More Than Just a Project

A few moments passed, "Hey..." Evan was about to say something but hesitated. "Oh wait, what's your name?" he asked.

Right, I totally forgot about that! "Annie... And you're Evan, right?" I pretended to forget his name, just to prolong the moment.

"Yeah, Evan. So, I've divided the tasks. I'm going to handle this part, and you'll be doing..." He explained it smoothly, and I listened. I wouldn't have paid such close attention if his voice wasn't so soft and calming.

"Understand?" he asked, looking at me.

"Hmm, maybe I can change it a bit? Because..." I suggested a tweak to his idea.

"That's great!" he responded, genuinely impressed. A smile formed on my lips as I realized he liked my input.

"You're really creative. I don't regret working together with you," he added with a bright smile.

Oh gosh, my heart could explode. His compliment caught me completely off guard. I was used to being praised for my looks, not my ideas. It left me feeling flattered, a blush creeping up on my cheeks.

"Thank you, I guess..." my voice came out quieter than usual, softer, almost shy.

Once we wrapped up the project, I felt a lingering connection between us. I didn't want the moment to end. "Hey, do you want to grab something at the café nearby? My treat," I offered casually.

"Sure, sounds good," Evan agreed with a smile.

At the café, I ordered a chocolate cake for Evan, thinking it would be a nice gesture since he was new around here. Little did I know, Evan loved sweets, especially chocolate.

As the cake arrived, I watched his face light up in surprise. "Wow, chocolate cake! How did you know I love sweets?"

I blinked, surprised myself. "I didn't, just guessed," I smiled, feeling proud that my random choice turned out to be perfect.

We started talking more, and every now and then, I'd catch myself smiling. He wasn't just smart; he was easygoing and funny too. Every time he laughed or smiled, I felt that strange fluttering feeling again. Something about this was different. Something I couldn't put into words.

"So, how's it been adjusting here?" I asked, sipping my drink.

"It's been... interesting. Different from my old school," Evan said, cutting into his cake. "But it's not bad so far."

"That's good," I replied, watching him.

And so, we spent the rest of the afternoon talking, eating cake, and connecting in ways I never expected.

After we finished eating, I noticed the time—it was getting late. We had wrapped up most of the project discussion already, but neither of us seemed in a rush to leave. There was this lingering sense of wanting the conversation to go on, to not let the moment end just yet.

As we stood up to leave the café, I suddenly felt that slight awkwardness—the kind where you both know there's something more but aren't quite ready to say it.

"Uh, so," Evan began, rubbing the back of his neck, "in case we need to, you know, discuss the project more or whatever…" He trailed off, pulling out his phone and handing it to me.

I tried to hide the smile tugging at my lips as I took his phone, quickly typing in my number. "Yeah, just in case," I echoed, my voice playful. I handed his phone back and pulled out mine, offering it to him. "You too. Just in case."

Evan grinned as he added his number to my phone, the excuse clearly flimsy at this point. We both knew it wasn't really about the project anymore.

"There," he said, handing my phone back with a small laugh, "all set."

"Cool," I replied, trying to keep my voice steady, though the warmth in my chest was undeniable. "So, I guess I'll see you tomorrow for the presentation."

"Yeah, see you tomorrow," he smiled, lingering for just a second longer before we finally parted ways. As I walked home, I couldn't stop smiling, my phone feeling a little heavier in my pocket. There was something about this that felt like the start of something more.