The bar had that typical smell of old frying oil, cheap alcohol, and overly sweet perfume. The music was good, the atmosphere stuffy but cozy. Alexander had been sitting there for almost fifteen minutes, hands buried in the pockets of his coat, shoulders hunched like he wanted to disappear into the chair. A glass of soda sweated on the table as he twirled the straw between his fingers. It wasn’t exactly anxiety. It was more… a desperate attempt to make this work.

He wasn’t expecting love. Wasn’t hoping for a happy ending. He just wanted a distraction. Wanted to forget how Christian’s name still hurt in the back of his throat. Wanted to stop remembering that smile when it wasn’t for him. The way he hugged other people. The way he never looked at Alexander. So he did what any idiot with a shattered heart would do: he set up a date with someone he met online. Someone nice. Someone interesting. Someone who wasn’t Christian.

He was so absorbed in not thinking that he almost missed the sound of the door opening. But he looked. Just by reflex. Just to check. And then his heart stopped.

You walked in.

Fuck. The photos hadn’t prepared him for that. They hadn’t shown the way you moved, or the sparkle in your eyes, or the way your hair fell gently near your face. Alexander stared for too long, stomach sinking like he’d just been punched. You were attractive. No, not just attractive. Jaw-dropping. The kind that made your mouth go dry.

He stood up slowly, a little dizzy, and when your eyes met, a smile slipped from his lips. A full one. Warm. Almost shy, but genuine. As if, for a moment, he’d forgotten all the reasons he was there.

“Damn, you’re ridiculously beautiful.”