POV: Ava Mitchell(FL)
The music played on. Glasses clinked, guests laughed, and fairy lights flickered like stars overhead. But my world had quieted—everything blurred into the background as Liam sat beside me, his presence radiating a calm intensity I couldn't describe.
I stole a few glances while pretending to adjust my bracelet. Liam wasn't doing much—just sitting there with a slight smile, nodding at a joke someone cracked. He wasn't loud or attention-seeking. In fact, he seemed almost shy. But when our eyes met again for the second time... there was something there.
A connection.
Maybe imagined. Maybe real. But it was undeniable.
Riley noticed it too. Her eyes flicked between us, and she grinned slyly.
"You two met yet?" she asked casually, nudging me with her elbow.
I froze, but Liam answered smoothly.
"Nope. But I've seen her around. You're Ava, right?"
God. He knew my name.
I nodded. "And you're…?"
"Liam," he said, holding out his hand. "Liam Carter."
I took it. His grip was warm and steady. I felt my pulse skip. We didn't hold it for long, but it was long enough to set something in motion.
We chatted. Slowly. Hesitantly at first. Then more naturally. About the food, the decorations, how loud weddings could get. Somewhere in between, he told me he lived in another town, two hours away, and was only here for a few days.
That night became something more than just a wedding. It became the beginning of a memory I would revisit a thousand times.
At one point, Riley dragged me away to help her with something inside. As we walked back out, I saw Liam talking with his sister and cousin. I tried not to stare, but when his eyes met mine again across the lawn, he smiled.
I swear time stilled.
It was just one night. A few hours. But for me, it was the start of everything.
That night, I dreamt of him.
—
The days after the wedding felt slow. I didn't tell anyone how I felt, not even Riley. It wasn't like I really knew him. But the way he looked at me, the comfort of his presence, the ease of our short conversation—I couldn't shake it.
I checked Instagram. Scrolled through Riley's tagged posts. Saw a photo of the wedding group. There he was, standing behind me in the picture. I zoomed in on his face. He wasn't looking at the camera.
He was looking at me.
—
Months passed. I tried to forget him. Tried to tell myself it was just a silly wedding crush. But every time someone mentioned weddings or blue shirts or beige jeans, I thought of him. Every time I saw Riley's name pop up on my phone, I hoped it would somehow be about Liam.
But it never was.
Not until October 31st, 2024.
It was Memorial Day for my little brother. A day that already carried too much pain. I had just come back from lighting candles when I got a message on Instagram—from Riley's account.
"Hii it's me."
That was it. Just four words.
I stared at the message for a long minute. Then I typed back, hesitantly.
"Liam?"
"Yeah."
My heart. My heart. My heart.
We chatted for an hour. Me, trying not to sound too excited. Him, casually joking and reminiscing. He told me he was using Riley's account because he didn't think I'd recognize his username if he messaged me from his.
I smiled through the tears.
Eventually, I asked for his real account. And he gave it to me.
That night, I didn't sleep. I lay in bed staring at our messages, rereading them, holding onto every word. He remembered me. He texted me first. On one of the hardest days of my life, Liam Carter had unknowingly brought a spark of light.
And that spark? It lit something I thought had long since burned out.
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