Paris Adler and Sydney Blake have been college classmates for a while. Paris is captivated by Sydney's beauty and talent in fashion, while Sydney is drawn to Paris's gentle nature, photography and poetic skills. Their story is one of budding romance...
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As Steph droned on about the history of The Centennial Monument, I was only half-listening. Something about its design, the architect, whatever. My mind was elsewhere, already thinking about seeing Sydney again. I glanced down at my phone, waiting for her reply.
"Well, that's enough trivia for now, Steph," I interrupted, smirking. "I'm not on a tour, and you're definitely not my tour guide. Besides, we both live in Chicago, remember?"
Steph chuckled awkwardly, glanced to another topic, clearly not taking the hint. "You know, in the golf world, Tiger Woods might be past his prime, but have you seen Scottie Scheffler's stats this season? They're insane—"
I tuned him out at that point, quickly texting Sydney.
Paris (to Sydney): Hey, I'm near the Comfort Station. Can you meet me here?
I hit send, my attention already drifting to what her reaction might be when she saw my new look.
Just as I put my phone back in my pocket, I spotted her. Sydney, in that teal short-sleeve top and coral skirt, walking towards me. Her outfit was even more stunning in person, and she moved with this effortless grace that always caught me off guard. My eyes sparkled and my heart skipped a beat as I watched her approach, and I couldn't help but smile.
Her eyes met mine. I waved and called out, "How do you keep getting more gorgeous every time I see you, Sydney?" The words came out naturally, because it was exactly what I was thinking. We met in the middle, and as soon as our hands found each other, it felt like everything was right in the world again.
"I love the jacket," she said, her voice warm as she glance at my red jacket, taking in my new look. Her compliment felt like a win, and I squeezed her hand lightly in response. "You look incredible in there. Thanks to Harper and Ashley, they did a good job."
Curious, I asked, "By the way, where's your car? I thought you'd drive here."
Sydney shrugged lightly. "I dropped it off at the nearest car wash. It hasn't been cleaned for months, so I figured it was about time. I took a ten-minute Uber ride to get here."
I nodded, understanding. "I see. I guess I'll book us a Lyft then, whenever we're ready to head out."
"Looks like it," she replied with a smile.
As we exchanged smiles and planned our next move, I noticed Steph, who had been walking near us, awkwardly realizing that Sydney wasn't coming over to greet him. His expression shifted as it dawned on him that he was just a third wheel in this moment.
Sydney noticed him too, and with a teasing scoff, she said, "You again, nerd. What are you up to this time?"
Steph was still standing there, clearly unsure of what to do next. His eyes darted between Sydney and me, almost like he was trying to figure out if there was still a chance for him to join us.
