Unspoken Affection

09

Bobby glanced down at his phone, feeling a bit nervous but excited as he typed out a quick message to Hannah. He knew it was bold to reach out so soon after meeting her through a video call, but something about her playful smile and easy laughter had lingered in his mind.

He hit send before he could second-guess himself, glancing up to make sure no one noticed. But when he looked up, Armand raised an eyebrow at him, smirking knowingly.

"Messaging someone special, Bobby?" Armand teased, leaning back with a satisfied grin.

Bobby rolled his eyes, trying to play it cool. "Maybe," he said casually, slipping his phone back into his pocket. "You know, just making new friends."

Armand laughed, nudging Bobby's shoulder. "Sure, sure. Friends. Because that's totally what it looked like from here."

Before Bobby could respond, his phone buzzed in his pocket. He quickly checked the message, his heart skipping a beat as he saw Hannah's reply pop up on the screen.

Hannah: *Hey! Nice to finally meet you... even if it was through a screen. So, are you as charming in person as you seemed on video? ;)*

Bobby grinned down at the message, feeling a rush of excitement. He quickly typed back.

Bobby: *Guess you'll have to find out in person, won't you? 😉*

Just as he hit send, he looked up to find everyone staring at him, amused by his sudden change in mood.

"Care to share with the group?" Lia asked with a smirk, clearly catching on.

Bobby laughed, raising his hands in mock surrender. "Alright, alright. I may have just messaged Hannah. What can I say? Sometimes, you just have to go for it."

Harvey gave him an encouraging smile. "Good for you, mate. Life's too short to let a good chance slip by."

They all clinked their cups together in a silent toast to new beginnings, and Bobby felt his excitement grow, eager to see where this chance encounter might lead.

Hannah glanced down at her phone, surprised to see a message from Bobby. She hadn't expected him to reach out so soon after their quick video chat, but she felt a spark of curiosity and excitement. The way he'd looked a bit shy yet charming during the call had stayed on her mind, and now, seeing his message, she couldn't help but smile.

She read his text and grinned at his reply, "Guess you'll have to find out in person, won't you? 😉"

With a slight blush, she typed back, feeling bold. "Oh, so confident, are we? Alright, Mr. Charming—maybe I will. Just don't disappoint."

As she hit send, she found herself laughing at her own forwardness. Hannah was usually cautious about these things, but something about Bobby's easy smile and playful humor made her want to take a chance. She could already imagine her friends teasing her, especially Lia, who probably had an inkling this would happen.

"If only I was there, so we could meet up in person" Bobby said. Hannah smiled at Bobby's message, feeling a mix of excitement and playfulness spark in her.

*Hannah*: "Well, maybe that's a good thing. Gives you more time to come up with something really impressive for when we finally do meet in person. No pressure, though. 😜" Bobby replied almost immediately.

*Bobby*: "Oh, don't worry. By the time we meet, I'll have the perfect plan. I'm already taking notes. 😉"

Hannah laughed, shaking her head. She could tell he was just as eager yet easygoing, and it made her feel comfortable. There was something refreshing about the way he teased, lighthearted but genuine.