Ethan sat on his couch, his fingers tapping absently on the edge of his phone as he glanced at the time. It was getting late, but his mind was far from ready to rest.

    The buzzing silence in the room felt oddly calming, despite the many tasks still left in his life to complete. His business was growing, his investments were taking off, but tonight? Tonight was different.

    He had just hung up with his last contact for the day, Marty about the current stats of the place''s renovation, but his thoughts kept drifting to Lila — the girl he''d met earlier at the iOS shop.

    She had been so shy, yet there was something undeniably captivating about her.

    Her quiet, careful movements as she helped him set up his new phone, the way she seemed unsure of herself, but still managed to do her job with such focus. And those eyes, full of unspoken thoughts.

    The phone sat on his lap now, the screen reflecting his face, still showing the unsaved number that he''d dialed.

    That conversation had stuck with him more than he cared to admit. There was an awkwardness between them, but it wasn''t unpleasant. It was real.

    His fingers hovered over the screen for a moment before he swiped to her contact again. He thought about how she had seemed so unsure of herself when he asked for her number — her soft voice, her shy laughs.

    She was unlike any woman he''d met before.

    He smiled faintly and hit the dial button, the sound of the ringing filling the otherwise quiet room.

    Meanwhile, across town, Lila was in her apartment, curled up on her couch.

    The day had been a blur of classes, assignments, and running the shop for her shift. The iOS store had been busier than usual, but she''d managed to keep up.

    The evening had settled in, and after grabbing some takeout, she sank into her couch, feeling the soft fabric of her old hoodie as she tried to relax.

    Her phone buzzed unexpectedly, and she almost dropped it as it buzzed against her thigh. She picked it up quickly, her eyes scanning the number on the screen.

    It was an unsaved number. She hesitated, wondering if it was just another one of those calls.

    She''d been so nervous when Ethan had asked for her number — she hadn''t even known if he was genuinely interested or if he just felt bad for her.

    He seemed kind, but he was clearly so confident in everything. And she... well, she wasn''t.

    The screen lit up again, and she stared at it for a moment longer than necessary. She quickly swiped to answer, her heart already racing in anticipation. Was it him?

    "Hello?" Her voice came out quieter than she intended, but it was already too late.

    Her mind buzzed. "You — running a business? Like, what kind of business?"

    "Nothing too fancy," Ethan said lightly. "But it''s something that''s been keeping me busy. Maybe one day you''ll see it for yourself."

    There was a teasing quality to his voice, but Lila couldn''t place what he meant. She felt the urge to ask more, but something held her back.

    "Maybe," she muttered, her shyness taking over. The silence that fell between them was comfortable, though it didn''t feel awkward. At least, not for a moment. "So, uh, what else do you do for fun?"

    "I guess we both like staying in, huh?" Ethan''s voice was easy and smooth, like they were old friends catching up. "Honestly, I just enjoy the little things now. Not much else. I mean, I did just buy a new bike recently, so I might try to take that out soon."

    Lila''s ears perked up at that. "A bike?" she asked, intrigued despite herself. "Like... a motorcycle?"

    "Yeah," Ethan confirmed. "It''s been a long time coming, but I finally decided to treat myself."

    She couldn''t help but laugh at the idea of Ethan on a motorcycle.

    She could picture him riding through the streets, looking confident and unstoppable. "Sounds exciting," she said before realizing she''d been talking more than she intended.

    It felt strange, yet freeing, to be speaking with him like this.

    The conversation flowed easily from there, the initial nervousness melting away for both of them.

    They joked about the busyness of their lives, exchanged small details about their routines, and as the evening wore on, Lila found herself laughing more than she had all week.

    Eventually, though, the conversation lulled again.

    "Hey, Lila," Ethan said quietly, breaking the silence. "I know this is a little sudden, but maybe we could meet up sometime? Grab some coffee or something?"

    Her heart leaped, and she felt a wave of warmth spread across her cheeks. She was speechless for a moment, unsure how to react. But the words slipped out before she could stop herself.

    "I — I''d like that. Yeah."

    A soft chuckle came from Ethan''s side of the line. "Great. I''ll text you the details."

    Lila nodded, even though he couldn''t see her. "Okay... sounds good."

    As they ended the call, Lila''s mind raced.