Zaki boarded the train, the familiar thrumming of wheels beneath him at once comforting and electric. Across the aisle sat the stranger-their eyes met, sparking something unspoken. He felt his heartbeat quicken.

The stranger-hair tousled, earbuds in, a book open-seemed to exist in a world all their own. Yet, Zaki couldn't help but notice fleeting glances exchanged, the way their lips curled slightly when catching his gaze. the tension transformed into anticipation. It flickered between them, a delicate thread that begged to be tugged, his mind raced with thoughts of if he should speak up or not.