It had been building for weeks — the glances, the awkward silences, the subtle brushes of shoulders. Lou had always been a firecracker, bold and impulsive, while Gary was steady, careful, and often oblivious to anything that didn’t hit him over the head. But even Gary couldn’t ignore the way Lou had been acting lately.

They had just finished a tense conversation outside the pub, the kind of conversation loaded with everything unspoken. Lou’s eyes lingered a little too long, her smile flickered with nervous energy, and her hands fidgeted with the edge of her jacket. Gary, as usual, was trying to make sense of the situation with logic — not feelings.

“Well, I should get going,” Gary said, scratching the back of his neck. “Got work early.”

Lou stepped in front of him, blocking his path. “Wait,” she said quickly, breathlessly. “There’s something I need to do.”

And before Gary could respond, she leaned in.

It wasn’t dramatic or slow. It was sudden — impulsive — the way Lou did everything. Her hand lightly touched his arm, and her lips moved towards his. But Gary froze. His eyes widened in shock, and he instinctively stepped back just before their lips could meet.

“Lou, what are you doing?” he asked, clearly stunned.

Lou’s face flushed red. “I… I thought…” she stammered, suddenly unsure of herself for the first time in a long while. “I thought there was something between us.”

Gary looked down, then away. “Lou, you’re great. But this… it’s complicated.”

Silence hung between them, thick and uncomfortable.

“I didn’t mean to make things weird,” Lou said quietly, her confidence slipping. “I just… I thought maybe you felt the same.”

Gary sighed, not unkindly. “I care about you, I do. But not like that. And I don’t want to hurt you.”

Lou forced a smile, the kind that masked disappointment. “Right. Of course. My mistake.”

She turned and walked away quickly, her boots hitting the pavement harder than usual. Gary watched her go, torn between guilt and relief. He knew the moment would change things — it already had.

But what he didn’t see was Lou wiping away a tear as she disappeared around the corner. For her, that kiss wasn’t just about romance — it was about being seen, being wanted. And now, she wasn’t sure she’d risk that again.