Serena could still feel the faint hum of excitement running through her as she stepped out of the coffee shop and into the cool evening air. The sky was darkening now, painted in dusky shades of indigo and blue, and the city lights were beginning to glow softly against the fading light, like an acrylic painting on a canvas, but Serena didn't appreciate the beauty. She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself, but there was no hiding the quiet smile pulling at her lips.
Her first date with Ryan, if she could call it one.
Serena pulled her jacket tighter around her shoulders as she started walking home, the quiet of the evening only amplifying her thoughts. She was nervous in a way she hadn't been in a long time, but it was a good kind of nervous. The kind that made her feel alive.
Ryan had been different than she expected—not that she had any reason to think otherwise.
Tonight had only confirmed it.
Serena smiled softly as she thought about the way he'd looked at her while they conversed like she was an angel.
She liked the way Ryan made her feel at ease, as though there were no expectations, no pressure to impress. They'd spent the evening talking about everything and nothing—work, music, the best kind of pizza (thin crust, obviously). He told her about his love for old vinyl records and how he preferred them to Spotify.
"You just have to hear it," he'd insisted, leaning forward in mock seriousness. "I'll make you a believer."
"And you just carry a record player around in your pocket, do you?" she teased, her lips curling into a smirk.
Ryan grinned, unbothered by her sarcasm. "No, but I know where to find one."
As Serena rounded the corner onto her street, her steps slowed. The street lamps were glowing softly overhead, but she barely noticed. Her mind was still back in the coffee shop, still lingering in those small moments she didn't want to let go of.
The way he'd looked at her when she was talking like he actually listened.The way his eyes lit up when he made her laugh like her laughter was something he'd been hoping for.
And the goodbye—Serena's heart skipped slightly at the thought of it. They'd lingered by the door for just a second too long, that moment where neither of them seemed sure how to end the evening.
For a heartbeat, she thought he might kiss her. The thought sent a jolt of panic and excitement through her, but then Ryan had just smiled.
Serena let out a breath now as she reached her apartment building. She hadn't realized she'd been smiling the entire walk home, but it was hard not to. It had been so long since someone made her feel this way—light, hopeful like the future was brimming with possibilities she hadn't dared dream about before.
Of course, a part of her was still cautious. She didn't want to get ahead of herself, to build this into something it wasn't. It was just one date. One night. But even so, she couldn't deny the way her chest fluttered when she thought of him.
Serena fumbled for her keys and unlocked the front door, stepping into the quiet, dimly lit lobby. As she rode the elevator up to her floor, she leaned against the wall, her mind still buzzing.
It was silly, maybe, to feel this way after just a couple of hours together. But as she turned the key to her apartment and stepped inside, she realized she didn't care. For the first time in a long time, Serena felt like something new had begun—something warm and uncertain and wonderful.
And as she tossed her jacket over the chair and curled up on the couch, she allowed herself to think of Ryan just a little longer.
Because, if tonight was any sign, she had a feeling she'd be seeing him again.