The restaurant buzzed with conversation and laughter, the warm glow of candlelight flickering against polished wood tables. It was a cozy little spot downtown, somewhere we all had been before, but tonight felt different.
Maybe it was the celebration, the energy in the air. Our friends had just gotten engaged, and they were practically glowing. Across from them sat another couple, already wrapped up in their own little world.
And then there was me. And Luigi.
We knew of each other. We'd said hi in passing, shared a few words when we ended up in the same place. But we were just... acquaintances.
At least, that's what I thought.
The conversation flowed easily between everyone, glasses clinking, laughter spilling across the table. At some point, our newly engaged friends started telling their "how we met" story for what had to be the hundredth time, but no one minded.
Except... I noticed Luigi wasn't really listening.
His attention wasn't on them. It was on me.
I glanced at him, only to find him already looking. He didn't look away.
I raised a brow. What?
He just smirked, shaking his head like nothing.
But it didn't feel like nothing.
A few minutes later, the waiter set down a dessert plate in the middle of the tableâa little celebratory treat for our friends. Before anyone could grab a fork, Luigi leaned in slightly, voice low so only I could hear.
"You wanna split something?"
I blinked, surprised. "What?"
He gestured to the menu. "I was gonna get something sweet, but I don't think I can finish it by myself."
I hesitated, then tilted my head. "You could just get your own and take leftovers home."
He shrugged, a small smile tugging at his lips. "Yeah, but it's not as fun as sharing."
I narrowed my eyes, studying him. "Are you flirting with me, Luigi?"
He let out a quiet laugh. "I don't know. Am I?"
I stared at him for a moment, then smirked, flipping the menu open. "Fine. But I get the first bite."
He grinned. "Deal."
And just like that, something shifted.
Maybe it was the way he leaned in just a little closer. Maybe it was the way his fingers brushed mine when the dessert arrived, his gaze flickering to my lips when I took the first bite.
Or maybe... it was just inevitable.
By the end of the night, when we said our goodbyes and started heading in separate directions, Luigi hesitated.
"You know," he said, slipping his hands into his pockets, "this was fun."
I smiled. "Yeah, it was."
There was a beat of silence. And thenâ
"Wanna get lunch sometime?"
I raised an eyebrow. "Just us?"
He held my gaze. "Yeah. Just us."
I pretended to think about it, just to mess with him, but my smile gave me away.
"Okay," I said. "It's a date."
Luigi smirked. "I thought we were just friends?"
I grinned. "Not anymore."
And with that, I walked awayâknowing full well that something had just begun.