What If ?

They say goodnight and part ways. The cool night air fills the space between them as they walk in opposite directions, each heading towards their own world. The echoes of laughter and conversation still linger, remnants of an evening well spent.

Maya pulled her jacket tighter around her shoulders, feeling the chill of the night seep into her bones. She glanced back once, catching a glimpse of David’s silhouette disappearing around the corner. Their dinner had been filled with the usual mix of banter, shared memories, and comfortable silences. Tonight, though, there had been something different in the air—an unspoken tension that neither had dared to address.

As she walked home, Maya replayed the evening’s events in her mind. The candlelit restaurant, the soft strains of jazz playing in the background, the way David had looked at her when he thought she wasn’t paying attention. It was all so familiar, yet tonight it felt loaded with meaning.

David’s thoughts mirrored Maya’s as he made his way back to his apartment. The night sky was clear, stars twinkling like tiny beacons of light in the darkness. He had always enjoyed these walks home, the quiet giving him a chance to reflect. But tonight, his mind was anything but quiet. He kept thinking about Maya, the way her eyes had sparkled when she laughed, the way her smile could light up a room. He had known her for years, but recently, he found himself seeing her in a new light.

They had met in college, thrown together by chance in a freshman seminar. Over the years, their friendship had deepened, evolving into a bond that felt as natural as breathing. But now, as they both stood on the cusp of their thirties, David couldn’t shake the feeling that their relationship was on the verge of another transformation.

Maya’s apartment came into view, its warm lights a welcome sight in the cool darkness. She climbed the stairs slowly, her mind still buzzing with thoughts of David. The way he listened so intently when she spoke, the way he always seemed to know when she needed a friend. She wondered if he felt it too, this new awareness that seemed to be growing between them.

She unlocked her door and stepped inside, the familiar scent of home greeting her. As she set her keys on the table, her phone buzzed with a new message. It was from David.

“Got home safe. Tonight was great. Sleep well, Maya.”

She smiled at the screen, her heart giving a small flutter. It was a simple message, but it carried a warmth that made her feel less alone in her thoughts. She typed a quick reply.

“Glad you’re home safe. Tonight was great. Goodnight, David.”

David read her reply and felt a surge of affection. He wished he could tell her what was on his mind, but he wasn’t sure how she would react. For now, it was enough to know that she was thinking of him too.

As they both settled into their respective routines, Maya and David found themselves lost in their own thoughts, yet connected by an invisible thread. They had said goodnight and parted ways, but the night was far from over in their minds.

David lay in his bed, staring at the ceiling. He knew he needed to say something, to take a chance on what he felt. But for tonight, he would let the thoughts settle and find comfort in the connection they shared.

As sleep finally claimed them both, Maya and David drifted off with the same unspoken question lingering in their hearts: What if?