Rebirth: Love me Again

"Daniel."

He heard Eve calling his name, and though he had his headphones on, he wasn't actually listening to anything, so he caught it the first time.

But Daniel pretended not to hear—for one simple reason. He loved hearing her say his name.

"Daniel. Daniel."

Keeping his eyes on his textbook, he tried hard not to smile at the sound of her voice calling for him. But when she gave him a little nudge, the spell broke, and he had no choice but to finally look up.

"Did you need something?" he asked, keeping his tone serious, even as his heart sped up when their eyes met.

He'd known Eve was beautiful even as a girl, but growing up, she was downright dazzling.

"That keychain—is that a shop around here?"

Daniel looked down at the keychain and nodded. "This? Yeah, it's a pet store. They're over on Hudson Bend, about a thirty-minute ride from here."

"Oh, thanks! That's not too far."

Daniel had to blink a few times, trying to clear his head as Eve smiled at him, her smile so radiant it left him momentarily stunned.

This felt like a rare opportunity to talk to her. Before now, she'd been so caught up with Cole that she hardly noticed him—or any of the other guys who admired her from a distance. But things had shifted nowadays, and he welcomed the change.

For the longest time, Daniel kept his distance, knowing she was engaged to Cole. He never wanted to cross any lines, knowing she had her heart set elsewhere. But now? Everything was different. She was no longer tied to the Rosette name, and her engagement to Cole had ended, lifting a weight from his chest.

Daniel took a breath, determined to keep the conversation going. "So . . . you got a pet?" he asked, letting warmth slip into his tone.

Eve nodded, a grin spreading across her lovely face. "Yeah, I just adopted him, actually. He's a golden retriever, but practically the size of a bear. And old, too."

Daniel's eyebrows lifted, and he leaned back. "How old are we talking?"

"Hmm . . . about ten years, give or take?"

Daniel nodded thoughtfully. "Alright, well, if he's that old, there are a few things you'll need to keep an eye on. For one, he's probably going to need food specially made for seniors, you know—lower calories, easier on the stomach. And joint supplements are a must; they help with arthritis, which he'll probably have some signs of at that age."

"Oh," Eve said, slightly surprised. "I hadn't thought of that."

"Yeah," he said, a bit of warmth sneaking through his otherwise serious demeanor. "Older dogs have unique needs. A soft bed helps, too. It's easier on their joints. And—this one's important—don't go overboard with walks. Sometimes, they'll push themselves too hard trying to keep up."

Eve scrambled to grab her phone, her fingers tapping quickly. "Wait, wait—let me write this down. Soft bed, fewer walks, and . . . maybe some treats?"

Daniel watched her, his gaze softening as he took in her enthusiasm, the way her hair framed her face and how she casually tucked a stray strand behind her ear. He swallowed, feeling his pulse quicken.

"Alright," she said, looking up at him with an expectant smile. "What's next?"

He was caught off guard, realizing she'd noticed him staring. Clearing his throat, he glanced at his textbook, hoping she hadn't noticed his flustered expression. "Uh, next . . . treats are fine, just go easy on them. 'Hello Kitty and Dogs' has good options, so you'll have everything you need."

"Thanks, Daniel." Her smile was genuine and warm. "I owe you one."

"No problem," he replied, shrugging. "Always happy to help a fellow dog lover."

Her eyes widened with surprise. "Wait, you're a dog lover too?"

He chuckled. "Not at first. Actually, I was terrified of them as a kid."

Eve laughed, the sound like little bells in his ears. "Really? Then what happened? How'd you go from fearing dogs to being an expert?"

Daniel adjusted his glasses, giving her a meaningful look. He felt a pang of disappointment realizing she didn't remember—though he hadn't really expected her to. "Well . . . I got chased by a dog once when I was a kid, and this girl saved me. She was so brave, standing her ground against a dog almost her size."

"Did she get hurt?"

"Nope. The dog got scared of her instead and ran off."

Eve laughed. "That's hilarious! When it comes to dogs, you've got to stand your ground, show them who's boss. That's the only way they will back away."

Daniel leaned forward, his chin resting on his hand as he looked at her, voice softening into a whisper, "Yeah . . . she told me the exact same thing."

Eve paused, her smile fading as realization dawned on her. "Wait . . . That story sounds familiar . . ." Her eyes widened and pointed at him, "You're that kid from back then?"

Daniel couldn't help but smile at her surprise. "That's right."

Her eyes went wide, and she burst out laughing. "W-wait, that short kid with the coconut haircut? The one with those huge glasses and . . . that little gap in his teeth? That was

you

?" She covered her mouth, trying to stifle her laughter but failing miserably. "What happened? Did you get, like, a miracle makeover or something?"

"Growth spurt."

She gaped at him, still processing. "I can't believe this . . . If you remembered me, why didn't you say anything?"Nôv(el)B\\jnn

"Well," he said, shrugging. "You were a little busy . . . chasing Cole, if I remember right."

A blush crept over her cheeks, and Daniel found himself entranced by how endearing she looked.

"I was just . . . being a bit crazy back then."

"Back then? So . . . you're done being crazy over him now?" he asked, his voice soft.

Eve nodded, looking forward with a faint smile. "That's right."

Daniel glanced at his textbook, casually flipping the pages. "Good. Maybe now you'll notice the people who really care about you."

"Hmm?" She tilted her head. "Did you say something?"

"I said . . . you should be studying. We have an exam today."

"Oh, shoot! I totally forgot!" Eve scrambled to grab her textbook, then slapped her forehead. "Great, I brought the wrong one."

Without hesitation, Daniel nudged his book over to her. "Here."

She blinked, surprised. "Aren't you studying?"

"I'm done. Just reviewing." He gave her a small smile. "You can borrow it."

"Thank you, Daniel. I owe you . . .

again

," she said, sighing in relief.

He glanced at his watch, fighting a grin. "Though you only have about ten minutes left before the teacher shows up."

"Don't stress me out!" she wined, frantically flipping through the pages.

Daniel watched her, a warm feeling spreading through his chest as he savored this small moment between them. He silently wished for more moments like this and promised himself that, this time, he wouldn't let any opportunity slip by again.