MY BROTHER'S BESTFRIEND

Chapter 6: The day I met 'him'

Chapter 6 - The day I met 'him'

Valerie's Point of view 

FLASHBACK...

It was one of those days where everything felt a bit weird. The sky looked like it might rain, and the school was filled with the usual noise of students rushing around, barely noticing each other. I was no different, hurrying between classes with my eyes focused on the ground, trying not to get caught up in the chaos. My bag, full of books, felt heavy on my shoulder, and I was trying to hold a cup of coffee with one hand while my phone buzzed in my pocket. I was running late to meet Vik - nothing new there. I didn't even notice him at first. 

Bam.

The  collision was sudden, and everything seemed to happen in slow motion. My coffee cup flew from my hand, the cap popping off, and the hot liquid splached across the floor, narrowly missing my shoes. Books scattered in every direction. And I froze, stunned, looking up at the guy I had crashed into. 

He was taller than me, and his frame was solid. His hair was slightly messy in that effortlessly attractive way, and there was a hint of confidence in the way he looked at me. He had the kind of easy smile that you couldn't fake, and when his eyes met mine I felt this strange flutter in my stomach. 

I was still frozen in place when he spoke, his voice a mixture of amusement and concern. "Whoa, hey, are you okay?"

I blinked trying to shake myself out of the daze. "Uh, yeah, I'm good." I glanced down at the mess I had made. I quickly bent down to grab my books, my cheeks flushing in embarrasment. 

"Let me help you with that," he said, his voice light and easy, as he reached for the fallen coffee cup. He handed it to me with a look of apology, his lips lifting into a small but genuine smile. "At least there wasn't that much coffee back in the cup." 

I chuckled awkwardly, taking the cup from him. "Yeah."

He picked up my books, his movements so smooth it almost looked rehearsed. "I swear, I should be wearing a sign, that says 'I'm a walking disaster'."

I laughed again, this time a little more naturally, my initial shock wearing off. "I'll join you," I said, brushing my hair out of my face and trying to regain some sense of dignity.

Once everything was back in my arms, I looked up at him again, surprised by how comfortable I felt around him despite the awkward start. "Thanks for helping me."

He straightened up "I don't mind. It's the least I can do for, you know, crashing into you and all." 

I nodded, smiling. "It's actually 50/50, I wasn't looking up either, so it's also my fault."

There was a brief silence, and for a moment, I thought that would be the end of it. But then he spoke again, his voice casual, but with a hint of something more in it.

"Tell you what," he said, leaning slightly toward me with a grin that seemed a little too self-assured to be anything but charming, "how about I make it up to you? Let me buy a coffee. But next time, I promise not to spill it." 

I blinked, a little taken aback by the suggestion. His offer was so smooth, but there was no rush or pressure behind it. It was casual, like he was genuinely just trying to be nice without any strings attached.

"I'd like that," I said without thinking, surprised by how easily the words came out.

His smile widened, and for a moment, I could've sworn there was something in his eyes - a flicker of something deeper, like he'd been waiting for that response. "Great," he said, "but not today. Were already running late for class."