Silver Lining ❥ daerin

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟔: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩

ℭ𝔞𝔩𝔦𝔰𝔱𝔞

The noise of the diners outside had become a faded whisper, like the hum of a distant radio, but none of it mattered. Not when all that truly captured my attention was right in front of me—Sage, sitting there with a soft smile that made me feel like the world had narrowed down to this room, this table, this moment.

I reached for her hand across the table, my fingers brushing against hers before I intertwined them, holding on gently. A quiet giggle escaped me, the kind of laugh I hadn't let myself indulge in for so long. There was something about Sage that brought out that giddy feeling in me, like we were two teenagers discovering what it felt like to be in love for the first time.

We had finished lunch, the last bits of sauce wiped clean from our plates. The air between us felt light and intimate, like a secret shared just between us. Time seemed to have this strange way of speeding up yet slowing down simultaneously, and I found myself liking that paradox. Liking how much of the day we still had left to be together, to explore whatever this was between us.

"So," Sage said, leaning back in her chair with a playful glint in her eyes, "what are the plans after this?"

I grinned, trying to suppress the rush of excitement in my chest. "What do you wanna do?"

Sage tilted her head thoughtfully. "How about the mall? We could walk around, maybe do some shopping."

The idea made me smile. I hadn't been to the mall in a while—well, not for casual shopping, at least. "That sounds perfect. Let's go."

We paid the bill and left the restaurant, stepping out into the sun. The warmth on my skin felt good, like the world was welcoming us into this new phase. The mall wasn't far, so we decided to walk, enjoying the easy conversation as we strolled down the street.

Once inside, the familiar hum of shoppers and the smell of pretzels and coffee greeted us. Sage's eyes lit up as she spotted a store she liked, and we wandered inside, checking out the racks of clothes. It didn't take long before one of the employees recognised me.

"Miss Avellino!" The girl behind the counter smiled, her eyes widening a little. "It's so nice to see you here."

I felt my cheeks flush slightly, caught off guard by the recognition. "Uh, yeah. Just out shopping today."

Sage raised an eyebrow, her lips curling into a smirk. "What, you're a celebrity here too?"

I rolled my eyes but couldn't help laughing. "No, not at all. Just... people around here know me, that's all."

"Mmhmm." Sage nudged me playfully as we moved through the store. "Seems like you're a bigger deal than I thought."

I shook my head, still smiling. "Hardly. I just spend a lot of time at the track. I guess word gets around."

Sage didn't let it go, though. Every time someone recognised me, she'd throw me a teasing look, poking fun in that lighthearted way of hers. It was impossible not to feel a little shy, but at the same time, I loved how she made me laugh about it instead of letting it get awkward.

We moved from store to store, picking out a few things here and there, and I couldn't help but notice how easy it felt. Being with her in public like this, not racing or running off somewhere—just being us, being normal. It was a side of life I hadn't let myself explore much, but with Sage, it felt natural.

As we stepped out of the last store, Sage had a bag with a few new things, and I carried mine as we made our way back to the entrance.

"You're surprisingly good at shopping," I teased, nudging her side.