POV: Lina

  She told herself it wasn’t a date.

  Just a party. Just a friend-of-a-friend invite. Just a night out.

  But deep down, she knew why she came.

  Because someone made her laugh through a screen.

  Because someone named Gabriel asked about her favorite book of the Bible instead of her favorite position.

  Because his messages didn’t come with pressure or promises - just space.

  Space to breathe.

  Space to be herself.

  She liked that.

  Didn’t know what he looked like. Didn’t ask.

  That felt right too.

  Now, standing near the kitchen, curls down, drink in hand, makeup light - Lina felt... out of place.

  Not dressed wrong.

  Not standing wrong.

  Just not there.

  She scanned the crowd for something familiar, someone who might look like a Gabriel. Quietly. Carefully.

  But all she got were shrugged shoulders and blank faces.

  So maybe he wasn’t here.

  Or maybe she was the fool for thinking someone like that actually existed. Especially from Tinder.

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  She took a slow sip and let the music pass through her.

  Didn’t dance. Didn’t move. Just stood in it.

  God, if he’s here... let him find me.

  That’s when it happened.

  She didn’t see him coming.

  Shoulder to shoulder. Solid.

  It wasn’t painful. Just real.

  She blinked, startled - more from her thoughts being interrupted than from the hit.

  He spoke first.

  “Yo-my bad,” he said, voice low.

  She looked down.

  And froze.

  He wasn’t huge. But he was built - solid shoulders, arms that held shape under his shirt, the kind of strength you feel before you see.

  His shoulder had caught her just right.

  Steady. Warm. Close enough to feel something she didn’t expect - like she was safe.

  Not just physically, but in the way he carried himself.

  Calm. Steady. Like nothing around them could shake him.

  And when she glanced at his face, her chest stilled.

  He didn’t stare. Didn’t flirt.

  Just held the moment with her like it belonged to both of them.

  She didn’t know him.

  Didn’t think she knew him.

  But something about his presence - the way his eyes steadied her - felt familiar.

  She wanted to ask.

  Wanted to say something like, “Are you Gabriel?”

  But the words never made it past her lips.

  Instead, she just nodded.

  “Yeah. Sorry. I wasn’t really... looking.”

  And then she walked away.

  Not fast.

  Not awkward.

  Just enough to escape the feeling before it got too loud.

  Later, she stood outside, arms crossed against the cooler air.

  Her curls moved lightly in the breeze.

  The music was still pulsing inside, but out here it felt far away.

  She didn’t know what that moment meant.

  Didn’t know who he was.

  Didn’t know if she’d see him again.

  But something about it stayed in her chest.

  The way he looked at her like she mattered before he even knew her name.

  And for one second...

  She almost said something.

  Almost.

  Authors note:

  Thanks for reading this far.

  Chapter 4 drops in soon.

  If you’re feeling Lina and Hamari’s energy already, leave a comment - I see everything.

  Let’s see who caught that moment too.