When I went with John to my first real job opportunity, a lot of things started making sense,like pieces sliding into place. Maybe I could actually find myself in this… or maybe I'd end up right back where I started. I kept arguing with my own thoughts the whole way, you can't just sit still… but what if you do, just for once? what if you choose rest over chasing something that might not even happen?
"Good luck," John said with that same easy smile of his. Then he let out a small, nervous breath.
"Yeah… thanks," I replied, fidgeting. "Do you think they'll accept me?"
"You said it yourself, you don't have experience," he shrugged lightly, "but you've got passion. And honestly? That's what matters. I think you've got this."
I held his gaze for a second longer than usual, then smiled, this time with something steadier behind it. "I won't disappoint you, John."
He smiled back, gave me a small nod,go on,and I did.
The door felt heavier than it should've been.
"Hi," I said, my voice slightly shaky. Don't judge me,it was my first interview ever.
"Welcome," the manager replied, glancing at his notes. "Emma, right?"
"Yes."
"Good. John spoke highly of you. As you know, he's one of our best employees… so I figured, maybe his friends carry that same energy."
I smiled, hopeful. "Really? Even though I don't have experience-"
I froze mid,sentence, covering my mouth a little. "Sorry. That just came out."
He chuckled. "Relax. A lot of our team started without experience. What matters is whether you actually care,whether you want to give customers something genuine, not just do the job because you have to. If you've got that, then you're already doing well."
My eyes lit up. "Wait… really? So you don't need anything else from me?"
"Just that. The way you show up-that's everything."
For a second, it felt like I might actually float.
My first job.
I actually got it.
No way this is real.
Somewhere else, someone else was living their own version of a dream-just… completely different from mine.
Gina.
The girl who stopped talking to me like I never meant anything.
I know… maybe what we had was just a phase. But to me, it was more than that. Maybe I was wrong. Or maybe I just cared more than she did. She was everything,my closest friend.
And me?
Just… background noise in her life.
Gina sat at her desk, the soft glow of late afternoon slipping through her window. The streets outside were unusually quiet, like the world was holding its breath with her.
Her notebook lay open in front of her,pages filled with words meant for Noel. She always wrote to him this way, like translating feelings into something she could finally understand. Maybe that was her love language.
Everything she'd been holding back, everything she couldn't say out loud,it was all there now.
And this time, it wasn't one-sided anymore.
This wasn't just a dream.
This was real.
She exhaled slowly when she finished, fingers brushing over the last line.
"I think… I can give this to him now."
A few minutes later, she was on her bike, the cool air brushing against her face as she made her way to Noel's house. She stopped in front of it, placing the letter carefully where he'd see it.
"He'll find it here…"
She stepped back,then froze.
A car pulled up.
Noel stepped out.
"What are the odds?" he said, surprised.
Gina blinked, gripping the paper tighter. "I-uh…"
She looked down at it. This was supposed to be a surprise.
He stepped closer, gently holding her cheek, his voice soft. "What's the surprise? And why are you shaking like that?"
Her grip tightened on the letter. "I just,my hair, my clothes, I look… really bad right now. I'm kind of embarrassed."
He smiled faintly. "You forgot we're dating? You don't need to feel like that around me."
"Really?" she asked, searching his eyes.
"Yeah. So… what's this surprise?"
She smiled, a little nervous but hopeful. "I wrote you this letter. Everything I felt… everything I couldn't say before,it's all in here."
Noel didn't look surprised. Not even a little.
"Okay… and?"
Her smile faltered. "And… it's things like when I started liking you, when I fell for you, when you became important to me… stuff like that. People do that, so I thought.."
"Gina," he interrupted lightly,
"You're really out here writing letters… like it's not almost 2026,you could've just texted me all this instead of going through all that effort."
She stared at him, confusion settling in. "What do you mean…?"
"It's fine," he said, taking the letter anyway. "Do you need anything? Wanna come in? I'm a bit busy, so.."
"No. I don't need anything."
She turned and walked away quickly.
Noel watched her leave, brows slightly furrowed.
"What's wrong with her?" he muttered, like he hadn't just said anything at all.
To be continued…