It wasn't anything fancy.
No candlelit dinners. No slow music. No dressed-up promises.
Just two teens. A quiet Saturday. And a walk through the weekend market.
Amira wore her favorite hoodie—the one that smelled like vanilla and a little like home. Jayden wore a navy t-shirt that made his eyes look even warmer.
They didn't call it a date.
But it felt like one.
They walked side by side, not touching at first. Their fingers kept brushing though, like they were practicing something they hadn't done yet.
"I've never done this," Amira admitted, picking at the hem of her sleeve.
"Gone to a market?" Jayden teased.
She rolled her eyes, smiling. "Gone out with someone who knows my name. Who I actually like back."
He laughed, a soft, boyish sound. "Same."
They stopped at a vendor selling handmade bracelets. Amira picked up a yellow one with tiny blue beads woven in. She loved the way it shimmered quietly, like it didn't need to be loud to be beautiful.
Jayden took it from her, handed a crumpled note to the vendor, and then gently slipped it over her wrist.
"It suits you," he said.
She didn't look at the bracelet. She looked at him.
"Thank you."
They kept walking. This time, when their hands brushed again, Jayden turned his palm upward.
And waited.
Amira didn't hesitate.
She slid her fingers into his, and they just… fit.
"Does this make it official?" he asked, lips twitching with a smile.
"Only if you're sure," she said.
"I've been sure since the third letter."
She blushed, heart blooming in quiet joy. "Then it's official."
---
They sat on a bench later, sharing a cold soda and a bag of popcorn. Her head rested against his shoulder. His thumb gently traced circles over her hand.
No one around them knew they were in love.
But they didn't need anyone to.
Because sometimes, the loudest kind of love is the kind you don't announce.
It's in shared popcorn and lazy strolls. In fingers that never want to let go.
In smiles that say, "I'm glad it's you."