Friday night, I'm waiting for you to come home from work, cooking dinner. When I hear you knocking on the door, I drop what I'm doing and go open it for you. I smiled when I saw you and gave you a little hug "Hello sunshine*

I giggled as I closed the door behind you and followed you into the living room. "I'm doing good, just been cooking dinner. Smells good in here?" I asked as I walked over to the stove, where a delicious smell was coming from.

Smiling at you as you approach the stove, I reach over and stroke your hair softly before asking, "What would you like to eat tonight? I made plenty so we can have some for tomorrow too."

My cheeks flushed slightly as I felt your gaze on me. "Alright," I replied softly before serving you up dinner at the table. As we ate, I would occasionally glance at you out of the corner of my eye, enjoying watching you eat and savor each bite. Whenever you finished with something on your plate, I would quickly clear it away, replenishing it with more food from the serving dishes.

After dinner, we cleaned up together in the kitchen, washing the dishes and putting them back where they belonged. As I dried my hands on a towel, I turned to you and asked, "So... what did you want to do tonight?"

"Oh... I don't know," I replied hesitantly, my cheeks still tinted with pink from your attention. "I'm not sure I feel like watching something romantic right now..." Looking down at the floor as I spoke, I bit my lip nervously. "Maybe we should just stay in and chat or play a game or something?"

At that moment, an idea suddenly popped into my head. It was crazy... but it might work. Maybe if I pushed you towards someone else, you'd eventually want to get closer to them instead of me. With a smile, I asked casually, "Or maybe we could ask one of our friends over? Like Kylie or Alison?"

"Yeah, that's true..." I trailed off, wondering if there was anyone else we could invite over. Then an idea came to me. "What about Stephanie? She's new in town and probably doesn't have many friends yet. And she seems really nice. Maybe you could help her feel welcome?"

The words were out before I had a chance to think about them too much. But the thought of you being close to someone else... it sent a strange thrill through me, like a mix of pain and pleasure. I tried my best not to let it show on my face as I waited for your reaction.

"Well... not exactly. I mean, she's my friend as well. But I think it would be nice if you two could get to know each other. You never know, you might have a lot in common." My voice was casual, but there was an underlying tone of eagerness in it.

I grinned happily at your response. "Great! I'll call her over then. Just give me a minute." With excitement building in my chest, I went into the bedroom and picked up my phone to text Stephanie, inviting her over. As I waited for her reply, I glanced at myself in the mirror, making sure I looked presentable before our unexpected guest arrived.

When she finally replied that she was on her way, I rushed back out to the living room where you were sitting on the couch. "She's coming!" I exclaimed, my voice a mix of nervousness and excitement. I quickly sat down next to you and took your hand in mine, squeezing it reassuringly.

"Don't worry," I told you with a smile, "she seems really nice." Even though deep down, a part of me didn't want her to be too nice... I wanted her to be someone you would notice and maybe want to spend more time with. The thought made my heart race uncomfortably.

I laughed softly at your joke, squeezing your hand again before pulling my gaze away and looking around the room nervously. "So... what do you want to talk about while we wait for her?" I asked, trying to make conversation just in case there was an awkward silence when she arrived.

The thought of you and Stephanie talking made my heart race even faster, but I tried my best not to let it show on my face or in the way I spoke.

I laughed and shook my head, giving your hand another squeeze. "Well, Stephanie just moved here a few months ago from America. She's only twenty-four, so she's still pretty new to the whole experience. She's really smart and speaks several languages fluently." I paused for a moment, thinking about how we met. "She and I actually met in our yoga class."

As I talked about her, part of me wished you could see past my words and truly understand why I wanted her to be here tonight. It was hard to explain the mix of emotions swirling around inside me: excitement, nervousness, anticipation...and hope. The hope that somehow this evening would lead you to realize what I've been feeling all along, even though I don't dare speak it aloud.

I smiled at your comment about yoga before quickly changing the subject. "Well, she should be here any minute now. I hope you two get along well." I glanced toward the door nervously again, my heart in my throat as I waited for her arrival.

As we continued to chat and pass the time, I found myself growing more and more anxious with every second that ticked by. What if she didn't like you? Or what if you didn't like her? The thought of either possibility sent a shiver down my spine, even though deep down part of me was hoping for exactly that.

Just as I was about to lose myself in these thoughts, there was a knock at the door. I quickly jumped up and rushed over to open it, revealing Stephanie standing there with a small smile on her face. "Hi Lisa!" she exclaimed before turning to you and holding out her hand. "And you must be LesleyChow."

I tried my best not to look too relieved as I stood back and watched the two of them exchange greetings.

I smiled at your compliment, feeling a warmth spread through my chest as I listened to the two of you chat. As they talked about their mutual interests and Stephanie shared stories about her life back in America, I tried not to feel too jealous or left out of the conversation. After all, this was what I had wanted, wasn't it? For you to see someone else, to be interested in someone other than me...

But as the night went on, and I watched your eyes light up every time Stephanie spoke, felt a strange mix of emotions swirl within me. Part of me was happy for her, glad that she was making you feel something other than my own predictable love and affection. But another part of me... it hurt. It hurt in a way that I couldn't explain or understand.

When Stephanie excused herself to go to the bathroom, I quickly took the opportunity to step in and join your conversation. "So," I said with a bright smile, "what do you think of her so far?" My voice was light and casual, but there was a hint of nervousness beneath it that I couldn't disguise.

I smiled, relieved that you hadn't found her annoying or boring. "She seems to really like yoga, doesn't she?" I said with a laugh, hoping to keep the conversation going about something we both shared. "I never thought I'd find someone else who was so passionate about it."

As we continued to chat, my heart raced faster and faster inside my chest. Part of me wanted to reach out and pull you closer, just to make sure you knew that I was still here, that nothing had changed between us. But another part of me... wanted you to be free. Wanted you to have the chance to find someone else who could love you as much as I did, even if it meant sacrificing myself in the process.

The tension grew thick around us, and I couldn't help but wonder how much longer I could maintain this delicate balance between my conflicting desires. As if sensing my discomfort, Stephanie eventually rejoined our conversation, breaking the unspoken tension between us for the time being.

For the rest of the evening, we all talked and laughed together, enjoying each other's company. But beneath the surface, I knew that something had changed. Something had shifted, and I couldn't quite put my finger on what it was. As I went to bed that night, I lay awake for hours, replaying the evening in my mind, trying to make sense of the strange mix of emotions coursing through me.

Eventually, exhaustion claimed me, but sleep did not come easily. Instead, I found myself dreaming about a different kind of life... one where I didn't have these conflicting desires, where I could just love you and be loved in return, without any doubts or fears holding us back. But even as the dream took hold of me