▸ 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐈𝐍 𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐓𝐋𝐄𝐒 𝐕𝐈𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐋𝐘 𝐀𝐒 𝐈𝐓 𝐒𝐂𝐑𝐄𝐄𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐒 to a stop, the sudden jolt throwing both of you forward. Your bodies sway dangerously close, and for a brief second, your lips brush against each other—not quite a kiss, but a fleeting, electric touch.
It's enough to make your heart race, even as you stumble to regain your balance, nearly knocked out of your seat.
Relief floods through you; at least it wasn't a full kiss—awkwardly colliding teeth would have been embarrassing, not to mention painful.
Still, the moment lingers in your mind. As you settle back into your seat, you mentally curse the universe for stealing away what could have been your first kiss with Billy.
Sure, the setting wasn't exactly perfect—public transport, fluorescent lighting, and the faint smell of fast food wrappers—but it was the closest you'd come.
The ghost of his lips against yours left a tingling sensation, a small victory amidst the chaos.
A heavy silence fills the air between you. Neither of you dares to speak, both too aware of the near-miss.
The doors hiss open, and people shuffle out into the station, some glancing your way with raised eyebrows or amused smirks.
You feel your face burn with embarrassment, but when you steal a glance at Billy, his blush rivals yours, the red staining his cheeks in a way that's both endearing and infectious.
Above the door, the digital screen blinks—it's your stop.
You stand up, and to your surprise, so does Billy. His soft-spoken voice cuts through the tension as he takes your hand. "Mary said my mother's place is only two stops away. Then I saw you on the train... couldn't just not say hi," he says with a sheepish grin.
You laugh lightly, squeezing his hand tighter in yours. His touch is warm, grounding, and you're not quite ready to let go yet.
The lovestruck smile on your face must be obvious, but you don't care.
Together, you weave through the crowded platform, your hands still linked as you make your way out of the station.
As you step into the cool evening air, the path ahead splits into two. To the left is your neighborhood, the familiar streets leading you home.
To the right, an apartment building looms across a bridge—the direction Billy's gaze lingers on.
You notice the hesitation in his eyes, the uncertainty he's trying to hide.
