The Way She Looked at Him

There was something about Aiden that people never understood. He wasn’t the loud type, not the flashy type, not the “I run the whole block” type. Just a quiet guy with a calm smile and a mind that overthinks everything.

But Lena saw him differently.

Lena was the kind of girl who walked into a room and instantly changed the temperature. Warm smile, soft voice, the kind of laugh that makes you turn even if you don’t know her. She wasn’t loud, but she was unforgettable.

They’d known each other for months, always meeting at the same kiosk each evening. Aiden would come for juice, Lena for chocolate.

Small talks, shy glances, hidden smiles — romantic tension thick enough to spread on bread.

One evening, the sky was golden, the kind that makes the whole street feel like a movie set. Aiden...