Lily was lounging on her couch, her legs tucked under her as she scrolled absentmindedly through her phone. The soft hum of the city outside her apartment was a comforting background noise. Her evening had been quiet, uneventful, until her phone vibrated with a new message notification. Seeing Timmy’s name pop up brought an immediate smile to her face.
"Timmy?" she murmured, curiosity piqued.
She opened the message, expecting a casual follow-up to their earlier encounter. But her breath caught in her throat when she saw an unexpected attachment: a video. Confused but intrigued, she tapped to play it.
As she tapped on the attached video, her screen lit up with an image of Samuel. Her eyes widened slightly. Samuel was walking toward his office chair, a bright, genuine smile lighting up his face. His usual composed demeanor was nowhere to be seen—he looked completely at ease, almost as though he were in another world, lost in some happy thought.
The sight made Lily pause. Samuel wasn’t just smiling; his joy seemed effortless, uncontainable, and completely unguarded. The corners of her lips lifted as she watched him settle into his chair, still grinning to himself. It was as though nothing could break the happiness he was feeling in that moment.
"He’s definitely thinking about Zinnia," Lily mused to herself, leaning her chin against her hand. That kind of smile wasn’t something you saw every day—it was the smile of someone deeply and utterly in love.
Her heart warmed at the thought. "I hope they have a happy marriage," she said softly, as if speaking to herself. It was clear that whatever Samuel was feeling, Zinnia was at the center of it.
After the video ended, Lily sat back, her thoughts lingering on Samuel’s uncharacteristic happiness. She was about to close her phone when she noticed there was another message from Timmy, one she hadn’t read yet.
Frowning slightly, she tapped on it. The message was straightforward but warm:
"It was so nice seeing you again. If you’re feeling bored and want to wander around, feel free to invite me. Goodnight, Lily."
A small smile tugged at her lips as she read it. She hadn’t expected Timmy to reach out, but his message felt genuine, almost thoughtful. She thought back to their surprise encounter at the beach resort. It had been brief, but his easygoing demeanor had made her feel unexpectedly comfortable.
Still smiling, she typed out a quick response: "It was nice seeing you too. I’ll think about it—there are a lot of beautiful places here. Goodnight, Timmy."
As Timmy lay on his bed, scrolling through his phone, he saw the notification of Lily’s reply. His heart skipped a beat, and he quickly opened the message.
A grin spread across his face as he read her words. Sitting up straight, he felt an uncontainable excitement bubbling inside him. He reread the message a few times, savoring the fact that she seemed open to the idea of spending more time together.
Without wasting a second, he began typing a reply, his fingers moving quickly across the screen:
"You can update me to any place you want to go. I will gladly accompany you strolling around this city. Just let me know, and I’ll be there."
Satisfied, he hit send and leaned back against the headboard, feeling a wave of anticipation wash over him.
Timmy couldn’t help but chuckle softly to himself. "I probably look like a kid waiting for a field trip," he muttered under his breath. But he didn’t care—there was something refreshing about looking forward to tomorrow.
He placed his phone on the nightstand, but he didn’t sleep right away. His mind wandered to what the next day might bring. Would Lily really text him with a plan? What kind of places would she want to visit?
"Maybe I should think of a few suggestions just in case," he thought aloud. His mind began racing with ideas—cafés, parks, museums. The city had so much to offer, and he wanted to make sure it was a memorable experience for her.
Eventually, Timmy settled under the covers, his excitement refusing to let him fully relax. With a smile still on his face, he whispered, "Tomorrow’s going to be a good day." And with that, he closed his eyes, eagerly waiting for what was to come.
Lily was still sitting on her couch when her phone beeped with a message from Timmy.
Reading his reply, she chuckled lightly. "So eager, aren’t you, Timmy?" she murmured with amusement.
His enthusiasm was contagious, and for a brief moment, she considered taking him up on his offer. Then, remembering her own workload, she sighed. Still, something about his genuine excitement made her hesitate before dismissing the idea entirely.
She tapped her phone, dialing a familiar number. After a few rings, her secretary’s voice answered on the other end.
"Miss Aquila, good evening. Is everything all right?"
"Yes, but there’s a slight change of plans for tomorrow," Lily began, her tone calm but resolute. "I won’t be coming to the main office. I have... other things to take care of."
There was a short pause. "Understood. Should I reschedule your meetings or handle them myself?"
"Reschedule what can be moved. Anything urgent—call me directly," she instructed firmly.
"Yes, ma’am. I’ll take care of it."
"Thank you," Lily said, her voice softening. "Goodnight."
"Goodnight, Miss Aquila."
Ending the call, Lily leaned back against the couch, her thoughts shifting back to Timmy’s message. She replayed his words in her mind, then smiled to herself.
For a moment, she imagined where she might take him. The idea of showing him her favorite spots in the city felt oddly appealing. Maybe the bustling markets? Or a quiet spot by the river?
She tapped out a quick reply:
"I’ll think about it, Timmy. I’ll let you know if I decide on a place. Goodnight."
Hitting send, she set the phone aside and stretched. The idea of spending time with someone who carried such lighthearted energy felt refreshing. As she headed toward her bedroom, her lips curled into a small, amused smile.
"Let’s see if he’s ready for a proper city tour," she muttered under her breath, already imagining his reaction to the places she had in mind.