A Moment of Truth

Layla sat in her room, her fingers scrolling mindlessly through her phone as her thoughts raced. Noah had sent her another message about a study group he wanted her to join, but she hadn't replied yet. She didn't know why she was hesitating—Noah was perfect, wasn't he? He represented everything she had always wanted: stability, warmth, and kindness. But that was the problem. He was perfect, and she wasn't sure she could match his expectations.

Her phone buzzed again. This time, it was Lucas. The message was simple:

"I'm outside."

Her breath caught in her throat as she stared at the words. She stood up and walked to her window, pulling back the curtain just enough to see the street below. There he was, leaning against his motorcycle, hands stuffed in his jacket pockets. He wasn't looking up, but something about his posture told her he knew she'd come.

She hesitated. She could ignore him. She could close the curtain, block his number, and focus on the life she was supposed to have with Noah. But something inside her wouldn't let her. Against her better judgment, she grabbed her jacket and headed downstairs.

"Where are you going?" her mom called from the kitchen as Layla slipped on her shoes.

"Just outside for some air," she replied quickly, not waiting for a response as she stepped out the door.

The cool night air hit her skin, making her shiver. Lucas looked up as she approached, a slow smirk spreading across his face.

"Took you long enough," he said, his voice teasing but laced with something heavier.

"What are you doing here, Lucas?" she asked, crossing her arms over her chest. "You can't just show up like this."

He shrugged. "I was bored. Thought I'd see what you were up to."

Layla rolled her eyes, but she couldn't hide the small smile tugging at her lips. "You're impossible."

"And yet, you're here," he shot back, his smirk deepening.

She sighed, leaning against the fence as she tried to steady her racing heart. "You can't keep doing this. You can't just show up and expect me to drop everything."

"Why not?" he asked, stepping closer. "You're always thinking too much, Layla. What if, just once, you stopped overanalyzing and did what you wanted?"

His words hit a nerve. What did she want? She had been so focused on making the right choice that she hadn't stopped to think about what would make her happy. She glanced up at him, her chest tightening as she saw the intensity in his eyes.

"I don't know," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

Lucas reached out, brushing a strand of hair from her face. His touch was gentle, almost reverent, and it made her heart ache. "You don't have to decide everything right now," he said softly. "But you can't keep running from me. From this."

Before she could respond, the sound of a car pulling up broke the moment. Layla turned to see Noah stepping out, his expression a mix of confusion and hurt as he took in the scene before him.

"Layla?" he called, his voice tinged with disbelief. "What's going on?"