Chapter 16 Navigating the Messiness of Connection

Exhaustion clung to every step Eleanor took as she entered her apartment, the weight of a demanding day in the restaurant kitchen evident in the weariness etched on her face. The enticing aroma of lingering spices and culinary creations filled the air, a stark contrast to the fatigue that enveloped her. To her surprise, Lucas awaited her at the dining table, a scene she had never encountered in her solitary existence. The shock registered on her face as her eyes met Lucas's, his presence a foreign yet strangely comforting anomaly. "Why did you wait for me?" Eleanor inquired, her curiosity briefly overshadowing her weariness. Lucas, with a nonchalant shrug, replied, "I thought I should wait for my friend, so I waited." A smirk played on Eleanor's lips. "So, I am your friend now?" Maintaining steady eye contact, Lucas responded, "I mean, yeah, there's no harm in it, so why not." In a simple yet surprisingly warm gesture, Lucas stood up and pulled a chair out for Eleanor. As she set