Warwick and I sat on a bench in the park, the trees around us swaying gently in the breeze. The sun was starting to set, casting long shadows across the grass. We had been laughing for a while, talking about everything and nothing at the same time.
“You really thought I was going to let that happen?” Warwick said, shaking his head, still chuckling.
I grinned. “Honestly, yes. You looked so serious!”
He leaned back, stretching his arms behind his head. “That’s just part of the game. Keep them guessing.”
I laughed and leaned back as well, mimicking his relaxed posture. “Alright, if you’re so good at keeping people guessing, let’s put that to the test.”
Warwick raised an eyebrow, his lips twitching into a smirk. “A guessing game, huh? You sure you want to challenge me at my own game?”
I nodded, grinning. “I think I can handle it. You guess something about me, and I’ll guess something about you.”
He leaned forward, rubbing his chin in mock thought. “Okay, I’ll go first. Let’s see… You’re terrible at keeping plants alive. Am I right?”
I blinked in surprise, then burst out laughing. “Okay, yeah, you got me. Every plant I’ve ever had has… not survived long. How did you know?”
Warwick shrugged, looking smug. “You just give off ‘accidental plant killer’ vibes.”
“Wow, thanks,” I said, rolling my eyes. “Alright, my turn. Hmm… You pretend you hate romantic movies, but you actually love them.”
He blinked, a little taken aback before narrowing his eyes at me. “How did you-?”
I grinned. “I knew it! You totally watch sappy movies when no one’s around.”
Warwick crossed his arms, pretending to be offended. “Fine, you got lucky. But that was just a warm-up. Your turn again.”
I tapped my chin thoughtfully. “Okay, you… You’ve never had a pet.”
His smirk widened. “Wrong. I had a dog when I was a kid. She was my best friend.”
“Really? I wouldn’t have guessed that. You don’t strike me as a dog person.”
Warwick leaned in, his voice low. “There’s a lot you don’t know about me.”
I felt a sudden flutter in my chest at his tone, but I quickly brushed it off, raising an eyebrow. “Oh yeah? Well, your turn. Let’s see if you can beat me this time.”
Warwick grinned, the competitive spark back in his eyes. “Alright. You hate spicy food.”
I shook my head, laughing. “Wrong again! I love spicy food. You’re slipping, Warwick.”
He held up his hands in surrender. “Alright, alright. I admit defeat-this time. But I’ll get you back.”
I smiled, feeling the playful tension between us. “We’ll see about that.”
Warwick leaned back again, crossing his arms. “Okay, so I lost this round, but I’ll definitely win next time.”
I smirked. “You always say that, but it never happens.”
He shrugged, grinning. “I like to keep the hope alive. Keeps things interesting.”
I laughed softly, glancing up at the sky. The sun had nearly set now, painting the horizon in deep oranges and purples. “It’s getting late.”
Warwick glanced at his watch. “Yeah, I guess we should head back.”
Neither of us moved right away. There was a comfortable silence between us, and I wasn’t ready to break it just yet.
Finally, Warwick stood up, stretching. “Come on, I’ll walk you home.”
I stood up as well, giving him a playful look. “You just don’t want to admit you lost.”
He grinned. “Maybe. Or maybe I’m just a gentleman.”
I rolled my eyes, but couldn’t help smiling as we started walking together.
As we walked down the path, the quiet between us felt calm, like we were both thinking but didn’t need to talk. Warwick glanced at me, his usual grin on his face.
“So,” he started, “how do you feel about family dinners?”
I raised an eyebrow, curious. “Family dinners?”
“Yeah,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck, looking a little awkward for once. “I was thinking… maybe you could come over for dinner sometime? My family would love to meet you.”
I blinked in surprise. “Really? You want me to meet your family?”
Warwick nodded, his grin turning softer. “Yeah, I do. It could be fun. And trust me, they’re not that bad.”
I thought about it for a moment, then smiled. “Sure, why not? It sounds nice.”
“Great,” he said, looking pleased. “How about this weekend?”
“This weekend works,” I agreed.
“Cool, I’ll text you the details,” Warwick said. He seemed a bit more relaxed now, as if he’d been nervous about asking.
As we walked, I glanced over at Warwick, feeling a sudden wave of gratitude. “Hey,” I began, breaking the comfortable silence.
He turned to me, his expression curious. “What’s up?”
I took a deep breath. “I just wanted to say thanks. For, you know, being here with me. Especially after everything with Mal and Tanya.”
Warwick’s playful grin softened as he looked at me. “You don’t have to thank me for that. Those two don’t know what they’re missing.”
I smiled faintly, kicking at a pebble on the path. “Still, it means a lot. After they stopped talking to me, I kind of felt… alone. But you’ve stuck around.”
He shrugged casually, though there was a warmth in his eyes. “What can I say? I’m not like them. Besides, I enjoy hanging out with you. Why would I walk away from that?”
I felt a flutter in my chest at his words. “It just feels good to know someone has my back.”
Warwick gave me a nudge with his elbow. “Always. Those girls don’t get to decide your worth, you know. And if they can’t see how awesome you are, that’s their problem, not yours.”
I chuckled softly. “I guess you’re right.”
“You guess?” he teased. “I’m always right.”
I rolled my eyes, but I couldn’t help smiling. “Okay, fine. You’re right this time.”
He shot me a playful wink. “There we go. I will take that victory.”