Daisy walked briskly down the street, her thoughts swirling as she made her way to the coffee shop across the road. The crisp morning air was refreshing, but it did little to calm the buzz of emotions still racing through her after the rushed departure from Ferdinand's apartment. She slipped inside the small café, the familiar warmth and smell of freshly brewed coffee wrapping around her like a comfort blanket. It was still early, but a small line had already formed at the counter. Daisy joined the queue, her mind still replaying the events of the morning.
*Did that really happen?* she wondered, as she scanned the chalkboard menu above the barista's head. She couldn't shake the image of Ferdinand's peaceful face while he slept, the way his features softened in the quiet of the room. And then his sister—her unexpected arrival had turned the morning upside down in a matter of minutes.
Daisy sighed, stepping up to the counter when it was her turn. "A coffee, black, and a croissant to go, please," she said. As the barista prepared her order, she found herself staring out the window, lost in thought.
*It felt like a date last night,* she mused, reflecting on the movie, the quiet ride back, and the soft moments they shared before falling asleep. She could still feel the warmth of his presence beside her in the bed, that sense of comfort that came so easily when she was around him.
But then, as she collected her coffee and croissant, a small question popped into her mind, halting her thoughts in their tracks: *Did Ferdinand consider it a date?*
The question hung in the air like a heavy cloud as she left the café, crossing the street and sliding into the backseat of a cab. She gave the driver the address for her dorm on campus, settling into the worn leather seat with her coffee in hand. She stared out of the window, watching the familiar streets pass by, but her mind was elsewhere.
*Did he see it the way I did?* she wondered. It wasn't the first time she had felt this way—confused and uncertain about where she stood with Ferdinand. Every time they seemed to get closer, to share something real, something always seemed to interrupt. Whether it was circumstances, timing, or, like this morning, unexpected visitors—it was as if the universe kept throwing obstacles in their path.
*Is this a sign?* she thought, tapping her fingers absently against her coffee cup. *Is the universe trying to tell me something?*
By the time the cab pulled up to her dorm, Daisy had more questions than answers. She paid the driver and got out, her bag slung over her shoulder and her coffee in hand. The campus was slowly coming to life, students walking to early classes or grabbing breakfast from the nearby café. Daisy, however, wasn't in the mood for socializing. She slipped inside her dorm building, taking the stairs up to her room.
Once inside, she set her coffee and croissant on the small desk and flopped onto her bed, staring up at the ceiling. The confusion and frustration of the morning had left her feeling a little drained, but there was also something else—a fire of determination that burned within her.
*I don't care what the universe thinks,* she decided firmly, rolling over onto her side as she propped her head up with her hand. *I'm going to have Ferdinand, one way or another. No more interruptions, no more second-guessing.*
She wasn't usually one to fight against fate or believe in signs, but this felt different. Every time something came between her and Ferdinand, it only made her want him more. The more obstacles they faced, the stronger her resolve grew. She didn't want to waste time questioning everything anymore. She knew how she felt about him, and she was ready to act on it.
After a few minutes of lying in bed, Daisy decided to freshen up. She took a quick shower, the warm water helping to wash away some of the tension in her body. When she stepped out, she wrapped herself in her robe and headed back to her small kitchen area to grab the croissant and coffee she had bought earlier.
Sitting down at her desk, she nibbled on the flaky pastry, sipping her now lukewarm coffee as she let her thoughts drift. Despite the chaos of the morning, there was a kind of quiet contentment in the air now. She had spent the night with Ferdinand—well, most of it anyway. That thought alone was enough to make her smile.
*This was our first date,* she thought as she scrolled through her phone absentmindedly. *At least, that's what it felt like.* It had lasted longer than she expected, and even though it hadn't ended the way she had imagined, it was still meaningful. There was something about being with him, in that intimate space, that made her feel closer to him than ever before.
But now, as she sat in her dorm room, she couldn't help but wonder what would come next. Every time they seemed to get close, something came up. *Is this a pattern?* she wondered. *Or just bad luck?*
Daisy took another sip of her coffee, her mind wandering as she tried to make sense of it all. Was the universe really trying to keep them apart, or was this just her overthinking things? She had always been the kind of person who looked for meaning in the smallest details, but this felt different. It was as if every time she and Ferdinand had a good time, something immediately interrupted it.
She looked out the window, the late morning sun casting soft shadows across her room. *Maybe it's not about the universe,* she thought to herself, her brow furrowing slightly. *Maybe it's about me. Maybe I just need to push harder, stop letting things get in the way.*
The thought of pushing against fate or the obstacles that kept cropping up made her feel empowered. She wasn't going to let anything stop her from being with Ferdinand. *I'll fight the universe if I have to,* she thought with a small, determined smile.
For the rest of the day, Daisy kept things low-key, staying in her dorm and enjoying the peace and quiet. She curled up in her bed, her favorite blanket wrapped around her as she watched a few episodes of her favorite show. It was the perfect way to unwind after the unexpected twists of the morning. Every now and then, her thoughts would drift back to Ferdinand, to the way he smiled at her, the way his voice softened when they were alone.
As the day wore on, Daisy found herself more and more certain of what she wanted. She wasn't going to let anything stop her from being with him. Not his sister, not the universe, not anything. *I'm going to make this happen,* she thought firmly, her eyes narrowing with determination.
By the time the evening rolled around, Daisy was still in her bed, feeling warm and cozy as the sun began to set outside her window. Her mind was made up, and no matter what the next few days threw at her, she knew she was ready to face it. *Ferdinand will be mine,* she thought with a smile, snuggling deeper into her blankets as she pressed play on another episode.
And with that final thought, she let herself relax, the determination still burning brightly within her.