Continued from Beneath the Silence 5 : A Return (click to read)
Hannah sipped her coffee, her fingers tracing the edge of the cup. “So, do you always come here this early?”
Ethan nodded, a faint smile tugging at his lips. “Most days. It’s my way of easing into the chaos.”
“Yeah, I get that. This place… it’s like a reset button,” she said, her voice soft, eyes flicking briefly to the window.
Ethan tilted his head slightly. “And you? Do you come here for the coffee or the quiet?”
“Both,” she replied with a small laugh. “But mostly for the quiet. Life’s noisy enough.”
They fell into a brief silence, neither wanting to break the moment but both aware of the clock ticking. Finally, Hannah glanced at her watch and sighed. “I should probably get going. Work’s piling up.”
“Yeah, same here,” Ethan said, closing his laptop. “Deadlines don’t wait.”
They stood, awkwardly lingering by the table. Hannah hesitated, her mind racing. Should I ask for his number? Would that be too forward?
Ethan, meanwhile, felt his pulse quicken. What if she leaves, and I don’t see her again?
The silence stretched, both searching for the right words. Finally, they spoke at the same time:
“Would it be okay if I got your—”
“Maybe we could exchange—”
They stopped, startled, then laughed.
“You first,” Ethan said, his voice warmer now, his nerves easing.
“I was just going to say… maybe we could exchange numbers? You know, in case we don’t run into each other here,” Hannah said, her cheeks slightly flushed.
Ethan smiled, pulling out his phone. “I was thinking the same thing.”
They exchanged numbers, their hands briefly brushing as they handed over their phones.
Hannah tucked her phone back into her bag and looked up at him. “Guess I’ll see you around, Ethan.”
“Yeah, see you, Hannah,” he said, his voice carrying a quiet certainty.
As they walked out in different directions, both couldn’t help but smile—two hesitant hearts taking a small but significant step toward something unknown yet hopeful.
************
Link to the next chapter Beneath the Silence 7 : Building Bridges
Hannah sipped her coffee, her fingers tracing the edge of the cup. “So, do you always come here this early?”
Ethan nodded, a faint smile tugging at his lips. “Most days. It’s my way of easing into the chaos.”
“Yeah, I get that. This place… it’s like a reset button,” she said, her voice soft, eyes flicking briefly to the window.
Ethan tilted his head slightly. “And you? Do you come here for the coffee or the quiet?”
“Both,” she replied with a small laugh. “But mostly for the quiet. Life’s noisy enough.”
They fell into a brief silence, neither wanting to break the moment but both aware of the clock ticking. Finally, Hannah glanced at her watch and sighed. “I should probably get going. Work’s piling up.”
“Yeah, same here,” Ethan said, closing his laptop. “Deadlines don’t wait.”
They stood, awkwardly lingering by the table. Hannah hesitated, her mind racing. Should I ask for his number? Would that be too forward?
Ethan, meanwhile, felt his pulse quicken. What if she leaves, and I don’t see her again?
The silence stretched, both searching for the right words. Finally, they spoke at the same time:
“Would it be okay if I got your—”
“Maybe we could exchange—”
They stopped, startled, then laughed.
“You first,” Ethan said, his voice warmer now, his nerves easing.
“I was just going to say… maybe we could exchange numbers? You know, in case we don’t run into each other here,” Hannah said, her cheeks slightly flushed.
Ethan smiled, pulling out his phone. “I was thinking the same thing.”
They exchanged numbers, their hands briefly brushing as they handed over their phones.
Hannah tucked her phone back into her bag and looked up at him. “Guess I’ll see you around, Ethan.”
“Yeah, see you, Hannah,” he said, his voice carrying a quiet certainty.
As they walked out in different directions, both couldn’t help but smile—two hesitant hearts taking a small but significant step toward something unknown yet hopeful.
************
Link to the next chapter Beneath the Silence 7 : Building Bridges
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I kinda tend to mess up my mind ... Being an overthinker... Hehehe... So... U can guess what I'll do with them too ! 
