It had only been a week, but Will and I had gotten close, and our colleagues were starting to notice.
"I can smell a budding romance in this room," Kath teased, glancing at us. Her high ponytail swayed as she smiled.
Marvin quickly joined in, "Oh, I know exactly who you're talking about!" He grinned, his bald spot catching the light.
Both of them were giggling now, and suddenly, everyone else was watching us too, waiting to see if we'd admit anything. I looked at Will, feeling the heat rise in my cheeks.
"Why are you guys looking at us?" Will asked, pretending to be clueless, while I giggled beside him.
"Playing innocent, huh? Come on, Will! You don't look like it," Marvin teased, his grin widening.
Will laughed and shrugged, "Okay, okay! What you see is what you get."
That was all it took. Everyone burst out with a loud "Yeesssss!!!!!" making the whole room erupt with laughter.
Jay suddenly appeared on my right and asked, "How about you?" He seemed more concerned than curious, unlike the others who were just teasing.
"I'm really enjoying what we have right now," I said, smiling. "It's been a long time since I've felt this way." I looked over at Will, feeling excited about the attention we were getting from everyone.
"That's all I wanted to hear," Jay said, nodding with a satisfied smile.
"You know, sometimes you creep me out, but I appreciate how concerned you are," I replied lightheartedly. "Don't worry, I'm not going to fall too hard this time."
In the back corner of the room, there was a girl named Abby Carlisle who wasn't joining in on the commotion. While Marvin and Kath, the class clowns, were busy cracking jokes and cornering me and Will, Abby remained quiet and serious. We weren't that close, even though I got along well with everyone else in the training room. I thought Will and Abby might know each other a bit since I had seen them talking once. I didn't bother asking Will about it, feeling it wasn't my place to ask him about every girl he talked to.
Mr. Yap walked into the room, and we all quietly returned to our seats. Even though the lesson had started, I couldn't shake the feeling that something about Abby was bothering me.
"Is there something wrong?" Will asked, noticing that I was lost in thought and staring out the window.
What is happening to me? I didn't even notice that I wasn't listening to Mr. Yap. I was too focused on Abby and Will's connection, and now I felt a bit worried.
"Nothing really. Maybe I'm just a little sleepy," I said, but he didn't seem convinced.
Suddenly, he took my hands in his and said, "You know, you can always tell me what's bothering you. I'll always listen." His warm touch and kind words eased my worries. If only I could share what I was really thinking.
"Just hearing that is enough to make me feel better," I said, smiling to reassure him.
He smiled at me, and we both turned back to listen to the lesson.
Our shift had ended, and by now, it was almost a habit—either I'd wait for him, or he'd wait for me since we took the same route home.
"Got any plans today?" he asked. Is he going to ask me out?
"Just heading home. Why?" I replied, feeling those familiar butterflies in my stomach.
"Well, I noticed you seemed really serious earlier, so I thought we could go somewhere that'll make you feel like a kid again! How about that?" he suggested, his eyes lighting up with excitement.
The idea of a romantic date faded, and now I was just curious about what he was up to. But it sounded fun, and how could I resist that smile?
"Count me in!" I said, excitement clear in my voice.
At the amusement arcade… This is exactly what he said! A smile spread across my face. The place was huge, filled with all kinds of arcade machines—everything you could think of! It was so colorful, with laser lights like those in a bar, disco balls, and bright LED lights. Kids and the young at heart would surely love it, and I would too—because of him.
"What are you waiting for?!" he shouted, waving at me from a distance with a plastic full of tokens, ready to have fun. "Coming!" I shouted back, filled with excitement as I ran to him.
We first went to play Pop-A-Shot, and he impressed me with his basketball skills. He never missed, and he was so fast too, considering the ring moved up and down and side to side. I couldn't help but stare at his serious face while he played. Sweat trickled down his beautiful brown eyes, and I suddenly noticed how toned his triceps were. I wondered what it would feel like to be hugged by him.
"I didn't know you had this talent!" I said, both praising and having fun with him.
"Wait till you see me in action," he said with a double meaning. I just laughed in response. Why did I feel a thrill after he said those words? Stop that thought, Lyn! He's not even courting you or asking to.
"Stop laughing now; I know what you're thinking," he said, teasing me. "Now it's your turn," he added.
"Okay, you watch and learn," I said, making fun of myself and pretending to be good at basketball. I made a hand gesture with two fingers in a V shape, pointing to his eyes and then to mine. "Here's how you shoot the ball." I then threw three balls one after another, aiming for the ring. As expected, all of them missed the ring
Will laughed so hard; it was the first time I'd seen him laugh like that. "Hey! What's so funny? I really tried, you know!" I said, pouting my lips and pretending to be annoyed. And he laughed so hard even more.
"Want to play Whack-A-Mole?" he asked, grinning.
"You bet!" I said, excited.
He was really impressed this time—I didn't miss a single mole. With a playful smile, I joked, "You know why I'm so good at this? I just imagine each mole is someone who's hurt my heart." I said it in a mock-serious voice, pretending to be intense.
"Looks like I can't break your heart," he said with a laugh.
I grinned back, "Not if you're a mole! And we both burst out laughing..
We had played all the arcade games we wanted, so we took a break and sat on a long bench meant for tired customers.
"I think it's time for us to get a drink, and it's on me," he said. "These games made me hungry too!" he added.
"Yeah, it's really tiring but fun," I agreed. Now that he mentioned it, I suddenly realized just how hungry I was.
"Food's on me," I offered.
He shook his head and smiled. "No, this is on me," he said. "I've got it."
"Hey, that's not fair, you know? You were the one who bought the tokens, so I think it's only right if I pay for the food," I said, trying to make my case.
"Nope, I've already made up my mind." he said with a grin.
Suddenly, he took my hands and gently pulled me toward the food hall of the amusement arcade. His grip was warm, and I didn't want to let go. Time felt like it slowed down, and I realized I had always thought moments like this were only in movies. But here it was, real and beautiful—something I could only experience with someone I really liked.
He grabbed my shoulders and pulled me down into the chair. "Sit tight," he said with a smile before heading off.
As he stood there buying us snacks, I couldn't help but wonder if he felt the same way I did. The way he treated me felt more than just friendship—maybe we were more than friends? He hadn't asked to court me or told me he liked me, so I wasn't sure where I stood in his life. But for now, I just wanted to enjoy this feeling I had for him and the moments we shared.
My mouth watered as he handed me my favorite: Coffeetella and Blueberry Cheesecake. "I know you like these," he said with a proud smile. "I noticed you buying them twice since we met." It was sweet to see that he remembered, and it made me feel special.
He bought himself his usual: soda and a TLC burger. "Thank you," I said.
"For what?" he asked, looking curious.
"For bringing me here. It made my day," I replied, smiling as I looked into his eyes.
"I knew you'd like it," he said, his voice warm. Then, he slowly leaned in and gently kissed my forehead. The simple gesture made my heart skip a beat.
After we finished eating, we decided it was time to head home.
On the way home, we were holding hands. I couldn't help but smile to myself. When I looked at him, he noticed and asked, "Is there something on my face?" with a playful smile. I shook my head, still smiling, but said nothing.
"What are you thinking?" he asked, tilting his head to the side to get a better look at me. His eyes were curious, waiting for my response.
"I'm just confused," I said, my voice a little sad. "We don't feel like just friends anymore."
He stopped walking, moved in front of me, and gently tilted my face. Then, without a word, he kissed me. His lips moved softly over mine—first my upper lip, then the lower, side to side, again and again. I found myself responding, matching his movements. The kiss lasted for what felt like two minutes.
Why didn't I stop him? I had just told him I was confused, but instead of pulling away, I let it continue. Maybe, deep down, I didn't want it to stop.
"As long as we like each other's company, that's all that matters," he said, his voice so reassuring that I almost believed him. Part of me knew this might be wrong, but another part—the part that felt happy with him—didn't want to let it go. I was torn between the two feelings, but in that moment, the happiness won.
I didn't even notice that we were already in front of my house. He kissed me again, this time on my forehead, and said goodbye. After a few steps, he turned back and made a hand gesture, signaling that he would chat with me when he got home. Then he turned around and continued on his way.
I had been lying on my bed for about 30 minutes, replaying the moment when his lips touched mine, when I heard my phone buzz. I checked the notification and saw it was him, messaging to say he'd gotten home and that he enjoyed spending the day with me—and that he could still feel my lips on his. The words made my heart race all over again.