Ferdinand sighed, leaning against the library wall as they stood just outside, their temporary exile from the quiet confines of the building feeling oddly liberating.
"I still can't believe this is happening," Ferdinand muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. "One weekend, and suddenly I'm 'Ferdy, the guy who needs a girlfriend'?"
Daisy laughed softly, folding her arms across her chest. "What did you expect after your sister's little stunt? You can't just drop fifty napkins with your number on them and expect nothing to happen."
He groaned again. "I wasn't even there to stop her. It's like I've lost all control over my own life."
"Well," Daisy said, her smirk still firmly in place, "it's a good thing you have me to keep you grounded then, isn't it?"
Ferdinand smiled despite himself. "Yeah, I guess I do." He glanced at her, noting how the sarcasm in her voice had softened, and for a moment, things felt normal again. No awkwardness, no tension—just them.
"So, how many calls have you gotten?" Daisy asked, quirking an eyebrow.
"Too many to count," Ferdinand replied, shaking his head. "It's insane. I woke up with my phone buzzing non-stop this morning."
"And what did you do with all those lovely messages, Ferdy?" she teased, clearly enjoying his discomfort.
"Deleted most of them," he said quickly. "Blocked a few numbers too. Honestly, it's been a nightmare."
Daisy gave him a mock look of concern. "A nightmare? Oh, poor Ferdy, hounded by girls left and right. However will you survive?"
"Stop," he groaned, though he couldn't help the small smile that tugged at his lips. "I don't want any of this. It's all Elara's fault."
"Blaming your sister, huh?" Daisy shook her head, the smirk never leaving her face. "Sounds like someone's deflecting."
"I'm serious!" Ferdinand protested. "If she hadn't been so drunk, none of this would've happened."
Daisy shrugged. "Well, she was drunk, and now it's happening. You've just got to deal with it."
He shot her a look. "Thanks for the support."
Daisy chuckled. "Hey, I'm here, aren't I? If that's not support, I don't know what is."
Ferdinand fell silent for a moment, his gaze dropping to the ground. He shifted awkwardly, trying to find the right words. "I'm sorry," he said finally, his voice quieter. "About this weekend. I didn't mean to—well, I didn't want to make you feel like you didn't matter. Things just got… complicated."
Daisy's teasing expression softened, and she let out a quiet sigh. "Yeah, I get it. I was upset, but I also know things come up. I just—" She paused, glancing away before looking back at him. "I just didn't want to feel like I'm always going to be sidelined, you know?"
"You're not," Ferdinand said quickly, stepping closer to her. "You're not sidelined. I promise."
Daisy searched his eyes for a moment, as if gauging the sincerity of his words. Slowly, she nodded. "Okay."
Ferdinand let out a breath of relief. "Okay." He smiled then, a genuine one that reached his eyes. "You're kind of stuck with me now, you know that, right?"
"Stuck with 'Ferdy'? How lucky am I?" Daisy joked, though there was warmth in her tone.
"Very lucky," he shot back, his smile widening.
For a moment, they stood there in the fading light outside the library, the air between them lighter, freer. The tension from the weekend seemed to dissipate, replaced by something more comfortable—an understanding that whatever came their way, they'd face it together.
"Well," Daisy said, breaking the silence with a smirk. "Since we've been banned from the library for a week, what now?"
Ferdinand chuckled. "I don't know. Coffee?"
"Coffee sounds good," Daisy agreed. "Let's just hope no one in the café knows who 'Ferdy' is."
He cringed again. "I swear, if someone calls me that in public, I'm going to lose it."
"Good luck with that," Daisy laughed as they began walking down the path together, side by side.
As they walked down the path, the banter between Daisy and Ferdinand continued to flow easily, the weight of the weekend slowly lifting from Ferdinand's shoulders. They reached the small café tucked away at the corner of campus, a familiar spot for both of them, but today it felt different—more personal, as if it was just their little world.
Inside, they found a quiet corner by the window, sunlight streaming in, casting a soft glow over the table. Daisy sat down first, and Ferdinand followed, settling into the moment as if it was the most natural thing in the world. They ordered their usual—Daisy getting her favorite caramel latte and Ferdinand sticking to a simple black coffee.
"So, 'Ferdy,'" Daisy began, her voice laced with amusement. "Now that you're the campus heartthrob, do I have to worry about other girls stealing you away?"
Ferdinand shook his head, chuckling. "I'm pretty sure you're the only one who's going to call me 'Ferdy' to my face, and I definitely don't want anyone else doing that."
Daisy leaned forward, teasing him with a playful smile. "Good. Because I'm not sharing."
Her words, though light and playful, held a deeper meaning that wasn't lost on Ferdinand. He smiled, but there was a flicker of seriousness in his eyes. "I wouldn't let anyone take me away from you, Daisy."
Daisy's expression softened for a moment, a glimmer of vulnerability in her eyes before she quickly masked it with her usual smirk. "You better not. I don't take competition well."
Ferdinand chuckled again, his heart skipping a beat as he watched her. There was something about her today—something different. She was more open, more relaxed, and there was an underlying tension that neither of them could ignore any longer.
As they sipped their coffees, Ferdinand cleared his throat, his gaze lowering to his cup before meeting Daisy's eyes again. "You know… I never got to thank you."
Daisy raised an eyebrow. "Thank me? For what?"
"For telling me you like me," he said, his voice quieter now but filled with sincerity. "I know it wasn't easy, especially after everything that's happened. But I've been thinking about it a lot."
Daisy's cheeks flushed slightly, but she held his gaze. "I mean… I wasn't going to just keep it to myself forever. That's not my style."
Ferdinand smirked, leaning in a little closer. "And you know, I haven't stopped thinking about the night you kissed me."
Her eyes widened slightly, and she blinked, her cheeks turning a deeper shade of pink. "I was drunk. That doesn't count."
"Oh, it counts," Ferdinand teased, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "You were all over me. You can't blame it on the alcohol forever."
Daisy bit her lip, trying to suppress a smile. "You're exaggerating."
"I'm not," Ferdinand insisted, his voice taking on a softer, more intimate tone. "You kissed me, Daisy. And ever since that moment… I've been head over heels for you."
His words hung in the air, and for a moment, Daisy didn't respond. Her playful demeanor faltered as she took in the seriousness of his confession. She could see it in his eyes—the way he looked at her, the way he'd been acting around her. This wasn't just some passing fling for him.
"Ferdinand," she began, her voice quieter now. "I didn't know you felt that way."
"How could I not?" he asked, his hand reaching across the table to gently take hers. "You're incredible, Daisy. I thought about it every day after that night. I thought about you every day. I didn't want to ruin it, but at the same time… I couldn't ignore how much I wanted you."
Daisy looked down at their intertwined hands, her heart racing. This was real—he wasn't playing games, and neither was she. Slowly, she looked up at him, her voice softer now, all sarcasm and teasing stripped away. "I've been thinking about you too."
Ferdinand's thumb lightly brushed against her hand, and for the first time, he felt a sense of peace. There was no overthinking, no confusion—just them.
"I'm glad you told me," Ferdinand said, his smile widening. "Because now I can stop pretending I don't feel the same way."
Daisy smiled back, leaning in a little closer. "Good. Because I'm not letting you get away that easily."
Ferdinand chuckled, his gaze locked on hers. "I wouldn't want to go anywhere else."
For a moment, the world outside the café faded away. It was just them, sitting across from each other, everything finally falling into place. The tension, the unspoken feelings—it was all out in the open now, and they were both ready to embrace whatever came next.
"So," Daisy said after a beat, her smirk returning. "Does this mean you're going to stop being so awkward around me?"
Ferdinand grinned. "I wasn't awkward. I was… cautious."
"Cautious?" Daisy raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. "Is that what we're calling it?"
"Yeah," Ferdinand teased, leaning in closer. "But now that I know you feel the same, I guess I don't have to be so cautious anymore."
Daisy's smile widened, and she gave his hand a gentle squeeze. "Good. Because I don't want you to hold back."
"I won't," Ferdinand promised, his voice low and sincere. "Not anymore."
They stayed like that for a while, sipping their coffees, talking, and enjoying the moment. There was no rush, no need to hurry things along. They had time—time to figure out where this was going, time to enjoy each other's company without any of the uncertainty that had lingered before.
And as they left the café, walking side by side down the path, their hands brushed together, a silent promise of what was to come.
Ferdinand glanced over at Daisy, a soft smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "You know, this whole 'Ferdy' thing… I think I can live with it."
Daisy laughed, her eyes sparkling as she looked back at him. "Yeah?"
"Yeah," Ferdinand said, his smile growing. "As long as it's you calling me that."
"Well, lucky for you," Daisy teased, nudging him playfully, "I'm not going anywhere."
With that, they continued walking, side by side, both knowing that this was just the beginning.