Owen zipped up his bag, double-checking that he had everything. Today was a big deal, more than just another day. He wasn’t just packing for himself; he had bought two plane tickets to Chicago. A surprise for Lila. A chance for her to meet his family, but more than that, a trip for just the two of them.
After finishing, he carefully placed one of the tickets inside an envelope, which he was planning to give to Lila along with a letter. He knew he’d been distant lately, probably more than he should have been. Their last conversation had been a mess of half-finished sentences and awkward stammering about Chicago, not wanting to give too much away. Aside from a few texts, they hadn’t talked much. But there was a reason for that.
Owen was falling - falling hard. And for a guy who had never really dealt with emotions this strong, it was a lot. Overwhelming, even. He didn’t know how to process it, how to say it out loud without messing it up. So, he turned to the one person he trusted with everything, his sister, Aria. And, being the writer she was, she had told him to put it into words.
So, he did.
And now, all he could do was hope Lila would read them the way he meant them.
Lila,
Okay, so I know I’ve been acting kind of weird lately. Distant, maybe. It’s not because anything’s wrong, it’s actually the opposite. I’ve just been trying to figure out how to deal with… this. With us.
I’m not great at talking about feelings, but here’s the thing, I’m completely, totally into you. More than I’ve ever been into anyone. And honestly? It freaked me out a little. I didn’t know how to handle it, so I kind of shut down. But I don’t want to do that anymore.
So, I got us tickets to Chicago. Just us. A weekend away, plus you’d get to meet my family. I know it’s kind of a big deal, but so are you. You’re already a huge part of my life, and this just felt right.
Also, before you even ask, yeah, I love you. Like, for real. And I don’t want to be scared of saying it anymore.
So… what do you say?
-Owen
After finishing the letter, Owen decided to go for a walk, just to clear his head. Writing down all those emotions had left him feeling raw, exposed in a way he wasn’t used to. He needed air, space, something to steady himself.
What he didn’t expect was to see Lila.
At first, relief washed over him, like maybe this was fate giving him a sign. But before he could call out to her, he noticed she wasn’t alone. She was talking to someone, a guy. And not just talking. Close. Their hands brushed, lingering in a way that felt too familiar, too intimate.
It was like a knife straight to the chest.
Owen stood frozen, watching, his stomach twisting into knots. What was she doing? Laughing, leaning in, flirting? Was that what this was? Had his hesitation, his stupid decision to hold back, cost him the one person he was starting to love? His thoughts spiraled, emotions crashing over him in waves.
First came the hurt. Then the anger.
Anger at himself for waiting too long. Anger at that guy for daring to get so close to her, to his girl. And, yeah, anger at Lila, for not pulling away. For seeming to enjoy it.
But even as his fists clenched at his sides, he forced himself to step back. To walk away.
Owen knew himself well enough to recognise what would happen if he acted now. His frustration would bleed into his voice, his body language. And after everything Lila had been through, the last thing he ever wanted was to scare her. He loved her too much for that. Respected her too much.
So instead, he kept walking, heading to a quiet park nearby. He sat on a bench, staring blankly at the trees, the people passing by, the world that kept moving while his felt like it was falling apart. He let himself breathe, let the anger settle into something else, something calmer, something that just needed answers.
Finally, after what felt like forever, he pulled out his phone and typed a message.
We need to talk. Meet me outside the gym in 10?
Owen