Minnie POV
Will drove us to a luxury hotel I had only seen from the outside before. The moment we stepped in, I felt slightly out of place. Everything looked polished- soft lights, quiet music, people dressed elegantly.
He spoke to the staff confidently, and within seconds, we were led to the rooftop.
My breath caught.
The city lights stretched endlessly beneath the open sky. A table had been set near the edge, candles flickering gently as the night breeze moved around us.
"You booked this?" I asked, surprised.
"Yes," he replied simply, pulling out a chair for me.
I sat down, still trying to process everything. He took the seat opposite me, calm as always.
For a moment, we just looked at the menu.
"So... this is definitely different from coffee," I said lightly.
He glanced up. "I thought you deserved better than a rushed dinner."
That single sentence made my heart skip.
We placed our order, and as we waited, he asked, "How's your leg now?"
"Much better," I replied. "I can walk properly."
"Good," he said.
I studied his face. He looked relaxed tonight. Less guarded.
I told him about college, about working at the café, about how I liked being independent. He listened- really listened-without interrupting.
"You carry a lot alone," he said quietly.
I smiled. "I'm used to it."
When the food arrived, we talked about small things -favorite foods, travel, silly habits. He admitted he liked quiet places and late-night drives. I told him I liked moonlight and warm coffee.
For the first time, he smiled without restraint.
The wind brushed past us, and the city sparkled below.
I realized something then.
This wasn't fake-not at the moment.
Will POV
Listening to Minnie talk, I realized how wrong I had been.
I had thought she was just adjusting, just surviving. I hadn't understood how much strength it took for her to live the way she did-working, studying, carrying her pain without asking anyone for help.
She wasn't fragile.
She was steady.
"You do all of this alone?" I asked, surprised.
She nodded lightly. "I don't really have a choice.'
Something tightened in my chest. I had mistaken her silence for weakness.
"That's not easy," I said. "Most people would've given up."
She smiled. "Giving up is a luxury."
The words stayed with me.
I looked at her differently now-not as someone I needed to protect out of guilt, but as someone I genuinely admired.
"I was wrong about you," I said quietly.
She looked at me. "About what?"
"About what kind of person you are," I replied. "You're stronger than you think."
She didn't answer right away. Then she said softly, "You're not as cold as you pretend to be either."
I almost smiled.
The city lights glowed beneath us, and for the first time, I didn't feel the need to hide what I was feeling.
When the bill arrived, I paid before Minnie could say anything. She immediately reached for her bag.
"No," she said. "Let me pay."
I shook my head. "I'm the one who asked you to dinner. Next time, you can pay."
She looked at me for a second, then smiled. "Next time, then."
We walked toward the parking area, the city lights reflecting off the cars around us. After we got inside, I started the engine and pulled out slowly.
The silence didn't feel awkward this time.
"You come here often?" she asked, looking out the window.
"Not really," I replied. "I usually avoid crowded places."
"Then this must be special," she teased.
I glanced at her. "Maybe."
She laughed softly, and the sound surprised me. I hadn't realized how much I liked hearing it.
She told me about her first day at the café how she spilled coffee on a customer and wanted to disappear. I actually laughed.
"That's hard to imagine," I said.
"Trust me, it happened," she replied. "Maya still reminds me."
I told her about Paris, about how lonely it felt sometimes despite the beauty of the city. She listened quietly, without interrupting.
"I didn't know you were like this," she said.
"Like what?"
"Normal," she smiled.
I shook my head. "Don't get used to it."
The car slowed near her house. I realized too late that I wished the drive had been longer.
Friends, I reminded myself.
Minnie POV
The car ride felt easy. Too easy.
Will talked like a normal person tonight-not distant, not cold. Just... there. I listened to him, laughed at his dry comments, and for the first time, I didn't feel like I had to explain myself.
I liked the way he drove calmly, one hand on the steering wheel, the other resting casually. I liked how he listened without interrupting, how he noticed small things but never pointed them out.
I was enjoying every second of it and that scared me.
So I didn't show it.
I kept my smile soft, my words light. I teased him back, talked like a friend, even when my heart reacted to things it shouldn't.
Friends. Just friends.
That's what I kept reminding myself as the car slowed near my house.
I stepped out, thanked him casually, and walked away without looking back.
But inside, I knew one thing clearly
I liked who I was when he was around.
After I reached home, I went straight to the bathroom, took a long shower, and finally dropped onto my bed like I had survived a full-day marathon. I stared at the ceiling, exhausted but strangely happy.
Will.
He was the first person I had ever felt this close to- without effort, without pretending. The thought itself made me smile, and I quickly buried my face in the pillow like that would hide it from the world.
Get it together, Minnie, I told myself.
My phone buzzed.
Will.
Are you free this weekend?
My heart reacted before my brain did. I stared at the screen for a second, then replied that I was free -trying to sound casual my pulse wasn't racing.
Another message popped up.
It's been a long time since I explored Chennai. Can you give me company? We can visit a few places.
I typed Okay so fast my fingers barely touched the screen.
Then I froze.
I erased it. Typed again. Deleted. Typed again.
I stared at the word Okay for a full minute like it was a life-changing decision.
Finally, after overthinking it way too much, I hit send.
Okay.
Good, he replied. I'll plan everything and let you know the time and places.
I dropped my phone on my chest and let out a dramatic sigh.
This was supposed to be Temporary.
And yet... here I was, smiling like an idiot and secretly hoping it wouldn't stay fake forever.
I turned to my side, hugged my pillow, and whispered to myself, Don't hope too much, Minnie.
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Author Note
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