A Date with Destiny

Chapter Three

She glanced at the clock on her nightstand. The dinner was tonight. She would finally meet Wyatt, and yet, here she was, panicking over a simple text. Why was she acting like this? She had been confident once, but now she felt like an imposter in her own skin. What if the chemistry wasn't there when they actually saw each other? What if she had built this whole fantasy in her head, and it was all just that—a fantasy?

She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to clear her mind, but the anxiety only grew. What if Wyatt didn't like her? What if he thought she was too quiet or too shy? What if she wasn't enough?

What if she wasn't what he expected? What if this wasn't going to work out? Her fingers hovered over the keyboard, and for a moment, she considered not responding. She didn't know what to say. She didn't know what to do. But she couldn't leave him hanging. With trembling hands, she typed out a quick reply. "Thanks, Wyatt. I'm looking forward to seeing you tonight." And Chloe set the phone on her bed, her hands still shaking. Without thinking, she pulled on her sneakers and grabbed her jacket. She wasn't sure where she was going but needed to leave this room. Get away from the buzzing phone, the weight of everyone's expectations, and the swirl of emotions tightening in her chest. As she stepped outside, the cold air hit her skin, sharp and invigorating. She took a deep breath, letting the chill of the evening sink into her bones. She had to stop worrying. She had to stop overthinking this.

But deep down, she knew—when she saw Wyatt tonight, when they finally came face-to-face, all of the questions and doubts would either be answered or shattered. And somehow, that terrified her more than anything.

Chloe stood in front of the mirror, her hands trembling as she adjusted the straps of her black dress for what felt like the hundredth time. She had carefully chosen the simple yet flattering outfit—a dress that gave her enough room to breathe and feel comfortable but also looked like she had put thought into it. The kind of dress that stayed between the delicate balance of wanting to impress and not trying too hard to do that. But now, standing here, Chloe wasn't sure if any of it mattered. Her nerves had kicked into overdrive, and her stomach twisted into anxious dots as the reality of what was happening was becoming obvious.

She was about to meet Wyatt—Wyatt—the guy her parent had so eagerly arranged for her to meet. Chloe wasn't sure how to feel about it. On one hand, her mom had always been optimistic about her daughter finding someone. On the other hand, the thought of meeting someone new—someone she wasn't sure about—left her feeling more vulnerable than she cared to admit.

Chloe took a steadying breath and glanced around her room, trying to focus on anything but the tightness in her chest. Then, a knock at the door snapped her out of her thoughts. Her mom's voice floated, a mixture of anticipation and urgency.

"Chloe, sweetheart, he's here. Are you ready now?"

Chloe's heart did ran so fast as she opened the door to find her mom standing there with a broad smile, clearly excited but holding back a small amount of nervous energy. Chloe could tell—her mom had been waiting for this moment. Chloe smiled back, trying to appear calm. "I'm almost ready," she said, glancing at herself in the mirror one last time.

Her mom's eyes sparkled as she took a step closer. "Well, come on, then! He's downstairs waiting." There was a hint of excitement in her voice and something more.

It was obvious how her mom was trying to play it cool, not wanting to come off too eager but clearly happy. Taking one last look at herself, Chloe nodded and followed her mom out of the room, her footsteps quick as she tried to push past the nerves. When they reached the bottom of the stairs, Chloe's eyes landed on him—the guy her parent had been talking about all week. Wyatt. Her pulse quickened, and for a moment, she thought she might trip over her feet. She hadn't expected him to be this... well, this perfectly dressed. He wore a sharp blazer over a white button-down shirt, his black jeans tailored perfectly to his long legs. He stood tall, his presence commanding attention in a way that made Chloe's breath catch in her throat. But it wasn't just his looks. It was the feeling in the air—the calm, collected energy he radiated. He was composed and confident, yet somehow, there was something showy about him, as if he was nervous underneath it all, just like her.

It hit Chloe all at once. She knew this guy. She had seen him before, though she had never expected this encounter to happen like this.

It was him. The guy she had stepped on at the mart. The memory of that embarrassing moment went down into her, and for a split second, she was not sure what to do. But then, he turned his head and met her gaze. His eyes were warm, and Chloe noticed a small glimmer of recognition passed behind them. He smiled, and for some reason, her nerves seemed to calm just a little.

Her mom, noticing the silence between them, quickly chimed in. "Wyatt, this is my daughter, Chloe. Chloe, this is Whyatt."

Chloe nodded, swallowing hard as she tried to get her self. She was supposed to be on tonight, calm and collected, but the condition of the situation and the memories of that first meeting made everything feel a little like a mirror.

"Hey, nice to finally meet you," Wyatt said, his voice deep, with just a hint of laughter. "I think we've met before."

Chloe's cheeks flushed as she realised he must have remembered the bad encounter. Great, she thought. She tried to laugh it off. "Yeah, I remember," she said, the words feeling stiff. "Sorry again for, you know... stepping on your foot."

Wyatt grinned, shaking his head. "It's fine. Honestly, I don't even think I noticed at the time. But hey, now we're all good."

His reassurance and the smile that accompanied it made Chloe feel a little lighter. She managed to return the smile, although it felt a little awkward. She'd expected this moment to be tense, but his easy-going attitude seemed to break the ice, at least for now.

"So, ready to go?" he asked, stepping back to let her pass.

Chloe took a deep breath and she nodded. "Yeah. Let's go."

Her mom waved them off, her excitement clearly growing.

As they stepped outside, the cool evening air wrapped around Chloe, and for a moment, it felt like she was being pulled into a strange but exhilarating new chapter. Wyatt led the way to his car, and Chloe followed, trying to focus on the here and now. Not now; she couldn't afford to get lost in her own head. She had a date and needed to act like she knew what she was doing.

She slid into the passenger seat of his sleek black car, trying not to let the sudden flurry of thoughts overwhelm her. Wyatt started the engine, glancing at her with a smirk. "So, you ready for an adventure?"

Chloe didn't know what was ahead, but she felt excitement in her chest. She wasn't going to let herself get lost in her own nervousness. Tonight, she was going to have fun.

She smiled and felt something close to ease for the first time that evening. "Let's go."

As Wyatt pulled out of the driveway and the city lights moved past the window, Chloe's mind whirled. She had no idea where this was going but knew she was ready to see it through. For once, her thoughts weren't filled with questions about any outside distractions. This was her night with Wyatt—and she must enjoy it.