As you stepped off the bus, the evening air wrapped around you, crisp with the promise of fall. Your fingers intertwined with Eric’s, the familiar warmth of his hand in yours, pulling you closer to him. You had walked this same route countless times, the quiet streets a comforting backdrop to the end of another day spent together.

“I’ll see you tomorrow?” he asked, his voice soft, like a promise hanging between you.

You nodded, offering a gentle smile. “Of course.”

The familiar pang of reluctance formed in your chest as you reached the fork in the road—the point where you always had to part. It wasn’t that you weren’t looking forward to getting home, but every step away from him felt like leaving behind a piece of yourself.

He paused, holding your gaze for a beat too long. Your breath caught in your throat. A mischievous twinkle flickered in his eyes, the corner of his lips tugging upward. Then, before you could say a word, he pulled you toward him, his arms wrapping around your waist with a quiet urgency. Your heart raced as your faces inched apart, the world around you quiet, the streetlights casting a soft glow on his features.

Then he kissed you—gentle at first, almost like he was asking if you were ready. But your lips melted into his, answering the question before it was spoken. The kiss deepened, slow and deliberate, each movement a promise, a question, a reassurance. It felt like time had stopped, the weight of the world momentarily gone as you stood there in the street, forgetting that the world still spun around you.

When you pulled back, both of you breathless, you couldn’t help but laugh quietly. “You’re impossible.”

He grinned, his thumb brushing against your cheek as if savoring the moment. “I just wanted one last kiss before you walked away.”

“Next time,” He whispered, brushing your lips against his once more before reluctantly pulling away. “Next time, don’t let go so soon.”