and Miriam’s teasing, she barely had a moment to breathe. Yet, no matter how busy her days became, one thought kept sneaking in—the memory of her lunch with Gabriel.
She remembered the way he listened, the warmth in his eyes when she laughed, the soft cadence of his voice that made even “finance” sound less intimidating. It was ridiculous, she told herself, how one simple lunch could linger in her mind like this.
By Friday evening, she was exhausted. The office had thinned out as people hurried home to begin their weekends. Clara stopped by her desk, slipping on her coat.
“Any plans tonight?” Clara asked, arching a brow.
Sofia shook her head. “Probably just rest. I’m too tired to do anything fun.”
“Rest, huh?” Clara smirked knowingly. “Not dinner with a certain someone?”
Sofia rolled her eyes. “Not everything is about him.”
“Uh-huh,” Clara said, unconvinced. She waved and left, leaving Sofia alone with her unfinished reports.
Just as she was about to shut down her laptop, her phone buzzed. The name on the screen made her pulse quicken.
Gabriel: Still at work?
She bit her lip before typing back. Yes. Just wrapping up. You?
The reply came quickly. I was nearby. Thought maybe I could steal a bit of your evening before the weekend takes us in different directions.
Her fingers hovered over the keyboard. She hesitated for only a moment before typing: What do you have in mind?
Nothing fancy, he wrote. A walk. Maybe coffee after. Just… time to talk.
Her chest warmed. She typed back: Give me ten minutes.
By the time Sofia stepped out of the building, the city had settled into its evening rhythm. The streetlights glowed softly, cars whooshed past, and laughter spilled out of nearby cafés. She spotted Gabriel leaning casually against a lamppost across the street, his hands tucked into his jacket pockets.
He looked up when he saw her, and the slow smile that spread across his face made her heart stumble.
“You weren’t kidding,” he said as she approached. “Ten minutes exactly.”
“I’m efficient,” she replied, trying to sound calm though her pulse was racing.
“I like that,” he said, falling into step beside her.
They walked without hurry, the cool night air brushing against them. For a while, they spoke of light things—work, favorite restaurants, silly childhood memories. Sofia found herself laughing more than she had in weeks. Gabriel’s stories had a way of pulling her in, and his presence made the ordinary feel alive.
As they turned down a quieter street lined with small shops and bakeries closing for the night, silence stretched comfortably between them. Sofia glanced at him from the corner of her eye.
“Why me?” she asked suddenly, her voice low.
He blinked, caught off guard. “What do you mean?”
“I mean…” She hesitated, looking down at her shoes. “There are plenty of people you could have lunch with, or take on walks like this. Why keep showing up for me?”
He stopped walking, gently touching her arm so she would stop too. When she looked up, his eyes were steady, earnest.
“Because you don’t feel like just anyone,” he said quietly. “The moment I saw you in that café, there was something… familiar. And then at the supermarket, it felt like I was supposed to run into you again. I don’t ignore things like that.”
Her breath caught. “You make it sound like fate.”
“Maybe it is,” he murmured.
The air between them shifted, heavier now, charged with something Sofia wasn’t ready to name. She swallowed, forcing a small laugh to break the tension. “You’re dangerously good with words, you know that?”
He chuckled. “Only when the right person is listening.”
They continued walking, eventually stopping at a cozy coffee shop still open. The rich aroma of roasted beans filled the air as they settled into a corner booth. Over steaming cups of cappuccino, the conversation deepened—dreams, fears, the unspoken ache of loneliness each of them quietly admitted to feeling.
Time slipped by unnoticed until Sofia glanced at her phone. “It’s almost midnight,” she whispered, surprised.
Gabriel leaned back, his gaze lingering on her. “Then I suppose I should let you get home before I ruin your Saturday morning.”
She smiled softly. “Maybe.”
They walked back toward her apartment building, their shoulders brushing occasionally. When they reached her door, neither moved for a moment. Sofia’s keys jingled nervously in her hand.
“Thank you,” she said finally, her voice gentle.
“For what?”
“For tonight. For making it… easy.”
His lips curved into a faint smile. “It’s only easy because it’s you.”
Before she could respond, he stepped back slightly, giving her space. “Goodnight, Sofia.”
Her chest tightened at the way he said her name, like it was something precious. “Goodnight, Gabriel.”
She slipped inside her apartment, leaning against the closed door, her heart racing. She pressed her hands to her face, unable to stop the smile spreading across it.
This wasn’t supposed to feel this real, this soon. But it did. And that scared her more than she cared to admit.
- Writer
