"Ethan, you look like you've seen a ghost," his friend, Mark, nudged him.
"No, worse. I think I've seen a miracle."
He had to talk to her. He took a deep breath, pushing down the wave of anxiety that threatened to engulf him. He walked towards her, each step feeling impossibly heavy, yet driven by an invisible force.
"Excuse me," he began, his voice a little shaky.
"I know this sounds incredibly strange, but…have we met before?"
She turned, her eyes, those intelligent, mischievous eyes, meeting his. A slow smile spread across her face, revealing the dimple.
"I don't think so," she said, her voice a melodic hum.
"I'm Maya."
"Ethan. I'm Ethan." He extended his hand, and her touch sent a jolt through him.
"It's just…you look exactly like a drawing I did last week."
Maya’s eyebrows arched in surprise. "Really? That's…fascinating."
"I know it sounds crazy," he stammered, feeling his cheeks flush.
"No, not crazy. Intriguing, actually. What did I look like in your drawing?"
He fumbled for his notebook in his bag, his hands trembling slightly. He opened it to the page, revealing the sketch. Maya took it, her gaze softening as she looked at it.
"This is…beautiful," she said, her voice barely a whisper.
"You captured something… I don't know, something about me."
"I just felt compelled to draw you," he admitted,
"even though I’d never seen you before."
"Perhaps it was destiny," she mused, a playful glint in her eyes.
They talked for hours that night, the gallery fading into the background. They discovered a shared love for obscure indie films, a mutual disdain for cilantro, and a surprisingly similar sense of humor.
Ethan learned she was a freelance graphic designer, and her passion for art was as deep-seated as his own. He felt an ease with her he’d never experienced with anyone else. It was as if their souls recognized each other.
"I feel like I've known you forever," he confessed as they walked out into the cool night air.
"Me too," she agreed, squeezing his arm.
"It's like a missing piece just…clicked into place."
Over the next few months, their relationship blossomed with breathtaking speed. They explored hidden cafes, hiked challenging trails, and spent countless evenings talking for hours, the world outside their bubble fading into insignificance.
Ethan found himself happier than he’d ever been. Maya brought a vibrant energy into his life, challenging him, inspiring him, and making him feel seen in a way no one ever had.
