Then, Ding-dong. The doorbell cut sharply through the silence.
Ayla froze at her place. Her heart skipped, then began to race. She glanced at the clock on the wall.
9:18 p.m.
No one ever ca by this late. Not friends, not neighbors. And her sister would never show up unannounced, especially not from another country.
She slowly closed her book and set it aside, the quiet suddenly feeling heavy.
Ding-dong.
Her breath caught.
"Okay," she whispered to herself. "It’s fine."
She quietly made her way to the door, careful with each step to avoid the creaks in the floor. Her fingers hovered near the lock until she rembered the peephole.
Leaning in, she held her breath.
And then....
Her heart nearly dropped.
Liam was standing there, illuminated by the porch light.
He looked a bit nervous, shifting from foot to foot, a canvas bag hanging off one shoulder and a few books awkwardly piled under his arm. His hair was a little ssy, like he’d run his hand through it too many tis, and his expression was a mix of anxiety and hope.
Ayla’s mouth dropped open in surprise.
"What...." she whispered.
Without thinking, she unlocked the door and swung it open wide.
"Liam?" she blurted out. "What are you doing here?"
He stood up a bit straighter, his eyes lighting up as soon as he saw her.
"Yeah, I know," he said, breathless like he’d run all the way. "I didn’t an to freak you out. I just..." He paused, scratching the back of his head, suddenly unsure. "Um. I’m here because... well..."
He looked down at the books in his arms, then back at her, letting out a heavy sigh.
"Okay, I totally practiced this," he said quietly.
She crossed her arms, still trying to process everything. "Practiced what?"
He swallowed hard. "I’m here because..." he hesitated again, then blurted out, "I missed you."
The words landed softly but firmly between them.
Her chest tightened.
"You missed ?" she repeated quietly.
He nodded, cheeks slightly flushed. "Yeah. A lot. I tried to act normal about it. I really did. I studied. I drank coffee. I even went for a walk like soone with it all together." He let out a nervous laugh. "Didn’t work."
She blinked, heart racing.
"So I grabbed my bag," he added, gesturing vaguely, "and ca here, now I’m standing outside your door like a total idiot, but...."
He didn’t finish that thought.
Instead, he stepped forward, dropping his bag and books on the floor without caring where they landed, and wrapped his arms around her.
Tight. Close. Like he was scared she might disappear if he let go.
Ayla gasped, arms instinctively lifting, caught sowhere between surprise and reflex. For a split second, she stood still, her mind racing to catch up with her body.
His warmth wrapped around her. His heartbeat was fast, steady, and real.
"Oh," she breathed.
Then it hit her.
The relief. The affection. Him.
Her shoulders relaxed, and she let out a small laugh before hugging him just as tightly.
"There you are," he murmured into her hair, his voice soft and shaky.
"You’re... you’re actually holding ," she said softly, grinning as she leaned against his shoulder, feeling the comforting beat of his heart.
"I know," he answered, his tone light but serious. "I just really needed to do this."
They lingered like that for a few more monts, the noise around them fading away as it felt like the world just shrank down to the space between them.
Slowly, he started to pull back.
But not too far, just enough to look into her eyes.
He raised his hands, gently holding her cheeks, his thumbs brushing her skin lightly, like he was afraid to press too hard.
Her breath caught in her throat at the deep emotion in his gaze, making her feel restless and excited.
"Ayla," he said softly, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Yes?" she replied, her heart racing with anticipation.
"I...." He hesitated, fumbling for the right words. He took a deep breath, steadying himself, his eyes glued to hers. "I love you."
The words were simple. Raw. Just right for the mont.
It felt like her heart might explode from the weight of it all.
"You don’t have to say anything back right away," he added quickly, a slightly nervous grin forming. "I just needed you to know. I couldn’t keep pretending this was just about studying or cracking jokes or random chance."
She swallowed hard, her eyes lighting up with emotion as she took in what he was saying. "Liam..."
Before she could finish what she was saying, he leaned in closer.
Nice and slow. Softly.
It was like he was giving her every chance to pull away if she wanted to. But she didn’t.
Their lips t in a gentle, hesitant kiss, warm and careful, like sothing special that neither of them wanted to break. It wasn’t rushed or pushy; it was just real.
When they finally pulled back, her forehead rested lightly against his, and they both shared the mont in silence.
She smiled, that bright, happy smile.
"I love you too," she whispered, her words simple yet sincere.
His breath caught in surprise.
"Really?" he asked, a hint of disbelief in his voice.
"Yeah," she said, giving him a small nod.
His grin appeared right away, wide and full of shock.
"Wow," he said, almost in awe. "Alright. I’m never leaving."
She chuckled softly. "You can’t just camp out in my doorway."
"Just watch ," he joked, a playful gleam in his eyes.
She shook her head, still grinning, and nudged him playfully. "Co on in before the neighbors start getting curious."
He glanced at the books and the bag he dropped and laughed. "Nice entrance."
"Very smooth," she teased back.
As she closed the door behind them, the apartnt that used to feel quiet or empty suddenly burst with life.
It felt complete, filled with the warmth of their shared laughter and easy banter.
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