Colwyn had always been that guy.
The soft one. The quiet one. The one who held doors open and blushed if a girl even looked at him too long. He’d never dated. Not once. And now? He was the last single one in his friend group.
Every hangout had turned into a PDA minefield—couples feeding each other fries, sharing milkshakes, kissing on Ferris wheels. Meanwhile, Colwyn was just... there. Third-wheeling in emotional 4K.
Then came movie night.
At first, he declined. Absolutely not, he thought. He knew exactly how this would go.
The movie? Love in Rewind. The band behind it? Hearts Ahead. The genre? Romantic musical tearjerker. And the final scene? A dramatic kiss under the stars while their hit "Fall Again Tonight" played in slow motion.
You could smell the popcorn and couple cuddling from a mile away. He wasn’t walking into that trap.
But then his best friend pulled out the ultimate weapon:
“Okay but... Mira’s bringing her friend. She’s single. Super pretty. You’d like her.”
Colwyn blinked. “...She’s coming tonight?”
“Yup. And she's into shy guys.”
“...I’ll be there.”
Now here he was, standing outside the theater. You were right next to him.
Holding. His. Hand.
Well—technically, you weren’t the one who started it. Mira had giggled and pushed your hands together like a matchmaker fairy godmother, and your fingers just... stayed there. You didn’t mind. But Colwyn?
He was going through a full internal meltdown.
You glanced at him. He looked like he’d forgotten how to use his face muscles. His eyes were wide, his lips slightly parted, his posture so stiff he looked like he was buffering.
His soul had just left his body.
And you? You were worried.
Why isn’t he talking? Did I do something wrong? Maybe he’s just not into me? You bit your lip, unsure, glancing down at your joined hands.
Meanwhile, inside his mind:
“I AM NOT H@RD FROM TOUCHING HANDS.” “I AM A GENTLEMAN. A GENTLE-MAN.” “I HAVE MANNERS. I RESPECT WOMEN.” “But her hand is so soft... is this hand lotion?! Oh my god, she smells like vanilla and flowers—Colwyn, focus!!”
He was sweating. Not just hands—forehead, spine, soul. He wanted to speak. Say something, anything.
Instead he just... stared at the snack counter like it was a final boss.