Crossing Paths Again

Days passed, and the memory of the rainy afternoon with Alex lingered in Lena's mind more than she wanted to admit. She hadn't taken his number, and neither had he asked for hers, which, in a strange way, brought her relief. It felt like a fleeting moment of warmth, a conversation shared with a stranger that she could tuck away in her memories.

Yet, part of her couldn't help but wonder if she would ever see him again.

One Wednesday morning, Lena hurried down the street, juggling her phone in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other. She was late, as usual, for her morning meeting. The street was busy, bustling with the city's weekday rhythm. People passed by in a blur, but as she crossed an intersection, a familiar voice called out.

"Lena?"

She froze, her heart skipping a beat. It couldn't be him.

She turned around slowly, her eyes widening in disbelief. There he was—Alex, standing just a few feet away, a look of pleasant surprise on his face. This time, the sky was clear, the sun casting a soft glow over everything. The contrast between this moment and their first encounter in the rain was almost surreal.

"Alex?" she managed, her voice tinged with both shock and amusement. "What are you doing here?"

He laughed, running a hand through his hair. "I could ask you the same thing. Do you always rush around like this in the mornings?"

Lena looked down at her coffee and phone, suddenly feeling a little self-conscious. "I guess so. I'm kind of notorious for being late to everything."

"Ah, the classic 'always late but worth the wait' type, huh?" he teased, grinning.

She smiled, relaxing a bit. "Something like that. Are you heading somewhere?"

"Yeah, actually. I work just down the block," he replied, gesturing toward a nearby building. "But I've got some time to spare. How about you?"

"I'm… technically late for a meeting," she admitted, glancing at her watch.

"Well, I won't keep you," he said, though he seemed reluctant to let the moment slip away. "It's just funny running into you like this."

"Yeah, funny…" Lena's mind raced. She wasn't sure what to say next. She had thought about this moment—what she would do if they crossed paths again—but now that it was happening, she felt caught off guard.

Before she could overthink it, Alex stepped forward. "How about we catch up properly sometime? Coffee again, maybe? This time on purpose."

There it was. The offer. The opportunity to see him again, but on her terms.

Lena hesitated. Part of her still wasn't sure if she was ready for anything more than what they had shared in that café. But something about the ease of his company made her want to say yes.

"Okay," she finally said, a soft smile playing on her lips. "Coffee sounds good."

"Great," Alex replied, his eyes lighting up. "I'll leave you to your meeting, then. Text me when you're free?"

Lena's eyebrows shot up as she realized they still hadn't exchanged numbers. She pulled out her phone and handed it to him with a grin. "I guess that would help, huh?"

Alex laughed, typing his number into her phone before handing it back. "Looking forward to it."

With a casual wave, he walked off, disappearing into the crowd of pedestrians. Lena stood there for a moment, her heart doing a small flip. It had been a long time since she felt this kind of excitement—this lightness. As she resumed her hurried pace, her thoughts were no longer consumed with work or her meeting, but with the idea of seeing Alex again.