Are you smiling?

I got back to my car, gripping the steering wheel a little tighter than usual, wondering how exactly I'd ended up volunteering to walk Layla to her apartment.

A sense of unfamiliar butterflies stirred in my stomach, and I swallowed, irritated. That ridiculous feeling had no business here; I'd done it out of courtesy, that was all. No reason to think any further about it. Just a polite gesture.

I murmured my rules under my breath, like a mantra, as I pushed the keys into the ignition. "No feelings. No distractions. No falling in love." Repeating each rule until the butterflies quieted felt like grounding myself.

Starting the car, I took a steadying breath and turned onto the main road, heading toward my house.

My mind wandered, replaying those few moments in front of Layla's door, her shy smile, the softness of her "goodnight" hanging in the air between us. I reminded myself that none of it mattered.