Stupid dumb Rachel.

Rachel stood two stores away from the ice cream shop where Liam worked. The Friday evening air was crisp, and the streets were bustling with people heading to dinner or meeting friends. She knew Liam's shift ended soon, she'd spent enough Fridays trying to casually run into him to know his schedule by heart.

Every weekend, she tried to work up the courage to casually wander in, hoping for a small conversation that would make her week. She fidgeted, toying with the strap of her shoulder bag, eyes darting from the shop entrance to the bustling street. But tonight, like so many other nights, she found herself frozen with indecision.

Her legs felt like lead, even as her heart urged her to move. What if he wasn't there? What if he was there? What would she even say? She tugged at the strap of her purse, pretending to study the display of pastries in the window of the bakery next door.

Two minutes turned into what felt like hours, and finally, her body moved on its own. Before she could overthink it, Rachel found herself walking toward the ice cream shop. The little bell above the door jingled as she stepped inside, the familiar scent of waffle cones and sweet cream enveloping her.

She scanned the counter, her heart leaping. Her heart did a little somersault as she reached the front of the line only to fall just as quickly. Her excitement deflated quickly as she found out that Liam wasn't there. Instead, a young woman with a bright smile, messy ponytail stood in his place.

"Hello! What can I get you?" the scooper asked cheerfully, her voice cutting through Rachel's disappointment.

Rachel hesitated for half a second, forcing a quick smile to hide her feelings. "Hi," she replied, her voice wavering just slightly.

"What flavor can I get you?" the woman asked, gesturing to the array of colorful ice cream tubs.

"Uh… mint chocolate chip," Rachel said automatically. It wasn't even her favorite flavor, but it was the first one that came to mind.

The scooper nodded, grabbing a cone and filling it with two perfect scoops of minty green ice cream. Rachel fumbled for her wallet, paid, and took the cone. But instead of leaving, she lingered, her gaze darting toward the back of the shop, hoping Liam might emerge from the storeroom.

"Anything else I can help you with?" the scooper asked, tilting her head curiously when Rachel made no move to leave.

"Oh, no. Thanks," Rachel said quickly, her cheeks warming. She wanted to ask about Liam, to find out if he was off today, if he was okay but the words wouldn't come. Instead, she turned and walked out, the bell jingling again as the door closed behind her.

"Stupid, stupid, dumb Chel," Rachel muttered to herself. She took a bite of the ice cream, but it did little to cool her frustration. Why couldn't she just ask about him?

The streetlights had begun to flicker on, casting a golden glow over the sidewalk as she made her way home. The gentle hum of the city surrounded her, but her mind was lost in a whirlwind of self-recrimination.

"Rachel!"

Her name jolted her out of her thoughts. She turned toward the voice, forgetting the ice cream in her hands, her heart skipping a beat when she saw Liam walking toward her. His dark hair was slightly tousled, like he'd just come from a jog. He was wearing a dark hoodie and jeans, his hands shoved casually into his pockets. His smile, warm and slightly lopsided, made her heart race.

"Hey!" he greeted, as though it were the most natural thing in the world to run into her, stopping in front of her.

"Liam! Hi!" Rachel stammered, her face heating. "What…. what are you doing here?" Her words tumbled out, flustered.

He chuckled. "I work at the ice cream shop, remember? And I live nearby. Do you live around here too?"

"Oh, uh, no, I just… came for some ice cream," she said, gesturing to the cone in her hand. She tried to sound nonchalant, but she could feel her cheeks warming.

"Mint chocolate chip, huh?" he said with a grin. "Good choice. I actually took the day off today. Needed a little break." He explained, as if reading the question in her mind. As if knowing that she wanted to ask.

Rachel nodded, her voice caught in her throat. All she managed was a soft, "Oh." Her voice barely a whisper and she could feel her ears turning red.

For a moment, they stood there, the silence stretching between them. But then Liam spoke again, his voice gentle. "You don't mind if I walk with you, do you?"

Her heart leapt. "No, not at all," she said quickly, maybe too quickly.

They fell into step beside each other and Rachel tried not to overthink every step, every glance, the sound of their shoes against the pavement blending with the distant hum of traffic. Rachel took another bite of her ice cream, trying to hide how nervous she felt.

They strolled down the sidewalk in a comfortable silence, her ice cream gradually melting as she took small bites. Rachel could hardly believe her luck; here she was, walking beside him, the evening breeze playing with their hair. Her heart fluttered, and she focused on breathing evenly, hoping to hide how nervous she was.

"So, do you come to the shop a lot?" Liam asked after a moment, glancing at her with a small smile.

"Oh, um, sometimes," she said, trying to sound casual. "It's got the best ice cream in town."

"Glad to hear it," he said. "Guess I'll have to make sure I'm there more often so I don't miss you."

Rachel's heart felt like it might explode. Did he mean that? Was he just being nice? She didn't know what to say, so she just nodded, a small smile tugging at her lips.

"So, do you have any plans for the weekend?" he asked, glancing over at her.

She shrugged, wishing she had something exciting to say. "Not really. Just, you know, hanging out with friends, maybe catching a movie. Nothing too wild." She laughed nervously.

Liam nodded. "That sounds nice. I always like low-key weekends. Gives you time to just… relax."

They continued walking, talking about little things, the weather, a funny customer he'd had last week, a stray dog they passed on the sidewalk. Rachel found herself relaxing, the initial nervousness giving way to a warm, easy feeling.

With each exchange, she found herself loosening up, her initial shyness fading. His presence felt easy, natural, like he wasn't just her crush but someone she'd known all her life.

When they reached the corner where Rachel would turn to head home, they stopped.

"This is me," she said softly, gesturing down the street.

Liam nodded. "Well, it was nice running into you tonight. Maybe I'll see you at the shop again soon?"

You didn't run into me, I was there so I could see you but instead she said.

"Yeah," Her voice barely above a whisper. "I'd like that."

He smiled, that same lopsided smile that made her stomach flutter. "Goodnight, Rachel."

"Goodnight," she replied, watching as he walked away, her heart feeling lighter than it had in weeks.

As she turned and headed home, she couldn't stop smiling. Maybe tonight hadn't gone exactly as planned, but in the end, it had turned out better than she could have hoped.