The ride only took a few minutes. She handed over the fare, thanked the driver, and got out of the cab, but she didn't enter the mall immediately. Instead, she waited for the cab to leave before glancing nervously at the mall entrance.
It was the same mall that Kayla and Laura frequently visited, so she was quite familiar with it. Taking a deep breath, she entered and walked toward the coffee shop. However, as she neared the entrance, she suddenly stopped in her tracks.
Her heart hammered in her chest, nerves and excitement colliding violently. What if she looked too plain? What if Matthew was disappointed? The questions buzzed around her head like aggressive bees.
"No, stop overthinking," she muttered to herself, gathering her courage.
Taking a deep breath to steady herself, she stepped inside. The smell of coffee and fresh pastries enveloped her, momentarily soothing her nerves. And then, she saw him—Matthew, sitting at a corner table, casually scrolling through his phone. His hair was slightly tousled, and his smile was warm and genuine when he looked up and met her gaze.
Kayla fell into a trance. Matthew was more handsome than she expected. He looked quite different from his photos on Instagram, as if the photos couldn't capture his handsome and profound presence.
"Kayla!" Matthew greeted, waving her over. His voice was bright, friendly, and it immediately put her a little more at ease.
"Sorry if I kept you waiting," Kayla managed get out of her thoughts and replied as she took a seat, still trying to catch her breath.
"Not at all. I just got here," he assured her with an easy grin.
Their conversation flowed surprisingly well. Matthew was just as charming and funny in person as he was online, if not more so. He made jokes, shared stories about his classes, and even teased her about her coffee order being ridiculously sweet.
After an hour of chatting and laughing, Matthew leaned back in his chair and asked, "Hey, you free this afternoon, right? I was planning to invite you to a movie. Wanna come with me?"
Kayla's eyes widened. A movie? Already? Wasn't this supposed to be a casual meet-up just to finally see each other in person? But Matthew's grin was so genuine, his excitement so infectious, that she found herself nodding before her brain could even process her decision.
Kayla's eyes widened slightly. "Like...a movie date?"
He chuckled. "Well, I didn't wanna say the word outright, but yeah. A movie date." His smile was both confident and shy at the same time, and Kayla couldn't help but smile back.
"Sure," she replied, feeling her nerves twist into excited butterflies.
"Great! The cinema's just on the third floor. Let's go!" Matthew said, already standing up and gesturing for her to follow.
They walked together to the cinema, their conversation never faltering.
As they made their way up the escalator, Matthew filled the air with more jokes and anecdotes, and Kayla couldn't help but feel at ease. His presence was comforting, as if they'd known each other far longer than just a few months of chatting online.
When they arrived at the cinema, Matthew bought the tickets without hesitation. Kayla fumbled in her bag, trying to offer to pay for her own, but Matthew waved her off with a playful roll of his eyes. "I asked you out, didn't I? My treat."
"Well, thank you," Kayla replied, feeling her cheeks heat up again. Why did she have to blush at everything he said?
"You can buy the snacks next time," Matthew joked with a wink, making her cheeks flush a little.
Inside the theater, the lights dimmed, and the trailers began to roll. Kayla tried to focus on the screen, but her attention kept drifting to Matthew sitting beside her.
The movie was a famous piece called 'Inside Outside', something that didn't require too much focus but was charming enough to make them both laugh.
At one point, their hands brushed as they both reached for the popcorn simultaneously. Kayla's eyes darted toward him, her breath catching in her throat. Matthew just chuckled softly, his eyes crinkling at the edges.
"Sorry, didn't mean to steal your snack," he joked.
"No, no! It's yours too. Help yourself," Kayla stammered, feeling the tips of her ears go hot.
Halfway through, Kayla felt Matthew's hand brush against hers on the armrest. At first, she thought it was accidental, but then his fingers intertwined with hers, his warmth both surprising and comforting.
She glanced at him, her eyes meeting his in the dim glow of the screen. He gave her a shy smile before turning his gaze back to the movie, but his hand remained in hers.
The movie was funnier than she expected, with moments that had her giggling uncontrollably. And every time she laughed, she could feel Matthew's gaze on her, as if he enjoyed her reaction even more than the film itself.
Kayla's heart pounded wildly, her attention barely on the movie anymore. It was such a small gesture, but somehow, it felt monumental. The warmth of his hand seemed to melt away all the anxiety she had felt earlier. It was like a silent reassurance that he wasn't disappointed in meeting her at all.
The movie continued, but for Kayla, the real highlight was the unexpected warmth of Matthew's touch. And for the first time in a long while, she genuinely felt content.
The rest of the movie went by in a blur. It wasn't until the credits started rolling that Kayla realized just how much fun she had. Not just because of the film, but because of Matthew's easy company.
As they exited the theater, Matthew stretched his arms above his head, releasing a satisfied sigh. "That was actually a lot better than I expected. And seeing you laugh so much? Definitely the highlight."
Kayla ducked her head, smiling shyly. "I had a great time. Thanks for inviting me."
"Hey, the day's not over yet. How about dinner?"
"Dinner sounds good." Kayla nodded, her smile broadening.
She couldn't believe how natural this all felt. It was like they'd known each other for years. And for the first time in a long while, Kayla felt genuinely happy.
They strolled side by side through the mall, the chatter of other people creating a comforting backdrop. Matthew glanced at her, eyes gleaming with excitement.
"There's this great restaurant nearby. Really popular for its pasta and steaks. Want to give it a shot?"
Kayla hesitated, nibbling her lower lip. "Um, that sounds... nice. But isn't it expensive?"
Matthew chuckled, waving off her concern. "Don't worry about it. My treat."
"But you already paid for the snacks earlier..." Kayla said, feeling both shy and guilty. It seemed unfair for him to spend so much on her.
"And now I get to treat you to dinner. That's what makes today even better," he replied with an easy grin. "Come on, it's part of the whole experience."
"Well... if you say so." Kayla finally relented, her cheeks flushing with a mix of embarrassment and delight.
They made their way to the mall entrance, their conversation flowing effortlessly despite Kayla's initial reluctance. Matthew hadn't brought his car today since it was at the repair shop, so they just hailed a cab.
When the taxi stopped in front of them, Matthew, ever the gentleman, walked over to the back door and opened it for her.
"After you, milady," he said with a playful bow.
Kayla giggled, feeling her nerves melt away. "You're too much."
"Just doing my job," Matthew replied with a wink before gently closing the door after her and walking around to the other side and boarded the car.
He then showed the driver the address of the restaurant on his phone, and after a brief discussion, the driver nodded. The taxi then pulled away from the mall.
As they left, Kayla settled into her seat, her heartbeat quickening—not from nerves this time, but from something warmer. Something that made her lips curl into a soft smile.