Lorelei could feel her heart thumping as she walked toward the meeting point, her phone clutched tightly in her hand. The air was cool, scented with blooming jasmine, and her mind buzzed with questions — Would he like her? Would she embarrass herself? It had been so long since she'd met anyone new, and the thought of spending time with Ledger — the Ledger Powers — made her both nervous and excited.
When she finally saw him waiting under the lamplight, her breath caught. Dressed casually in jeans and a simple shirt, Ledger looked effortlessly handsome. He noticed her almost instantly and smiled — that soft, easy smile that made her nerves melt just a little.
"Hey, Lorelei," he said warmly.
"Hey," she replied shyly, her voice barely above a whisper.
For a moment, they simply stood there, unsure what to say next. But Ledger had a calm energy about him — the kind that made people feel at ease. Within a few minutes, Lorelei found herself laughing, her earlier fear slowly fading away.
"So," she said, trying to sound casual, "I thought I could take you somewhere special."
"Oh? Where to?" he asked, curious.
"You'll see," she said with a secretive smile.
They walked side by side through the quiet evening streets until they reached Serene Escape — Lorelei's favorite spot. The place lived up to its name. The lake stretched before them, still and silver under the fading light, while the horizon glowed with the last traces of sunset.
Ledger looked around, his eyes wide with awe. "I see why you call it your favorite spot," he said softly.
"Yeah," she smiled. "I really like the view. Mostly when the sun sets over the water."
He turned to her and smiled back. "It's beautiful — but I think the company makes it even better."
Lorelei's cheeks flushed. She pretended not to hear him and instead led him to the best spot — a small rise overlooking the lake. The two of them sat close together, their shoulders almost touching, as the water shimmered beneath the dimming sky.
After a moment of comfortable silence, Ledger glanced at her. "So... how did you start getting interested in me?" he asked, his tone light but curious.
Lorelei hesitated, searching for the right words. "Well," she began slowly, "when you tend to bump into someone over and over again, you start picking interest in them."
"So... you 'over bumped' into me?" he teased with a grin.
She laughed. "Yes."
"Then why didn't you ever say hi?"
She shrugged, a small smile tugging at her lips. "At first sight, you didn't seem like a friendly person. But I'm surprised — you actually are."
"Hahaha, why say so?" he chuckled.
"I guess I judged a book by its cover," she said playfully.
They laughed together, and conversation flowed easily after that — stories about classes, hobbies, and little bits of their lives they hadn't shared with anyone else. The world around them faded until only their voices and the quiet ripple of the lake remained.
It wasn't until the sky had grown completely dark that Lorelei realized how much time had passed. She checked her phone and gasped. "Oh, no... I totally forgot about supper!"
Ledger laughed. "What would you like to eat?"
"Oh, you shouldn't—"
"No, I insist," he interrupted gently.
"I mean, we just met, and you already want to buy me supper?"
He smiled. "You're my friend, Lorelei. It's not bad to buy my friend supper."
"Alright then," she said with a shy smile. "I was going to buy a chicken salad."
"Done," he said. "Just be in your room — I'll bring it to you."
Her eyes widened. "Really?"
"Yeah," he replied with a laugh.
"Thank you," she said softly.
"I haven't even brought the food yet, and you're already thanking me," he teased.
"Hahaha, I've been taught to thank before and after receiving," she said, grinning.
"Okay then, see you soon."
"Alright," she said, waving as he turned to leave.
Back in her room, Lorelei showered and changed into something comfortable, her heart still fluttering. He's really bringing me supper, she thought, smiling to herself.
Fifteen minutes later, there was a knock at her door. When she opened it, there he was — Ledger, holding a takeaway bag and smiling like he'd been doing this for years.
"I can't stay long," he said. "Got to finish some work."
"That's okay. Thank you so much," she said, taking the food.
He looked at her curiously. "Has anyone ever bought you anything before?"
"Well... yes," she admitted, "but I hate asking or accepting things because I always feel like a burden."
Ledger smiled — that same gentle, reassuring smile that made her stomach flip. "You can ask me for anything, Lorelei. I'm here for you."
Her voice softened. "Thank you."
He leaned in and gave her a light hug — warm, sincere, and just long enough to leave her breathless.
"See you on Friday night for the movie," he said, pulling back.
"Bye, Ledger," she whispered. "See you."
As the door closed behind him, Lorelei leaned against it, smiling to herself. The warmth of his hug lingered. For the first time since Matt, she didn't feel scared — she felt alive.