Whispers of the Past

Chapter Nine - Flashback Hits Hard

TIMOTHEE'S FLASHBACK CONTINUED:

Timothee's POV:

"Hey, good morning!" My text bounced off Amaya's phone unanswered. Three more texts later, still nothing. Was she sleeping in again? This little peanut of a person had a talent for late mornings.

Finally, a reply! "Sorry, sorry, Timmy! Sleepy head alert! Good morning sunshine!" Now that was more like her. "Wait, Curt has a question for you," she added. "Why do you call me 'Little Miss'?"

I chuckled, picturing Curt's curious expression. "At last you wake up, miss!" I teased. "Long sleep, long dream?" "Psst, because you're tiny as a peanut!"

She replied with a laughing emoji. "XD Hey, were you glued to your phone? Instant reply!" "No dreams, just boredom. How's yours going?"

"Not bad," I answered honestly. "But definitely more exciting now that you're awake." "Actually, have you seen around? Pretty dull without you."

A pause, then, "Nope, man! Sad me!" My heart twinged. Did I lay it on too thick?

Before I could overthink it, she messaged again: "But wait, let's fix that! Coffee date? My treat! Plus, you owe me a tour of some cool spots here."

Now that was my girl! No time for moping. "Sounds awesome," I replied instantly. "What time?"

"Four?"

"Perfect. Address coming your way."

Amaya's POV:

My phone buzzed with Timothee's texts. He knew how to get a smile out of me, that goofball. Four months of friendship, and we were practically glued at the hip. Even Peri, my fangirling sister, had warmed up to Curtis, Timothee's ever-present sidekick. It was weird, being friends with a celebrity, but in a good way!

"Little miss," Timothee's text read. Butterflies erupted in my stomach. Was it just a nickname, or something more? I fumbled with my reply, finally settling on, "Curious mind wants to know!"

His answer was immediate, making my cheeks burn. "Sleepy head! Long dream?" Ugh, that winking emoji was doing things to me.

Time flew by, filled with his texts and calls. I wasn't sure what I felt for him, but it was definitely more than just friendship. Was I falling for the real Timothee, or the persona everyone saw?

He suggested coffee, a casual hangout. My heart leaped. This could be my chance to see beyond the star and into the guy beneath. We met, talked for hours, losing ourselves in the moment. The planned city tour never happened, replaced by something deeper, something I couldn't quite name.

As we parted ways, the sky was ablaze with sunset hues. I walked home, my heart a chaotic mess. What had just happened? Was it the start of something real, or just a beautiful dream destined to fade with the light?

H

e dropped me home at 9.

So," Timothee began, his voice hesitant, "you liked it today? Enjoyed yourself?"

Amaya felt a warmth bloom in her chest. "Today was perfect," she admitted, her smile genuine. "Thank you, Timothee. Truly."

He chuckled, a nervous energy buzzing beneath his calm demeanor. "No thanks needed, believe me. I had a blast too." He paused, then added, "We should definitely do this again sometime, right?"