The Revel Heart || Ni-ki

11

The day started like any other. School dragged on with its usual routine of classes, homework, and the ever-present hum of teenage chatter. Ni-ki and Celine had been cautiously working their way back to some kind of normalcy since Ni-ki apologized a week ago. The tension between them had eased no more biting words or avoidance but there was still an unspoken uncertainty that lingered beneath the surface.

For Ni-ki, this awkward “reconciliation” was harder than he had expected. Apologies didn’t come easily to him, but he had made an effort, even if it was clumsy and awkward. He had tried to open up about his struggles, and in return, Celine had been patient with him, her defenses lowering just a bit. It had been a slow process, but they were getting there.

That’s why, when he texted her that afternoon, asking if she wanted to grab a coffee later, he had to sit and stare at the screen for what felt like an eternity before sending it. He knew it was risky. It wasn’t like they had a clear label on whatever it was between them. They were still navigating this strange new dynamic one part friendship, one part something more but neither of them had fully admitted to the more part yet.

He stared at the small chat bubble on his phone, waiting for her reply, and when it finally came, he felt a rush of relief.

Celine: Sure. I’ll meet you at that coffee place near the park. 7 PM?

He nearly jumped out of his chair. "Okay. It’s happening."

As the day progressed, his mind kept drifting back to the upcoming evening. He had imagined it a hundred times what they would talk about, what they would do, whether the silence between them would be comfortable or unbearably awkward. He had no idea what to expect, but now that the wheels were in motion, all he could do was hope for the best.

---

By the time 7 PM rolled around, Celine was pacing in front of her house, trying to calm the fluttering nerves that had settled in her stomach. She had spent the last hour overthinking everything what to wear, what to say, and, of course, what she was even expecting from this night. She had agreed to this coffee meet-up, sure, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t nervous.

She wasn’t used to this kind of thing. Sure, she had hung out with friends, and had been on casual “hangout” dates in the past, but this was different. This wasn’t just two people catching up. This was Ni-ki a guy who had, in many ways, unsettled her. The one who had both pushed her away and pulled her in with his enigmatic, distant ways.

She glanced down at her phone, noticing a message from him.

Ni-ki: I’ll be there in five.

She sighed, pocketing her phone as she glanced one last time at her reflection in the window. She didn’t look special. She was just her jeans, a hoodie, and her hair in a messy bun. Yet, somehow, that made her feel even more vulnerable. She wasn’t sure why, but she hated that this felt like a big deal.

The sound of a car pulling up snapped her out of her thoughts. She hurried outside, her heart beating faster as she caught sight of Ni-ki’s car. He waved from the driver’s seat, his usual aloof demeanor softening as he gave her a small smile.

"Hey," he said as she approached, leaning across the seat to open the passenger door for her.

"Hey," Celine replied, a little too quickly, before awkwardly sliding into the car.