Chapter 1
She walked hurriedly, almost bumping into one of the customers, muttering an incoherent apology before making her way to the last booth.
“I’m so sorry, I’m late. I had a run-in with my neighbor. She just wouldn’t stop talking.”
The man in question looked up from the magazine he has been reading, his face pulling up a bit in curiosity. He quickly replaced it with a small smile, as understanding dawned on him.
“It’s all right! Please have a seat.” He gestured to her to sit across from him.
Lily Shirley Ross never once believed her eyes when a guy swiped her right on a dating app. She has been single for more than a year after her last terrible breakup. Her cheating ex left her devastated. She almost gave up the idea of a relationship had her best friend, Amy Smith, not stepped in. Not only did she help her through her rebound phase, but she also created an account on the ’Let’sTalk′ dating app without her knowledge.
It was only when a certain guy, named Shawn Anderson, swiped her right, and she got a sudden notification in her email one day that she came to know about Amy’s plan.
There was one picture. He was standing on a beach, shirtless, with his back to the camera, tall and muscular. Lily initially thought he was fake, or perhaps he accidentally swiped her right. With trembling fingers and the fear of being rejected already crawling up her mind, she typed him the first message.
The reply was positive.
She sighed in relief.
That was the beginning of several late-night conversations. He never asked for any more pictures, let alone the disgusting ones, much to Lily’s relief. She wasn’t sure if she was ready for it. He never shared any of his pictures either, apart from the one already uploaded.
Several weeks passed by, and Lily learned that he was an extremely private guy looking for some life-long relationship, and wasn’t interested in any casual hookups. Also, he loves dogs, if the conversation was anything to go by. He called him Caesar, a five-year-old golden retriever.
Lily made sure she knew everything about him before the meeting. It won’t look good to act clueless when you have been talking to someone for weeks.
However, no matter how much information she had gathered, no level of practice could have prepared her to face this moment.
He was extremely handsome. Sharply arched eyebrows, light blue eyes, broad cheekbones, and straight brown hair. One would think he is a rising celebrity. Her breath hitched as she struggled for words.
“Are you alright?”
“Yes,” Lily blushed slightly. She couldn’t help herself. Even at eighteen, and practically an adult, she was acting like a hormonal teenager. “Yes, yes!”
He smiled and placed the list of cuisine cards in front of her. “What would you like to eat?”
“He likes Italian.” Amy’s voice roamed in her head.
Lily did a brief mental recap before answering, “Eh, Italian? If you don’t particularly feel like eating Italian, then we can also order continental, or maybe Mexican. But Italian’s cool too.”
His forehead scrunched up half amused, “Yeah? A lot of people like Italian food.”
No, but you do!
Lily cursed under her breath at her naivety.
She tried to hold her voice but ended up stammering, her blush deepening. “Y-you can order for us.”
He nodded briefly, quickly scanning the list before placing their order.
In her rush of embarrassment, Lily failed to notice that she was staring at his hands. He coughed slightly to gain her attention. Her eyes widened as she mumbled an apology incoherently. Her shoes continued tapping against the wooden floor beneath in nervousness.
“You know you are one of the few girls I’ve met who prefer quietness.”
“I do, but I usually talk a lot with my best friend..” She spoke without thinking, assuming she might have offended him somehow, she continued. “I mean I...”
She tried to reason only to realize she was rambling, the sound of the wooden floor from her relentless tapping still in the background. His laugh took her by surprise. It was pleasantly contagious.
“Oh, you were joking.” She mumbled, embarrassingly staring at her lap, forcing her legs to stay put. There goes her date. She will never find love again.
“Yes, I was, and I’m sorry. I did not mean to embarrass you. If anything, I’m nervous too. I wasn’t sure you’d come.”
“Why not?” They have been talking for weeks. Surely, he must know she would come.
He shrugged nonchalantly. “Things have been turning to adversity lately. I thought this would be no different. I would have left disappointed were you late any longer.”
“I’m sorry! I’m usually less clumsy.”
Lily quickly shook her head. She felt guilty for adding more to his worry.
He laughed wholeheartedly.
“You can be a singer. Your voice is beautiful.” Lily spoke out of the blue, hoping her voice didn’t sound as dreamy as her words.
Sure she was embarrassed, and her date wasn’t going exactly as planned, but it was a small price to pay if she could hear his voice all day. It’s strange they only ever had text conversations. His voice was so addicting.
“Oh thank you.” He said sincerely. “I appreciate it. I want my voice played in every household. As much as I like our conversation, I must remind you that I have a meeting in about an hour and a half.”
“Oh!” Lily said lamely. That’s okay.
“Yeah, an important career call. If I get this my life will change entirely.”
“You will have it. I know you will.” Lily chirped brightly. According to her, he could be a famous singer one day. “You have that charm.”
“Is that so?” He raised an eyebrow purposely.
Lily mentally slapped herself. She needs to get hold of her tongue, the same tongue that is hell-bent on embarrassing her even further. It babbled anyway. “I mean, yeah. You are good. Like really good. You could be a rock star, and the world would pay to hear you.”
“Your words are like music to my ears. I have to keep you close just to hear them again. You could be my Lady Luck.” His broad smile was interrupted by the waitress who was present with their food.
“Ah, thank you!” He smiled kindly at the waitress, and she blushed back in response.
Lily couldn’t help but feel a tinge of jealousy inside her. She knew it was completely baseless. It was her first date. It wouldn’t even be counted as official. He wasn’t her boyfriend, and with the progress made so far, earning a second date would be a miracle.
Sparing a glance at her food, her eyes widened slightly. What did he order?
Judging by her mixed expressions, he asked, “Anything wrong?”
Yes, I forgot I’m glutton-intolerant.
Lily supposed it was her fault. She should have mentioned it at the beginning.
Shaking her head slightly, she double-took the food in front of her before several bits of pasta and macaroni were on her plate.
I’m gonna have a hard time today. Lily thought.
She ate as slowly as she could, stealing glances at him. Almost sneakily, she decided to check him out, knowing her best friend would want every detail of her date.
He wore a light blue shirt, the shade complimenting his eyes, an open-front jacket, and a simple pair of jeans. It doesn’t look like he dressed up for a date at all. Or, perhaps, this is how guys usually dress up. She wouldn’t have known, having been out of the circle for almost a year.
“Now you are making me feel conscious.” Her eyes traveled back to his. His eyes narrowed in amusement, as he showed her a lop-sided grin.
Lily shoved a spoonful of pasta in her mouth, tears threatening to escape her eyes, as she gulped it down in a go.
“Easy on the pasta.” He placed his finger, circling her wrist to stop her from huge bites.
Her date was enjoying the company. Whether he was enjoying her stupidity or embarrassment, she could not tell.
Her hands froze as he touched her, the spoon stopping midway. She nodded briefly. Her heart was beating erratically. She quickly finished her lunch, placing it neatly at her side.
Her date grinned at her as he did the same. They were paying the bill when his watch made a buzzing sound. He frowned slightly, his eyebrows knitting a bit.
“I must leave now. But thank you for gracing me with your presence.”
Lily got up instantly. She wanted to run, hide away in embarrassment and never step out of her room after her disastrous attempt at dating.
She nodded, not trusting herself to speak.
“It was wonderful to spend time with you, love.” He took her hands in his, and brought it to his lips, placing a small kiss, his hold lingering seconds more than necessary. “I hope we meet again.”
His eyes gleamed slightly before he made his way toward the exit.
Lily stood on the shaky ground unable to wipe off the sensation her body seemed to remember quite well. Ducking her head down, she realized how spectacularly she had ruined her opportunity to date the handsome man again.
Back home, Lily was surprised she did not throw up. Nothing happened at all. Despite in-taking glutton-rich food, she was just fine. Curiously, she surfed on the internet only to find the restaurant also serves glutton-free food. It must be her luck, she mused. Or, maybe he was intolerant too.
As expected, the following night Amy dropped by for a visit and continued to pester her until she finally gave up and told her everything that happened during the date.
“He kissed you on your palms.” Amy frowned. “But there is no such thing. No one does that on a date.”
“Because he doesn’t want a second date. I mean who would want a naive girl who embarrasses herself all the time? This was the reason my ex left me in the first place. Remember, his exact words were, ‘You embarrass me’. I should have known.”
Lily was upset. Even her best friend saw that.
She circled her arms around her shoulder and whispered something about how some guys are idiots and that she shouldn’t worry about them. She will find someone soon.
Late at night, Lily clicked open the app again to find several messages from coolguy_2.
Frowning at the thought that they had just met, she clicked open the messages.
coolguy_2: Where are you?
coolguy_2: Hello, I arrived fifteen minutes ago. I’m waiting.
coolguy_2: Are you okay?
coolguy_2: Please reply!
coolguy_2: Do you not like me? Was I too forward?
coolguy_2: I’m sorry if you are upset over something I said, but please reply.
Lily quickly replied to the text.
Silly_lily: What are you talking about? We met at the ‘New Munchvilla’, Downtown. You were occupying the last booth as we discussed.
coolguy_2: Downtown? But the ‘New Munchvilla’ latest outlet is located in the mid-city.
Silly_lily: Oh damn. I went to the wrong place.
At that moment, she truly felt silly. Who even makes that blunder? She face palmed herself.
coolguy_2: Well I guess, I now understand why you picked such a username
Silly_lily: I’m so sorry. I feel so stupid.
She did not know what else to write. It felt incredibly awkward. Tossing her phone on the bed, she went into the bathroom.
Splashing cold water on her face, her mind couldn’t help but wonder who she was on a date with. The guy appeared genuinely nice and sweet. She felt stupid again for not conforming to his name.
There was a knock on the door. She unlocked, opened, and marched herself back to bed. Amy was lying on the bed, flipping her phone.
“C’mon, it’s our music night. Let’s rock this bed, baby.” She yelled, raising her arms in the air, making funny faces.
Lily looked at her deadpan.
“Wait, that sounded wrong.”
“Gross.”
“Oh c’mon,” she patted at her side of the bed.
The two friends lay down with a bowl full of snacks beside them. The screen flashed and an undeniably smooth voice fell in her ears.
Lily’s cheeks flushed, she sputtered the popcorn from her mouth and it landed all over the bed and floor.
“Hey!” Amy protested, wiping her hands to get the bits off.
“Who is this person?”
“Ryan, of course. Ryan Reece.”
“Who?” Lily appeared perplexed.
“Oh, don’t tell me,” Amy muttered under her breath, and pinned her friend under an incredulous stare. “He was a contestant at ‘The Talent Hunt’. The audience loved him but the show’s inside conspiracy and politics got him out.”
“And now he is a star?”
“He became a rock star the moment he stepped on the show. Politics aside, ‘Eager Sparrows’ loved him and his style on stage, so naturally they favored him and offered a break. It was all over the gossip column, but you don’t read that.”
Lily widen her eyes. She couldn’t believe she had a chance to meet the rising superstar.
“Amy, you are not gonna believe this. I just had lunch with him.”
“Yeah, and I’m the next President.” She rolled her eyes.
“No, really.”
“Really?”
“Cross my heart and hope to die.” Lily nodded eagerly.
“But how? You were talking to this ‘coolguy’ guy. What’s his name again? Shawn, right?” Amy looked at her friend, her face full of confusion.
“Yes, we were supposed to meet in ‘New Munchvilla’. I didn’t think he meant the newest outlet that’s in mid-city. I went downtown instead and met him. Well, I thought he was Shawn but obviously, he wasn’t.”
“So you met Ryan Reece?” Amy exclaimed, wide-eyed, television long forgotten.
“Yes!” Lily nodded excitedly, it only took a matter of seconds before her excitement turned into a frown. “And I embarrassed myself big time. He’ll probably have a good laugh thinking about me.”
“Maybe he likes you.” Her friend guessed.
“Yeah, right!”
“No, really. Why else would he lunch with you?”
“Probable because he was bored?” She hinted at a possibility, before dropping the idea entirely. “It’s not like he’ll remember me anyway.”
“We should go to his concert,” Amy suggested. “It’s happening in town this coming Saturday.”
“Absolutely not!” Lily was quick to deny it.
“Yes, yes, yes!” Amy spoke excitedly. “I mean, let’s say, for one percent that he does like you. He will be really happy to see you. If not, we’ll buy some snacks, spend a weekend sleepover and you can carry on with your ‘coolguy’.”
“Will I be cheating on Shawn?”
“You guys are not exclusive. Heck, you haven’t even met once. So that doesn’t count.”
Lily wasn’t sure about Amy’s plan but she decided to follow it anyway. She smiled softly as a part of her was secretly looking forward to meeting him again.
Amy and Lily endured the constant push and pull in the queue they had been standing for the last fifteen minutes.
“Ah, I didn’t know he had suddenly become this famous.” Lily stumbled on her legs taking support from the person standing next to her. “Sorry!”
“His last show changed his life, you know,” Amy yelled over the crowd’s cheer. “You should’ve asked for his number.”
The moment they purchased the tickets, and got out, Lily sighed in relief, spreading her arms, and embracing herself. “Oh fresh air, I missed you.”
“Don’t be dramatic.” Her friend snorted.
“Oh, but our seats are way too far. There is no way he’ll be able to see me.” Lily whined, looking down at her ticket.
“We won’t be attending the concert. We are going backstage.” Amy grinned.
“You bought tickets to go backstage?”
“Oh yeah.”
“And you call me silly,” Lily said, pointing out the entrance with two guards on duty.
Her friend rolled her eyes. “There are several other ways, you know.”
“Really?” Lily frowned.
“You have so much to learn.” Amy dragged her friend to the other side of the auditorium until they reached the back door.
A young man was standing at its entrance. “Hey, we need a backstage pass.”
Lily gaped at her friend. She did not understand why he would give his pass to them, assuming that he had any.
“One hundred.” Dollars
Her eyes widen. Was this guy serious?
“We don’t have that. But it doesn’t look like there are many customers here demanding backstage passes, huh.” Amy said, looking around the mostly barren road. She turned her head back a the guy and shrugged, “They have run out of tickets, and people are willing to pay ten times the price, just saying.”
The young man narrowed his eyes slightly, and said in a gruff voice, “Your point.”
“Let’s make a deal. We have two tickets. We’ll give them to you in exchange for your pass. You can sell these tickets in black and earn more than just a hundred.” Amy grinned cleverly.
The guy thought about it for a moment, nodded, and exchanged two tickets for one pass.
“But that is just one pass,” Lily argued to her friend.
Her friend nodded in excitement. “We only need one. You only need one. Go, I’ll wait outside.”
“What?” She was genuinely surprised. “No. I’m not going in without you.”
Amy shook her head, prodding her. “Go, girl. See where your luck takes you.”
Lily pondered for a moment before grabbing the pass in her hand and proceedin to head inside. She glanced back at her friend, unsure. “Positive?”
Amy nodded, encouraging her.
Lily went inside to find that backstage was not nearly as pleasant as the front. The space was too packed. Dancers were getting ready for their performance, the band members were running from one spot to another to organize their instruments. She wasn’t sure who to ask, and Ryan Reece was nowhere to be found. She walked up to the space beside the stage, her backstage pass hanging around her neck. Everyone assumed she was a part of the staff.
Lily bit her lips, feeling awkward. Rubbing her palm to gain some warmth, she curiously looked around. There was a room next to her when she overheard a voice that sounded a lot like Ryan and peeked through the door that was slightly ajar.
Ryan Reece was inside the room with another girl. They were kissing. Her hands were all over him, holding him close. Lily quickly turned away, blinking fast to hide the tears, that were spilling down her cheeks. Of course, he would have a girlfriend. He is so handsome, brooding, and sensitive. Why did she ever think she would stand a chance with so many beautiful girls around? Lily hiccuped slightly, shifting herself at one of the corners.
Wiping her face off, she recoiled her mind from what she had just encountered, quickly slipping up a warm smile. She will not show her weakness.
Ryan Reece stepped out of his changing room a little tensed. His concert was about to begin in five minutes. His eyes roamed around and stopped mid-way when they landed on her.
Lily smiled and made her way to him. “Hey. Saw your concert the other day, well night.”
“Hey, I was hoping I’d run into you again. Can’t believe you are truly here.” Ryan Reece exclaimed, unable to contain his excitement, his eyes landed on the pass she was carrying, and he looked at her inquiringly. “You know someone here?”
She briefly considered her words before speaking. “Long story.” She added. “Amy - my best friend, she insisted I come here, after you know, our accidental date.”
“Remind me to thank her for it.” His eyes gleamed slightly in amusement. Lily thought it was the effect of backstage light.
She tapped her foot nervously and said, her voice wavering slightly. “Your last show was great. I told you you’d be a great singer.”
He grinned, unable to believe his eyes. “You truly are my Lady Luck.”
But I’m not your lady.
Lily shook her head and spoke honestly. “When we met at the restaurant, I didn’t know you were a star.”
“Because I wasn’t a star.” He shook his head in disapproval. “This happened all of a sudden. It’s surreal.”
“Yeah, it looks surreal. Honestly, I thought you were someone else.” Lily spoke truthfully. There was no reason to hide.
“I know.” He smiled bashfully. “I thought you were someone else too. My friend set me up on a blind date. You see, I was kind of miserable all week.”
Lily nodded understandingly, her lips quivering slightly. She ducked her head. “By the way, my name is Lily. Lily Ross.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lily Ross.” His eyes locked with hers, and he took her hand in his and brought it closer to his lips to plant a small kiss. “I’m Ryan Reece.”
Her heart cried at the gesture.
He is already taken.
Before he could speak further, an announcement broke, followed by drum beats.
“I have to go. Will you wait for me?”
She wanted to nod and answer in affirmation if only she hadn’t witnessed what she just did. Her memory kept replaying the scene in her head.
Thankfully, he turned his back to head to the stage before she could respond.
Dejectedly, she walked out with a heavy head and a heavier heart.
