The morning sun spilled through my apartment window as I took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart. Today is the day I will officially start working with Evan. I checked my reflection in the mirror, adjusting my hair and smoothing out my blouse. “You’ve got this!” I muttered to myself, trying to shake off the flutter of nerves in my stomach.

Arriving at the office, I spotted Evan leaning against his car, a casual stance that made him look effortlessly cool. He wore a fitted black shirt and khaki pants, his signature cap tilted just enough to shade his eyes.

“Hey, Moriah!” he called out, his voice warm and inviting.

“Hey, Evan!” I replied, trying to sound more confident than I felt as I approached him.

“Ready for our first project?” he asked, a teasing grin on his face.

“Absolutely! I’ve been looking forward to this.” I said, though a part of me felt the weight of expectation. As we walked into the building together, I couldn’t help but steal glances at him, feeling a mix of admiration and butterflies

Once inside, we settled in front of a large screen in the conference room. “So, here’s the plan,” Evan began, outlining our project. “I want to capture the essence of the music we’ll be producing. I need your photography to reflect the mood and vibe of the sound.”

I nodded, absorbing every word. “I’m excited to explore that. Do you have a particular style in mind?” I asked, leaning forward, eager to contribute.

Evan paused, considering. “I think a mix of candid shots and some styled portraits would work well. You know, something that tells a story. What do you think?”

“I love that idea. It’s all about capturing the moment, right?” I replied, feeling more at ease.

As we were discussing our ideas, the door swung open, and in there walk in Jessica, a well-known young actress. She was radiant, her presence immediately commanding attention.

“Hey, everyone! I’m excited to work with you all,” she said, her eyes landing on Evan. “And especially you, Evan. I’ve heard so much about your work.”

I suddenly felt a twist in my stomach as Jessica approached Evan, leaning slightly into his personal space. “I can’t wait to see what you come up with,” she added, her voice dripping with flirtation.

Evan smiled politely, but I noticed a subtle shift in his demeanor. “Thanks, Jessica. We’re really looking forward to this project.” he replied, trying to keep things professional.

I felt a pang of jealousy as I watched Jessica toss her hair over her shoulder, her laughter bright and inviting. It was clear she was interested in Evan, and I couldn’t help but feel overshadowed.

After our team meeting and Jessica left, Moriah tried to shake off her unease. “She’s... really something, isn’t she?” I muttered, forcing a smile.

Evan chuckled lightly, shaking his head. “Yeah, she’s great. But it’s all professional. We’re here to work, right?”

“Of course.” I replied, but the tension lingered in the air. “I just didn’t expect to work with someone like her.”

Evan glanced at me, a hint of concern in his eyes. “Hey, don’t let it get to you. You’re an incredible photographer, and this project needs your vision.”

“Thanks, Evan. That means a lot,” I said, feeling a spark of gratitude that pushed aside my jealousy, even if just for a moment.

As we moved into the next phase of our project, the atmosphere shifted. I kind of feel Evan’s focus was turning to me, and I felt a warmth spread. Maybe working together wouldn’t be so bad after all.

“Let’s get started, then. We’ve got a lot to do,” Evan said, his voice steady and reassuring.

“Right! Let’s make it amazing.” I replied, feeling my confidence return.

With a shared determination, we dove into our project, each moment bringing us closer. But as the day unfolded, I couldn’t shake the feeling that this wouldn’t be the last time I felt that twinge of jealousy.

I tried to focus on editing a few shots, but it was hard to miss Jessica’s constant attempts to get Evan’s attention. First, she walked by his desk with a coffee in hand, flashing a smile that was a little too bright.

“Hey, Evan,” she cooed, setting the cup down with a flourish. “Extra shot, I think you might like it.”

“Thanks, Jess." Evan replied, barely glancing up as he typed, his attention still glued to his screen.

I couldn’t help but roll my eyes. She was laying it on thick today. As I adjusted a photo, I noticed Jessica again, this time standing by Evan’s desk, casually leaning on the edge like she was part of his project team.

“Why don’t you join us for lunch later?” she asked, twirling a strand of hair around her finger. “A bunch of us are going out.”

Evan gave a polite smile. “I’ll see how things go; I’ve got a lot to wrap up.”

A small, triumphant smile flickered on Jessica’s face as she sauntered back to her desk, as if his maybe meant a yes. I tried to focus back on my screen, feeling slightly annoyed and- okay, maybe a bit distracted too.

Just as I was putting some finishing touches on a photo, a shadow fell over my screen. I looked up, and there was Evan, leaning against my desk with that easy smile of his.

“Lunch?” he asked casually, as if he hadn’t noticed I’d barely moved from my chair since the morning.

“Oh,” I stammered, caught off guard. “Yeah, sure, just… give me a sec.”

He waited patiently, and I quickly saved my work and grabbed my things. A small rush of excitement flickered through me. Lunch with Evan. Just us. As we headed down to the cafeteria, the buzz of conversation around us faded into the background, and for once, it felt like we were in our own little world.

We found a quiet spot in the corner and were just settling in when I caught a familiar figure out of the corner of my eye, Jessica. She spotted us, and her smile tightened as she made her way over. I felt my stomach drop a little, hoping she wouldn’t

“Hey, Evan!” she called brightly, trying to catch his attention. But he simply nodded politely, not breaking the flow of our conversation.

When that didn’t work, she took another approach, inviting a few other coworkers over, gathering a little crowd and then steering them straight to our table. Before I knew it, she pulled up a chair right next to Evan and waved the others over.

“Mind if we join you?” she asked, though it wasn’t really a question.

The table suddenly felt crowded, and the quiet moment I’d been enjoying with Evan was gone, replaced by chatter and laughter as the others settled in around us. I caught Evan’s eyes, and he gave me a small, apologetic smile before diving into conversation with the group. I tried to keep a polite smile on my face, but inside, I couldn’t shake the feeling of disappointment creeping in.

As the sun began to set, casting a warm glow over the office, Jenna gathered everyone in the main conference room. The atmosphere buzzed with anticipation. I sat with Evan, my excitement mixed with nervousness, reflecting on how our first day had gone.

“Alright, everyone,” Jenna said, her voice commanding attention. “I hope you all have had a productive day. I have an exciting announcement!”

I exchanged glances with Evan, who raised an eyebrow, curious about what was coming.

“We're going to take our project outdoors for the next phase! We’ll be doing an outdoor shoot to capture the essence of our theme.” Jenna continued, her enthusiasm infectious. “This will give us a fresh perspective and really showcase what we’ve been working on.”

“Outdoor shooting? That sounds amazing!” I exclaimed, my eyes lighting up.

“Absolutely,” Jenna nodded, smiling at me with enthusiasm. “We’ll need everyone to bring their A-game. It’s a chance for all of us to collaborate more closely.”

Evan leaned slightly closer to me, his voice low but excited. “This is going to be fun. Just imagine all the possibilities with the natural light!”

“Yeah! I can’t wait to experiment with different angles and settings.” I replied, my mind racing with ideas.

Jenna continued, “We’ll finalize the details in our next meeting, but I want everyone to start brainstorming locations and concepts. This is our chance to shine!”

As the meeting wrapped up, I felt a thrill of inspiration coursing through me. I glanced at Evan, who seemed equally motivated.

“Are you ready for this?” Evan asked, a playful smirk on his face.

“Definitely! Just hope I don’t trip over my own feet while trying to get the perfect shot.” I joked.

“Don’t worry, I’ll be there to catch you.” he teased back, the hint of sincerity making my heart flutter effortlessly

With that, everyone began to gather their things, buzzing about the upcoming outdoor shoot.

As I finished wrapping up my things, I noticed Jessica lingering near Evan, a bright smile on her face as she invited him to dinner. I tried not to watch them, but it was hard to ignore. My stomach twisted as I watched her lean in, saying something I couldn’t quite hear. She was always so forward with him, and it seemed like Evan didn’t mind.

I didn’t need to see more. Grabbing my bag, I turned and made my way out, slipping down the hallway alone. The idea of watching them head off together was too much. Besides, who was I kidding? I barely knew what Evan thought about me, and it wasn’t like I had any claim on him.

Just as I stepped outside, footsteps sounded behind me, and then Evan’s voice called out, "Moriah! Wait up!"

I stopped, turning to see him jogging towards me, a puzzled look on his face. "Why didn’t you wait for me?" he asked, catching his breath. “Were you just going to leave without me?”

I shrugged, trying to act casual. “I figured you might have other plans with Jessica,” I replied, a bit too quickly. “So, you know, I didn’t want to interrupt.”

Evan raised an eyebrow, looking slightly amused. “Jessica?” he echoed. “I actually refused her invitation. I’m exhausted and starving- and besides,” he gave me a small smile, “I wanted to give you a ride.”

I felt a flicker of warmth spread through me, and my earlier jealousy faded into something else, something that felt suspiciously like relief. “Oh,” I managed, trying to sound unfazed. “Well, in that case, let’s get going.”

Evan chuckled softly, falling into step beside me. “Good,” he said, glancing at me, his smile lingering. "I was starting to think you’d leave me behind."

As we settled into the car, Evan looked over at me, eyebrows raised. “I’m starving,” he said, half-serious. “I could really go for some food right now.”

I shot him a teasing smile. “Really? You turned down dinner with Jessica, and now you’re begging for food?” I raised an eyebrow, trying not to grin.

He narrowed his eyes playfully. “Oh. I could always call her back, you know!” He pulled out his phone, pretending to scroll through his contacts. “If you’re going to make me beg, maybe Jessica wouldn’t mind…”

My eyes widened. “Wait, wait! I wasn’t serious,” I said, laughing nervously. “You don’t need to call her. Fine, let’s go eat!”

Evan slipped his phone back in his pocket, a sly smile spreading across his face. “Good,” he said, glancing at me as he started the car. “Didn’t think you’d leave me starving.”

As we drove, it hit me. “Wait a second…” I glanced over at him, suspicious. “How do you even have Jessica’s number?”

Evan’s lips twitched, and he shrugged nonchalantly, eyes fixed on the road. “Oh, I have my ways.”

My mind started racing. Did he really get her number? Was she giving it out that easily? I tried not to let the curiosity show, but he must’ve noticed because he finally smirked and shook his head.

“Relax,” he chuckled. “I am just messing with you. I don’t have her number.”

I let out a relieved breath, half laughing at myself. “You’re really going to play with me like that?”

He turned to me briefly, his expression softening. “Just wanted to see how you’d react. Besides,” he added, eyes back on the road, “if I needed someone’s number to grab dinner, I am probably already be driving her there.”

****

We pulled up to this cozy little hotpot place, and the warm, savory smell hit me as soon as we stepped inside. Evan found us a table near the window, and once they brought out all the ingredients, I couldn’t resist snapping a few photos. I took my time, adjusting the angle to catch the steam rising off the pot just right.

Evan chuckled from across the table, raising an eyebrow as he watched me.“You really have to take pictures of everything before you eat, huh?” he asked, grinning.

I laughed, shrugging. “It’s just a habit. Good lighting, good food. Gotta make it look as perfect as it tastes… social media purposes, you know?” I waved it off casually, but I could still feel his eyes on me, a little more curious than before.

“Oh, social media purposes.” he repeated, leaning back in his seat with that thoughtful look he gets sometimes. He paused, like he was carefully picking his next words. Then he finally spoke, casually but with a hint of something else. “You know… I was wondering why you stopped talking to me online.”

I blinked, caught a little off-guard. “Stopped talking to you? You mean... back then?”

“Yeah,” he nodded, glancing down for a second, like he was choosing his words. “You always even send me Birthday greetings before or checking me out during holiday seasons. But suddenly you turned out… distant. Like, out of nowhere, we weren’t talking as much, and I didn’t really know why.”

I bit my lip, feeling a bit of the old confusion resurface. “Well, I actually thought you were busy, Evan. You replied late or sometimes leave it seen-zoned or with just these short repliesm, I thought I was talking too much and saying something wrong, or weird. I don't want to turned out like a bothersome to you. I figured maybe you had other things going on.”

Evan’s eyes softened as he looked at me, a small frown forming. “I never meant to make you feel like that. I guess I got caught up in everything, but I didn’t mean for it to seem like I didn’t care.”

Our eyes met for a second, and it felt like we were both sifting through the moments we missed- both just assuming, both backing off.

“Guess we’re both a little guilty of jumping to conclusions,” I said, trying to lighten the moment with a small smile.

He nodded, his expression easing into a smile too. “Yeah, maybe we are. But… let’s not do that again.”

I nodded, feeling a bit of relief settle in. “Deal.”

****

As Evan pulled up to my apartment, he parked and turned off the engine. I smiled, knowing what was coming next. True to form, he hopped out and rounded the car, opening the door for me with that charming grin.

“After you, Miss Moriah,” he said with a playful bow.

“Thanks, Evan,” I replied, stepping out and feeling that familiar flutter in my stomach.

We walked up to our respective doors, exchanging a casual goodnight before heading inside.

Once in my apartment, I kicked off my shoes and let out a sigh, the remnants of the evening swirling in my mind. After a quick shower, I wrapped myself in a cozy towel and moved to my night routine.

As I applied my moisturizer, I couldn’t help but think about our dinner and the way Evan had looked at me during our conversations. There was something deeper in those moments, a connection that felt undeniable.

I brushed my hair, replaying the laughter we shared, and a smile crept onto my face. It was nice to feel this way, to have someone like him in my life, but a hint of uncertainty nagged at me. What if I misread the signs?

Finally, as I climbed into bed, I picked up my phone, scrolling through the photos from dinner. My heart skipped when I saw the one of us laughing mid-conversation.

Just as I was about to close my eyes, my phone chimed with a message.

I picked it up, and my heart skipped a beat when I saw it was from Evan. It had been a while since he reached out like this. I opened the message, a mix of excitement and curiosity bubbling inside me.

“Hey, I know it’s late, but I just wanted to say I had a great time today. Can’t wait for next. Also, don’t forget to send me those photos from the restaurant! 😊”

A smile spread across my face as I read his words. It felt nice knowing he was thinking of me. I quickly typed a reply, my fingers dancing over the screen.

“Thanks, Evan! I had a lot of fun too. I’ll send those pics over in the morning. Sleep well!”

After sending the message, I set my phone down, feeling a warmth in my chest. Tonight had been special, and I couldn’t help but wonder what our next days would be.