You walked into your usual lunch spot like you always did, right on schedule. By now, you knew most of the employees, and they knew you. But that day, there was a new face at the food station you normally ordered from. He didn’t look particularly approachable. If anything, he seemed like the type who kept to himself. You hadn’t expected him to make conversation—but he did. It was brief, almost awkward, but it was there. When he handed you your meal, he slipped in a complimentary snack with it before you went on your way.

The next time you came in, you exchanged names.

The third time, you discovered you had something in common.

The fourth time, the restaurant was too busy for either of you to properly talk. Still, before you left, you gave him an awkward side hug—quick, unsure, but meaningful in a way neither of you acknowledged.

Unbeknownst to you, he had already decided that the next time you came in, he’d ask for your number.

But there wasn’t a next time.

You stopped going.

You realized you were starting to develop a crush on him, and that realization unsettled you more than you expected. So for the next three weeks, you found a different restaurant for lunch.

What you didn’t expect was that one evening after work, as you were walking toward the bus stop, he stepped into your path.