The terraced patio of Coco Yard was warm with afternoon sunlight, small potted plants lining the edges, and the soft hum of traffic in the background. Bella sat at a wooden table near the window, sipping iced lemonade, cheeks still flushed from the morning's excitement. She had waited a few minutes, checking her phone, anticipation fluttering in her chest.
Then she saw him approaching. Justin, walk‑confident, in dark jeans, neat shirt, his earring catching the light. He smiled when he saw her, a gentle curve of surprise and warmth.
"Hey, Bella," he said, voice a little soft but steady.
"Hi," she returned, standing up. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. They hugged briefly. Bella could smell his cologne something woody with a hint of fresh citrus nice and subtle. The scent made her heart flutter. She pulled away, smiling at him, eyes shining.
"How was your class?" Justin asked, sliding into the chair opposite her.
"Good," she said. "A little long, but okay. Yours?"
"Same," Justin said, stretching slightly. "It dragged towards the end, but worth waiting for this."
Bella laughed lightly. "Definitely worth it." She gestured at her phone. "I saw the post about us last night. The dance video, I mean."
Justin's lips lifted. "Yeah. It's everywhere." He paused, glancing around. "You looked… amazing."
"Thanks," Bella said, cheeks warming. She tucked her bag beside the chair. "You too. I like the shirt."
They ordered food, Bella got a grilled chicken wrap with avocado and a sweet potato side; Justin got a cheeseburger with fries. The waiter left, leaving them alone in a bubble of soft background café music, clinking glasses, and mid‑day chatter from other students.
"So," Justin began, leaning forward slightly. "Tell me more about your night, when you were tipsy."
Bella rolled her eyes, amused. "Tipsy isn't the word. I was trying to keep it together, for Kathy's sake mostly." She sipped her lemonade. "But dancing with you… it was fun. I felt different."
Justin nodded, his fingers tapping lightly on the table. "I was nervous. I kept wondering if I'd mess up. But when we danced, I saw you relax, by the end you were… there. Full presence."
Bella looked at him, something tender in her expression. "That's maybe the nicest thing someone's said to me in a while."
Justin smiled, a little shy. "Well, you deserve it."
A few jokes followed, Jonathan's pranks, Kathy's antics after the party, funny moments during lectures. They both laughed till watching people walking by for a moment. Then Bella's phone beeped with a message from Kathy. She read it, giggled.
Justin looked at her. "What's funny?"
Bella showed him the message
You better watch out, Justin is getting all respectable boyfriend titles in the comment section, and b*tch, I'm almost done with my class, get ready to come pick me up cause your girl is starving"
He laughed, a little red in the cheeks. "Respectable boyfriend? I don't know if I'm ready for all that."
Bella's eyes crinkled. "Well… maybe you should be."
Justin swallowed, excitement and nerves mixing. He felt shy suddenly, but warm. The lunch, the sunlight, the way Bella was looking at him, it felt like the beginning of something real and soft.
"So…" Justin leaned back, fingers lightly tapping the table. "Kathy. You talk about her a lot. She seems really close to you."
Bella's eyes softened immediately. "She is. She's not just close, she's family. My family took her in years ago."
Justin's brows lifted, curious now.
Bella continued, her tone calm but fond. "Kathy lost her parents when we were about ten. It was a tragic accident. I remember the day like it was yesterday… my mom heard what happened and couldn't bear to let her stay in the system. She brought her home. Since then, she's been my sister in every way that matters."
Justin was quiet, nodding slowly as he absorbed that. "Wow… that's beautiful."
Bella smiled faintly. "We've been through everything together. School, heartbreaks, stupid decisions, everything. Coming to Lifetime was always our dream. And now here we are."
As she finished, she noticed the shift in Justin's expression. His eyes had grown distant soft, but pained. She tilted her head.
"Justin… you okay?"
He gave a faint smile. "Yeah, yeah. Just… your story just reminded me of mine."
Bella waited, giving him the space he needed.
"My parents died in a car accident too," he finally said. "It was sudden. Just me and my brother left. We've just been figuring it out ever since."
Bella's heart clenched. "Justin… I'm so sorry."
"It's okay," he said, voice low but steady. "It's been a few years now. But sometimes, it still hits. Like hearing about you and Kathy, it reminded me of what it could've been like, you know? Having someone always there. That kind of comfort."
Bella reached across the table instinctively, placing her hand over his. "I wish I could take that pain away."
He looked up, locking eyes with her. "You already did a little. Just by listening."
Before she could say more, Bella's phone buzzed. She glanced at it and let out a soft laugh.
"Kathy," she said, turning the screen toward him.
Kathy:
"Babeee don't bother coming to pick me. I'm taking a ride back. Enjoy your time with your *dance partner"
Justin laughed. "She seems fun."
"She's a handful," Bella chuckled. "But she means well."
"Are you sure it's okay not to go pick her?" he asked.
"She literally just said it's fine. Besides…" Bella leaned back, smiling, "I'm kind of enjoying this."
He mirrored her smile. "Me too."
They sat quietly for a second, basking in that rare, gentle kind of silence that comes when two people feel safe around each other.
"So," Justin said, "your parents… are they around?"
Bella nodded slowly. "Yeah. Both alive. But not really around."
He frowned slightly. "What do you mean?"
"They travel a lot. Dad's mostly working. Mom's always working. They love me, no doubt, and they give me everything I need. But sometimes… I wish I had them with me. Not just their support, but their presence. You get what I mean?"
"I do," Justin said quietly.
"Sometimes it gets lonely," Bella admitted. "But I'm lucky to have Kathy. She brings me balance."
He nodded, admiring her strength. "It's crazy how much we think we know about people until we sit and just… talk."
Bella smiled softly. "And I'm glad we talked."
"Me too," he echoed.
Bella and Justin continued their conversation. It was the kind of exchange that flowed easily, one story leading to another, each memory weaving new threads between them.
Bella reached for her iced drink and took a thoughtful sip before her lips curved into a sly smile.
"Do you remember Amor Restaurant?"
He blinked. "Wait… Amor… that place near the east gate?"
"Exactly."
"I've been there a few times, but…"
"You were there," Bella said, tapping the table lightly. "The day I dropped my phone. You found it."
His eyes widened in realization. "No way. That was your phone?"
Bella nodded. "Yep. Kathy came back to get it after we left. She told me a guy handed it to her at our table."
Justin leaned back in his seat, laughing in disbelief. "Whoa. That's insane. I never saw you that day though. Just your friend."
"Yeah, we had just finished eating and left when she realized I didn't have my phone. I was outside, panicking, thinking it was gone forever," she chuckled "Kathy saved the day. And you did too, technically."
"Damn, small world," he said, smiling at her. "And then we bumped into each other"
Bella rolled her eyes playfully. "At Eden Hall, yeah. That awkward moment outside the restroom."
"Hey, you walked into me" he teased.
"I was adjusting my dress!" she defended with a laugh. "You were just… standing there."
"I was minding my business," he replied, grinning. "Then suddenly, this beautiful girl bumps into me."
Bella blushed, biting her lip. "I thought you were staring too much."
Justin leaned closer slightly, lowering his voice with a teasing smile. "Maybe I was."
She laughed, shaking her head. "You were. I went back to Kathy and told her. I even tried to point you out to her, but the worst part?"
"What?"
"You saw me pointing. It was so embarrassing," she covered her face.
"Oh my God," Justin laughed loudly. "I did see you. I was trying to act cool like I didn't, but it was obvious."
"Kathy was dying of laughter," Bella added. "And then she saw you properly and realized you were the guy who gave her my phone back. That's when it all connected."
Justin shook his head in amazement. "That is wild. I can't believe we didn't know all of this earlier."
"I guess fate had a few tricks," Bella said, her voice softening.
Their laughter faded into a comfortable silence, both smiling to themselves. The coincidence, the invisible string that had tied them across time and place was something neither of them could ignore now.
Justin took a sip of his drink, his gaze meeting hers again.
"I also caught you staring a few times, you know," he added smugly.
"Me?" Bella's voice pitched playfully. "You mean you weren't the one burning holes in the back of my head?"
Justin chuckled. "Okay, maybe we were both guilty."
They both laughed again, their faces lit with something warm and new, something that felt like discovery, like the first page of something neither had planned for, but now couldn't stop reading.
The laughter between them had settled into a gentle hum, the kind of calm that followed shared stories and emotional exchanges. The atmosphere at Coco Yard was beginning to quiet down too, with the sky slowly slipping into hues of soft lavender and gold. Bella had completely lost track of time. Her heart felt light, her cheeks slightly warm, not just from the fading sun, but from the boy sitting infront of her.
Justin.
He was smiling at something she'd just said an inside joke about how chaotic their first day back on campus had been and his dimples deepened. Bella's gaze lingered. Maybe too long.
His eyes met hers, and for a moment, everything around them disappeared. The clinking of cutlery, the low hum of background music… all faded. Bella felt her heart race. She didn't realize how close she was leaning in until her shoulder grazed the edge of the table. Her breath hitched slightly.
Justin's smile faltered just a bit but not in a bad way. His eyes softened, and he tilted his head, clearly reading the shift in the air between them.
Bella leaned in a bit more.
Then she caught herself.
Her eyes widened ever so slightly as she realized what she was about to do. Was I just about to kiss him?! She blinked and quickly pulled back, letting out a nervous laugh as she sat up straight and brushed a strand of hair behind her ear.
"Wow," she muttered with a light smack of her lips, her fingers fidgeting with the straw in her drink. "That was… um nothing. Sorry," she added quickly, not daring to look at him just yet.
Justin, who'd gone still for a moment, only let out a soft chuckle. "It's okay," he said gently, his voice lower than before. "You don't have to be sorry."
Bella, still flustered, reached for her phone and checked the time.
"Oh my gosh, it's 7:30 already?" she said, pretending to be surprised. "Time flew."
Justin nodded, eyes still on her. "Yeah… it really did."
Bella grabbed her purse and stood. "I should probably get going. Want a ride back?" she offered, glancing up at him.
He smiled and shook his head, standing as well. "Thanks, but my ride's already here. John texted a few minutes ago. He's parked just outside."
Bella nodded, feeling oddly disappointed but trying not to show it. "Right. That's cool."
There was a brief pause as they stood face-to-face, the space between them thick with unsaid thoughts. Then, slowly, Justin leaned in and gave her a warm, friendly hug. Bella inhaled the subtle, clean scent of his cologne, and for a second, she wished she had gone through with that kiss.
As they pulled apart, Justin gave her a wave and a small, bashful smile.
"Talk later?" he asked.
"Definitely," she replied, returning his smile.
She watched him jog off toward the parking area where John was waiting, then sighed as she turned toward her car. Sliding into the driver's seat, Bella glanced once more through her side mirror and there he was.
Justin.
Still cute. Still calm. Still the boy she'd almost kissed.
She smiled to herself and whispered, "Oh God. What is this I'm feeling?"
And with that, she drove off, the glow of her blush lingering all the way home.