Chapter 27 – You Look Different

Monday mornings at Westbridge University were always the same.

Students hurried across campus with takeaway coffee in one hand and half-finished assignments in the other. Someone rode past on a bicycle much too fast for the crowded walkway. Clubs had already begun setting up booths near the student center, trying to lure unsuspecting freshmen into signing up.

Emma adjusted the strap of her backpack as she climbed the steps toward the architecture building.

It felt... lighter somehow.

She couldn't explain why.

The weekend had left her with more questions than answers.

Daniel was still frustratingly mysterious.

She still had no idea what he actually did for a living.

She still wondered who Nathan was.

And yet...

The memory of breakfast over soup dumplings lingered in the back of her mind, warm enough to make her smile before she even realized she was smiling.

"Well, would you look at that."

Emma turned.

Lily Harper stood a few feet away, coffee in one hand and sketch tube tucked beneath her arm.

"There you are."

Emma laughed.

"Good morning."

Lily narrowed her eyes dramatically.

"...Why are you glowing?"

"What?"

"You're glowing."

"I'm wearing sunscreen."

"Emma."

"What?"

Lily walked closer, studying her face as though searching for evidence.

"I've known you for almost four years."

"I know."

"You look different."

Emma blinked.

"Different how?"

"Happier."

Emma opened her mouth to deny it.

Nothing came out.

Lily folded her arms.

"Aha."

"What?"

"You hesitated."

"I did not."

"You absolutely did."

Emma laughed, shaking her head.

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Mhm."

Lily took a sip of her coffee.

"You've smiled more in the last thirty seconds than you did all of last semester."

"That's a little dramatic."

"So is your face."

"My face?"

"Yes."

"It looks normal."

"No."

Lily pointed at her.

"It looks... brighter."

Emma felt heat creep into her cheeks.

"I guess..."

"What?"

She smiled despite herself.

"...It's kind of thanks to you."

Lily frowned.

"Me?"

"You were the one who convinced me to d******d HeartMatch."

Silence.

For exactly two seconds.

Then Lily nearly dropped her coffee.

"What?!"

Several students turned toward them.

Emma immediately laughed.

"Keep your voice down."

"You actually met someone?"

Emma nodded.

"You?"

Another nod.

"From HeartMatch?"

"...Yes."

Lily stared.

"I spent three months convincing you to try dating apps."

"I remember."

"You called them 'digital blind dates.'"

"I still think they are."

"And now you're seeing someone?"

Emma bit back another smile.

"...Maybe."

Lily grabbed her arm.

"Emma Hart."

"What?"

"You cannot casually tell me this five minutes before class."

"I wasn't planning to."

"How many dates?"

Emma hesitated.

"...A few."

"A few?"

"Don't make that face."

"What face?"

"The judgmental one."

"I'm not judging you."

"You absolutely are."

"I'm judging the fact that you waited until now to tell me."

Emma laughed again.

Before she could answer, the classroom door opened.

Professor Bennett stepped inside carrying a stack of drawings.

"Morning, everyone."

Students immediately began filing into the lecture hall.

Lily groaned.

"No."

Emma grinned.

"Yes."

"You can't leave me hanging."

"I have to."

"This is cruel."

Emma walked backward toward her seat.

"I'll tell you after class."

"You'd better."

"I will."

Lily pointed a warning finger at her.

"I'm holding you to that."

-

Two hours later...

"I knew it."

Emma sighed as they stepped out of the architecture building.

"You've said that five times."

"And I'll say it again."

Lily adjusted the strap of her bag.

"I knew you'd eventually meet someone."

"I wasn't exactly looking."

"That's always how it happens."

Emma rolled her eyes.

"According to who?"

"Romantic comedies."

"Very reliable source."

"They've never let me down."

Emma laughed.

The two of them crossed the street toward the small commercial block where Mrs. Alvarez's bakery sat on the corner.

"So," Lily said.

"I'm listening."

"Tell me everything."

Emma took a breath.

"We matched."

"Mhm."

"We talked for a while."

"Mhm."

"Then we met."

"And?"

"He's..."

She searched for the right word.

"...Easy."

Lily looked surprised.

"Easy?"

"I don't have to pretend around him."

"Huh."

"He listens."

"That's rare."

"He remembers everything I say."

"Even rarer."

Emma smiled to herself.

"And..."

"What?"

"I like spending time with him."

Lily bumped her shoulder playfully.

"Someone has a crush."

Emma covered her face.

"I knew you were going to say that."

"Because it's true."

"I didn't say that."

"You didn't have to."

They continued walking.

"So," Lily asked, "what's his name?"

"Daniel."

"Daniel..."

She nodded thoughtfully.

"Okay."

"Okay what?"

"I can work with Daniel."

Emma laughed.

"What does that mean?"

"It means I'm imagining him."

"You've never seen him."

"I don't need to."

"That's concerning."

"I have excellent imagination."

"I'm suddenly worried."

"You should be."

Emma shook her head.

"He's..."

She paused again.

"What?"

"I don't really know that much about him."

Lily blinked.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean..."

Emma laughed awkwardly.

"I know his favorite dumplings."

"...Okay."

"I know he drinks tea without sugar."

"Good."

"I know he likes old movies."

"Also good."

"I know he remembers little details."

"Mhm."

Emma sighed.

"But I still don't really know what he does."

Lily stopped walking.

"You don't know his job?"

"He says he works in business."

"That's it?"

"That's literally it."

Lily burst out laughing.

"Oh, Emma."

"What?"

"You've found the world's most mysterious office worker."

"I think so too."

"And you're still seeing him?"

Emma smiled.

"...Yes."

Lily watched her for a second before smiling back.

"I like this."

"You do?"

"I do."

She nudged Emma gently.

"Whoever this Daniel is..."

She shrugged.

"I'd like to meet the man who somehow made my perpetually exhausted best friend look this happy."

Emma laughed.

"You make me sound miserable."

"You were."

"I was not."

"You survived on coffee, deadlines, and spite."

"...Fair."

"I'm serious."

Lily smiled warmly.

"I haven't seen you this relaxed in years."

Emma didn't answer.

Because Lily wasn't wrong.

Somehow...

Between awkward movie nights...

Late-night conversations...

Soup dumplings...

And a man who insisted on pouring her tea before filling his own cup...

Something had quietly changed.

They reached the bakery.

The familiar scent of butter and fresh bread drifted out each time the front door opened.

Mrs. Alvarez was already inside, arranging croissants in the display case.

Emma reached for the door handle.

"I should get to work."

Lily nodded.

"One condition."

"What?"

"I expect to meet Daniel eventually."

Emma laughed.

"We'll see."

"No."

Lily grinned.

"We definitely will."

Emma waved before disappearing inside the bakery.

Lily stood on the sidewalk for another moment before walking away.

As Emma tied on her apron behind the counter, the bell above the bakery door chimed.

She looked up automatically, expecting another regular customer.

Instead...

Her smile slowly faded.

Someone she had never seen before stepped inside and looked directly at her.

"Emma Hart?"