Just as I was convincing myself that I might actually survive the morning without hyperventilating, my phone buzzed.
Miles đź‘€: Good morning, Threads.
I froze. My fingers hovered over the screen.
Me: Morning…
Miles đź‘€: Sleep okay?
Me: Yeah. Why?
Miles đź‘€: Just making sure my girlfriend is okay.
I felt my cheeks heat up. Girlfriend. The word lingered in my mind like sunlight on water — warm, bright, impossible to ignore.
I typed quickly, fumbling a little. I'm fine. Just… thinking.
Miles đź‘€: Thinking about me?
I rolled my eyes, even though he couldn't see me. Shut up.
Miles đź‘€: You love me.
I groaned and threw the phone onto the counter. No. I mean… maybe.
---
A knock at the door made me jump.
"Ria?" It was Lia. She peeked in, hair messy from sleep but eyes sparkling with curiosity. "You awake? Coffee?"
"I'm awake," I mumbled, sipping my still-hot coffee. "And no. I'm fine. Totally fine."
She walked in anyway, plopping onto the counter beside me. "You're lying. I can smell your heart racing from here."
I groaned. "I'm not that nervous."
She smirked. "Uh-huh. So the big, impossible kiss last night? No effect at all?"
I nearly choked on my coffee. "Lia!"
"I'm serious. Miles did something to you," she said, waggling her eyebrows. "You're glowing. And no, it's not the fairy lights from the after-party. You can't hide it."
I groaned again and hid my face behind the mug. "I don't want to talk about it."
She laughed. "Too late. I already did. Now spill — did he kiss you like… like really kiss you?"
My hands trembled slightly as I set the mug down. "…Yes."
Lia whistled. "Finally! And here I was thinking you'd never survive your own birthday without screaming."
"I'm not screaming," I said, even though my heartbeat felt like it could shatter the silence.
---
The rest of the morning was a blur of coffee, breakfast, and too much thinking. I kept glancing at my phone, half-expecting another text from Miles, half-dreading it.
Then it buzzed again.
Miles đź‘€: I'll be by later. Can't wait to see you.
I stared at the screen, heart fluttering uncontrollably. "He's coming over… today?"
Me: Yes.
I sat back, hugging the coffee cup. My mind spun in circles. Every memory of the kiss, the fairy-lit bookstore, and that long, quiet moment of just being together filled me with warmth and panic all at once.
Okay, I whispered to myself. Nothing's different. It's just… him and me. That's all. Nothing else. I can handle this.
But as the day dragged on, I realized something: it wasn't just a kiss anymore. Something had shifted. Something bigger was on the horizon. And for the first time in years, I wasn't sure I was ready for just how much.
Yet, when the doorbell rang and I knew it was him, my stomach flipped anyway — because no matter what, I wouldn't trade this for anything.