I'll be the sun.
You'll be the moon.
Just let your light come shining through, and when night comes, just like the moon.
I'll shine my light right back at you.
As the sun gradually begins to set, nightfall arrives. Contagious laughter that once was...
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"There is a madness in loving you, a lack of reason that makes it feel so flawless. " —Leo Christopher
The following hours felt like they flew by in a whirlwind, and before I knew it, I was standing in my apartment, anxiously pacing around, contemplating how the conversation with Chase was going to go. I'd convinced myself that this was going to be the moment I'd either fall flat on my face or shine brighter than I ever had.
Is it too late to cancel?
I didn't know what was worse—this was the most anxious I'd ever felt, or was it excitement? Scratch that. I was a nervous wreck.
Cold sweat was creeping up on me, ready to blind my vision. Chase would surely notice my trembling hands. And knowing me, I'd probably make it worse by doing something awkward. How am I going to make that look cute?
It was moments like these that I envied the heroines in my favorite books. They always had friends who came over to help with these situations, offering advice, smoothing down hair, calming jittery nerves. I was pretty sure Sandy would doubt I even had a date, given that I'd never once expressed an interest in dating in the entire time she'd known me.
Plan B it is then.
I grabbed my phone and started Googling tips on how to calm myself. The results were a mix of deep breathing exercises, counting to ten, and—of course—how to flirt without looking like an absolute dork. None of it was helpful. I felt like I was preparing for a TED talk rather than a date.
Between counting to ten and taking deep breaths, my eyes wandered to the faultless photo on my dresser. My parents' wedding picture stared back at me, perfectly preserved in a frame that made the memory feel as fresh as yesterday.
If they were here, I wouldn't be so alone in my thoughts. The whole scenario would be different. I almost chuckled bitterly when I examined our beaming faces. Back then, the only heartbreak I'd known was when McDreamy had passed away.
My mom and I had cried for days, while Dad tried to console us, telling his dad jokes that always made us laugh through the tears. His arms had been my safe place, just like Mom's, only bigger.
I stayed lost in the thoughts of their comforting presence until I heard a faint knock on the door. My heart jumped in my chest, and my breath caught.
Oh, God. This is it.
I scrambled downstairs, trying my best to look presentable, but with every step, the nerves multiplied. It was as if my entire body was in overdrive, ready to explode at any moment. When I opened the door, all my attempts to look composed flew out the window. There he was.
Chase.
And oh my God, the man looked like a walking work of art.
As soon as my eyes met his, my mouth went dry. The suit I'd seen him in before had made my heart skip a beat, but now, in his casual clothes, he was everything I hadn't known I wanted. The jeans, the shirt that hugged his broad shoulders just right... It was like he had stepped out of some kind of perfect, impossible dream.
"You look so good," I blurted out, not thinking, and immediately regretted it. My cheeks flamed in embarrassment.
Did I seriously just say that?
Tell me there's a rewind button on life somewhere, or by some miracle, he didn't hear that. But the amused glint in his eyes told me everything I needed to know.
"Thank you, sweet girl," he said, voice low and warm. "Words can't describe how pretty you look. You ready to go?"
I nodded, but it felt like my legs had turned to jelly. I closed the door behind me and, the moment I turned around, I felt his hand gently touch my lower back, guiding me toward his car. I swear I could feel my heart flip in my chest. I was trembling, but it wasn't from the cold.
When we reached the car, I barely had time to process what was happening before he opened the door for me, his gaze soft as he checked on me before closing it.
How is this extraordinary man single?
As the car started moving, I found myself sneaking glances at him. My mind kept screaming, This is real. This is really happening. Chase. Is. Taking. Me. Out.
I couldn't believe it. Why would someone like him want to go out with someone like me? Maybe this was all part of some office observation. He'd come to the office to evaluate the employees, and I'd been under his microscope this whole time. And I'd made a complete fool of myself—calling him by his first name (so unprofessional), agreeing to meet him outside work, letting my fantasies get carried away. The list of ways I'd embarrassed myself was endless.
Suddenly, a terrible thought hit me. Maybe this wasn't a date at all. Maybe he was going to fire me in the middle of a coffee shop. He was too nice to do it abruptly, though. He'd soften the blow, but still. I'd probably just end up embarrassing myself further by bursting into tears.
And that would be the end of it. The end of my job. The end of everything.
I needed this job. It was the only thing I had left to hold onto. Without it, I'd lose my footing. My sanity, even.
As the café came into view, I felt a wave of panic. I couldn't believe it was happening so fast. Maybe if I lived further away, I would have had more time to compose myself. Or at least figure out how to fake normalcy.
Was it even possible for a seatbelt to constrict your breathing? Or was I just being dramatic again?
Just as my mind threatened to spiral, the car slowed to a stop, and the door swung open. Air rushed into my lungs like I had just come up for a breath after holding it underwater for too long.
I didn't realize I had been holding my breath until I saw him again. His eyes locked with mine, and suddenly, everything around us disappeared. He reached for my hand to help me out of the car, and I felt a strange, undeniable warmth spread through me.
He pulled me gently to my feet, and as I stood there, I marveled at the fact that I was still standing at all. I had expected my legs to give out. The nerves were a tornado inside me, but somehow, my body was holding it together.
And then, just as I thought I couldn't possibly feel any more out of place, he placed a hand on the small of my back and guided me into the café. The air-conditioned breeze hit me like a shock to the system, pulling me out of my head, but my thoughts still raced.
He led me toward a table tucked in the corner, away from the hustle and bustle, and as we walked, his hand rested lightly on my lower back. Every touch sent sparks flying, even through my layers of nerves.
We reached the table, and I was so caught up in the feeling of him being close that I barely noticed the faint pinch on my face from forcing a smile. I met his gaze again, and I couldn't decide if he looked amused or concerned. Probably both.
He gently pulled out the chair for me, and I settled into it, unable to stop myself from staring at him. He was so composed, so perfect, and here I was, a nervous wreck. People would probably be able to see it in an instant.
But somehow, with every passing second, I felt a little more grounded. A little more sure that I wasn't going to make a total fool of myself.
