WHEN THEY FALL IN LOVE

chapter 15

annabeth:

It had been a long, exhausting day. I switched off my phone to escape the constant buzz of calls—Lucas had been calling me nonstop. Of course, I was going to call him back, but just not right now. I needed a moment to pull myself together, to breathe. Opening my laptop, I saw a new email notification. It was from MIRA JEWELS. My heart skipped a beat as I clicked on it. The message was a personal invitation to their exclusive launch event. It seemed to be written just for me, with Mira even mentioning her phone number and suggesting that we meet in person. My curiosity piqued, I didn't hesitate to dial her number."Hi," Mira answered on the first ring."Hi," I said back, my voice a little shaky. she then added. "I was moving into Lucas's house recently, and I saw him heartbroken as I finished arranging everything. Is everything okay?"I hesitated, then asked, "You his fiancée or something?"Mira laughed softly. "Hell nah, I'm his sister—well, distant cousin. We grew up together. We should actually meet one day.""Sure, whenever you're free," I said, feeling a little more at ease after our conversation. But as I ended the call, a wave of distress washed over me. I couldn't believe I had misunderstood everything—Lucas was in pain, and I had misread the signs. The weight of it hit me hard, and before I knew it, I was spiraling. Fourteen days had passed without him, and the thoughts of what ifs kept swirling in my mind. What if I had been there for him sooner? What if I had made a different choice?In the end, I realized it was just him and me, no one else would clean up the mess I had made if I didn't step up. So, after what seemed like hundreds of seconds of doubt, I picked up my phone and called Lucas.He answered right away, and I explained everything—the confusion, the hurt, and the time I had spent away, trying to figure things out. His voice softened, and he invited me out to dinner. "Come on, let's go eat and get some clothes for the event. We'll figure it all out."The evening unfolded like a blur of laughter, light, and unexpected moments. We wandered through the city, finally settling on a quaint bistro for dinner. The place was cozy, with warm golden lights and a soft hum of conversation in the background. Over plates of pasta and glasses of red wine, we talked about everything—the past two weeks, the events of the launch, and all the uncertainties that had clouded our minds.After dinner, we headed to a boutique nearby. Lucas picked out a sleek black dress for me, one that made me feel powerful and confident. He even insisted on trying on some outfits for the event himself, causing both of us to burst out laughing as he modeled a few too many bold choices.By the time we left the store, bags in hand, I felt like I had found a small piece of clarity. We weren't just a mess of misunderstandings anymore. We were figuring it out, step by step. Maybe it wasn't perfect, but it was a start.