Chapter 1: First Encounter
Emma adjusted her backpack nervously as she walked into the small coffee shop tucked between two bookstores. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee mixed with the faint scent of old paper—her kind of heaven. She loved these quiet spots, where she could read, write, or lose herself in her thoughts. Today, though, she hadn't come for peace; she had come to finish her latest assignment before the evening deadline.
She scanned the room, hoping to find a corner seat near the window. That's when she saw him.
A tall boy, with hair that seemed to catch the light just right, was sitting at a table near the back. He had a notebook open, scribbling quickly, his brow slightly furrowed. Emma didn't know why, but something about him made her pause. She hadn't intended to stare, of course, and she quickly looked away, clutching her notebook a little tighter.
"Excuse me!" a voice called suddenly. Emma turned sharply, only to bump directly into a pair of broad shoulders. Her notebook slipped from her hands and tumbled to the floor.
"Oh! I'm so sorry!" she gasped, bending down to grab it.
"No problem," he said, crouching slightly to help her. His voice was calm, almost warm, and she felt her cheeks flush.
Emma handed her notebook back, feeling oddly embarrassed. "I wasn't looking where I was going," she muttered.
He smiled an effortless, easy smile that made her heart skip a beat. "Neither was I," he admitted. "I'm Liam, by the way."
"Emma," she replied softly, almost hoping the floor would swallow her up.
There was a brief silence as they straightened up, and Emma felt an unexpected flutter in her chest. She couldn't explain why, but there was something about him, something that made the coffee shop feel smaller, warmer, and more alive.
"So… are you here to study or…?" Liam gestured to her notebook.
Emma nodded. "Yeah, just trying to finish an assignment. It's due tonight."
"Ah, the eternal student struggle," he said with a small chuckle. "I know it too well."
They exchanged a few awkward smiles, and for a moment, Emma felt like she'd stepped into one of the romance novels she always read but never imagined living.
Then, without warning, her backpack strap caught on the chair beside her. She stumbled slightly, and Liam reached out instinctively, steadying her; their hands brushed. Emma felt a jolt—an electric spark she quickly tried to ignore.
"I—thanks," she whispered, glancing up at him.
"No problem," he said again, smiling that same disarming smile.
They didn't talk much more after that. Emma quickly found a small corner table, and Liam returned to his notebook. But she couldn't help stealing glances in his direction, feeling an unusual warmth in her chest. Who was this boy who had appeared out of nowhere and somehow made the world feel different?
When she finally packed up her things to leave, she realized Liam was standing near the door, holding the coffee cup she had accidentally left behind.
"Hey, you forgot this," he said, handing it to her.
Emma smiled, a little embarrassed. "Thank you… again."
"No problem. Maybe I'll see you around?" he added, his smile hopeful.
Emma nodded, feeling a strange mixture of excitement and nervousness. "Yeah… maybe."
As she stepped outside, the cool evening breeze brushed against her cheeks. She could not stop thinking about him the way he smiled, the way he seemed genuinely kind, and the small spark she felt when their hands touched.
For the first time in a long time, Emma felt like something unexpected, something… exciting, had just begun.
And she couldn't wait to see where it would lead.