Trevor pov
Trevor woke up late the next morning.
Not because he wanted to, but because his body felt heavy. His legs ached from riding all day, and his head felt full. He lay on his bed for a moment, staring at the ceiling crack again.
Last night kept replaying in his mind.
Emma.
He sat up slowly. "Get up," he told himself. "Dreaming won't pay rent."
He checked his phone. A message from work blinked on the screen.
Manager: You missed the morning shift. Come in now.
Trevor sighed. He quickly washed up, pulled on his jacket, and rushed outside. The cold air hit his face as he jumped on his bike and rode fast through traffic.
When he arrived, his manager was waiting.
"You think this job is a joke?" the man snapped.
"I overslept," Trevor said honestly. "It won't happen again."
"That's not good enough," the manager replied. "You're always tired. Always quiet. Like you don't care."
Trevor clenched his jaw. "I care. I just work."
The manager scoffed. "You think working hard makes you special?"
Trevor looked at him calmly. "No. I think giving up makes you weak."
The room went silent.
The manager's face turned red. "That's it. You're done. Hand over the bag."
Trevor stood still for a second. Losing this job scared him, but something inside him felt relieved.
He placed the delivery bag on the desk and nodded. "Alright."
He walked out without looking back.
Outside, he stood on the sidewalk with nowhere to go. People rushed past him, busy with their own lives. No one noticed the guy who had just lost his job.
Trevor sat on a bench and rubbed his hands together.
"It's fine," he whispered. "I'll find another way."
He pulled out a small notebook from his jacket. Inside were notes and ideas. Business ideas. Plans that had lived in his head for years.
One idea stood out.
A logistics platform. Faster deliveries. Fair pay. A system that respected workers.
He laughed quietly. "Big dreams for a broke guy."
Still, he kept writing.
By afternoon, Trevor walked into a small café to escape the cold. He ordered the cheapest coffee and sat by the window.
As he stared outside, someone walked in.
Emma.
Trevor froze.
She was dressed simply this time. No cameras. No crowd. Just her.
She looked around, then spotted him.
Their eyes met again.
She hesitated, then walked toward him.
"Hi," she said softly.
Trevor stood up quickly. "Hi."
"I wasn't sure it was you," Emma said. "I hoped it was."
Trevor smiled. "I didn't think I'd see you again."
"Neither did I," she replied.
They sat down together. For a moment, neither spoke.
"I got fired today," Trevor said suddenly.
Emma looked surprised. "I'm sorry."
"It's okay," he said. "I think I needed it."
She tilted her head. "Needed it?"
"Yes. Sometimes you need to lose something to see what you really want."
Emma nodded slowly. "I understand that more than you know."
They talked quietly. About life. About pressure. About dreams.
Emma did not mention her company. Trevor did not ask.
"What do you want to do?" Emma asked.
Trevor thought for a moment. "Build something real. Something fair."
She smiled. "That's rare."
"What about you?" he asked.
Emma looked down at her cup. "I want freedom."
Their eyes met again. The moment felt deep, but gentle.
Then Emma's phone rang.
She looked at the screen and sighed. "I have to go."
Trevor nodded. "Of course."
She stood up, then paused. "Trevor… can we meet again?"
His heart skipped. "I'd like that."
She smiled and walked away.
Trevor watched her leave, his mind racing