It had been weeks since Maria’s encounter with the stranger at the café and can’t stop thinking about him.
She have totally forgotten about home and here she is thinking about a guy.
At first, she had thought about him more than she wanted to admit.
The way he spoke, the quiet confidence in his posture, the strange familiarity in his gaze—it all lingered longer than it should have.
But life had a way of moving forward, pulling her along with it whether she was ready or not.
Work became demanding with her co-workers chatter about their weekend.
Slowly, the memory of the stranger faded into the background of her mind.
Until this day
“Come on, Maria!
You need this!”
“Don’t be a dumb ass”.
“You having working and working for long remember that much work and no play makes jack a dull boy”.
Park preach righteously.
It was closing time and didn’t give her chance it refuse before grabbing her wrist and pulling her toward the entrance of the club.
The music was already vibrating through the walls, heavy bass echoing into the night.
Maria laughed despite herself.
“At least let me breathe first!”
“Nope.
Tonight, you’re not allowed to think—just have fun.”
That alone should have warned her.
The moment they stepped inside, Maria saw another world entirely.
Her ear almost stopped working because of the loud music blasting From the speaker.
Some young adults were busy rocking each other at the dance floor shamelessly while some were already making out at the dark corner.
Maria almost vomit in disgust .
Her friends dragged her straight to the dance floor, ignoring her protests.
When she saw that resistance was not working, she give in.
Maria let herself move with the music, her worries slipping away bit by bit.
She laughed freely, spinning once when her friend pulled her into a circle.
For a while, she felt light—like nothing else mattered but then she started have a feeling of being watched because her hair at the neck stood up then she noticed a group of men standing not too far away, watching and they are not hiding it.
Her movements slowed slightly as unease crept in.
She turned away, hoping they would lose interest but they didn’t.
One of them stepped closer.
“Hey,” he said, leaning in too close, his voice barely audible over the music.
Maria forced a polite smile.
“Hi.”
“Dance with me.”
She shook her head lightly.
“No, thank you.” It should have been enough but they persistent.
“Come on girl, don’t be shy” Another one joined him.
“Yeah , come on” Then another added.
Their presence closed in around her, their voices overlapping, their laughter making her stomach tighten.
“Don’t be like that.”
“It’s just a dance.”
“Relax.”
She tried to step away, but they followed.
Hands reached—not aggressive enough to cause a scene, but enough to make her skin crawl.
“I said no,” she repeated, firmer this time but they weren’t listening.
“Hey.” The voice cut through everything and it was unmistakable.
“I think the lady said no.” Maria froze and men turned.
Suddenly, the space around her shifted.
The pressure was gone and the air felt… lighter.
Her eyes found his, the stranger from the café for a moment, she couldn’t speak.
Her mind struggled to catch up with reality.
Out of all the places, out of all the nights—he was here.The men muttered something under their breath before backing off, clearly not interested in escalating things.
” What a bad day.” And just like that, they were gone.
Maria exhaled, not realizing she had been holding her breath.
“Thank you,” she said, her voice softer than she intended.
“Really.”
He smiled a little and that was enough to throw Maria inner system in chaos.
“No problem.”
“I’m Alexandre,” he added.
She blinked, then smiled back.
“Maria.” Recognition flickered in his expression.
“Maria,” he repeated.
“From the café.”
She laughed lightly.
“You remember.”
“Of course I do,” he said.
“The one said math is easy ”
She raised an eyebrow.
“ of course, it is easy.”
The tension eased just like that.
Alexandre glanced around, then back at her.
“You don’t look like you’re enjoying this anymore.”
She sighed.
“I was… until a few minutes ago.”
“Come on,” he said, nodding toward the exit.
“Let’s get you some air.
And she followed him quickly out of the club world.
Outside, the night felt completely different, cool air replaced the suffocating heat of the club.
Maria took a deep breath.
“Much better,” she murmured.
Alexandre leaned against the wall, watching her quietly.
“You okay?”
She nodded.
“Yeah.
Just… didn’t expect that.”
“They were pushing,” he said simply.
She wrapped her arms around herself slightly.
“Yeah.”
Silence settled between them feel peaceful.
“Thank you again,” she said after a moment.
He shrugged.
“I wasn’t going to just stand there.”
She looked at him, studying him more closely now.
“You always step in like that?”
“Only when it matters.”
Something about the way he said it made her pause.
They began walking.
Maria didn’t realize how much she needed that moment until she felt her shoulders relax completely.
“I forgot how nice quiet can be,” she said.
Alexandre smiled faintly.
“Most people don’t notice it.
“Most people don’t spend enough time away from noise.” “Or themselves,” he added.
She glanced at him.
“That sounds deep.”
“Or just observant.”
By the time they reached her apartment, Maria slowed her steps.
She didn’t want the night to end.
“I’m glad I saw you again,” Alexandre said.
He sounds real .
“Me too,” she admitted.
For a moment, neither of them moved.
The space between them felt charged—like something unspoken hovered just beneath the surface.
“I’ll walk you up,” he said quietly.
Maria didn’t argue.
At her door, she turned to face him.
“Goodnight,” she said
“Goodnight, Maria.”
She stepped inside, closed the door and leaned against it.
Her heart was racing.
The day was… strange.
Not in a bad way, Just different.Maria found herself thinking about him more than she expected.
At random moments,While working.
Even when she was trying not to.
She didn’t understand it.
She barely knew him yet t something about him stayed with her.
By the third day, she was starting to get annoyed with herself.
“This is ridiculous,” she muttered, washing dishes faster than necessary.
Her coworker glanced over.
“What is?”
“Nothing.”
“you left the club, hope you didn’t encounter any problem” cora asked
“..no…I .
didn’t” Maria reply remembering what happened last night, her knight in shining armor and she was lady in distress being trouble by those lust men .
“Wow!
Never I can come with such story makeup.
Hehehehe” she laughed at her imagination while Cora thought going to club has loosen a knot in her brain.
That evening, she decided to walk home instead of taking a ride.
She needed the air and also to clear her head.
She was halfway down the street when she heard it.
“Hey, Maria!”
Her heart skipped as she turned and there he was walking toward her like he had just stepped out of her thoughts.
“Hi,” he said, smiling slightly.
“I saw you and thought I’d say hello.”
For a second, she just stared.
Then she smiled
“Hi.”
They stood there.
“I was thinking,” Alexandre said, shifting slightly, “maybe you’d like to grab drink sometime.”
There simple and direct.
Maria felt her heart flutter but this time, she didn’t hesitate.
“I’d like that.”
And just like that
Something began.