As the upbeat tempo of a familiar song drifted through the diner speakers, Maya found herself tapping her fingers against her coffee mug. Am I ready? The words looped in her head. She had done the work. She’d spent months turning her mirrors into shrines of self-love, practicing the art of being "fine" until she actually was. "You're doing that thing again," Leo said, his voice warm. "What thing?" "The 'I'm about to run out the door' thing."
Maya felt a shift, like a gear finally clicking into place. She realized that being ready didn't mean being perfect or having no fear. It just meant being willing to find out what happened next. She reached across the table, her hand hovering for a second before finally covering his. Lizzo - 2 Be Loved (Am I Ready) (Lyrics)
She thought about the lyrics she’d screamed in her car just that morning. She’d spent so long being her own hero that the idea of a partner felt like a disruption to her peace. She was "2 Be Loved," sure—theoretically. But the "Am I Ready" part felt like a mountain she hadn't finished climbing. As the upbeat tempo of a familiar song
She looked at Leo—really looked at him—and saw he wasn't trying to take over her world; he was just asking for a seat in it. She had done the work
But then there was Leo—sitting across from her with a smile that felt like a question she didn't know how to answer.