The storm outside had quieted to a gentle drizzle, the rhythmic patter of rain against the roof now soothing rather than ominous. Inside, the small kitchen glowed warmly, the steam from the tea curling lazily into the air. Aarya held her cup tightly, feeling the comforting warmth seep into her fingers and her chest.

Hiten sat across from her, quietly stirring his own tea. There was a calm in him that seemed to radiate, almost pulling her into it. She found herself watching him without realizing it—the way his eyes softened when he looked at her, the faint curve of a smile, the subtle tension in his shoulders that hinted at both caution and care.

For a long moment, neither spoke. The silence wasn’t uncomfortable; it was full of unspoken questions, tentative curiosity, and the fragile beginnings of trust. Her thoughts raced—about school, about life, about him—but underneath it all, there was a new, unfamiliar feeling stirring in her chest. Something delicate, tentative, and strangely compelling.

“I… I like being here,” she finally murmured, her voice quiet. “I don’t know why, but it feels… safe.”

Hiten’s gaze met hers. The brief contact sent a jolt through her chest, a mixture of surprise and something unnameable. “I’m glad,” he said softly. “You should feel safe.”

Her fingers tightened around the cup, and she glanced down, unsure if she should meet his eyes again. The warmth of the tea, the soft glow of the kitchen, the gentle hum of the storm outside—it all combined into a fragile cocoon around them. She realized how rare it was to feel this way, how rare it was to trust someone so quickly.

“I… don’t usually trust people easily,” she admitted, her voice barely audible. “But with you… it feels different.”

Hiten’s smile was small, quiet, but it reached his eyes. “I understand,” he said. “And you don’t have to. You just… can, if you want.”

Her heart raced, and for a fleeting second, she let herself believe it. Let herself believe that maybe, just maybe, she could open up, could lean on someone, could share the quiet spaces inside her heart.

Minutes passed. They talked softly about small things—school, hobbies, favorite poems, art—but the undercurrent of unspoken emotion was stronger than the words themselves. Each glance, each subtle gesture, carried weight.

Aarya felt herself inching closer, not physically, but emotionally. The hesitation was still there, tugging at the edges of her thoughts, but the pull toward him was stronger than she expected. She wanted to ask more, to know more, but something held her back—a mixture of caution and awe, fear and fascination.

Hiten noticed her pause, the way her eyes lingered on his without meeting his gaze. He leaned back slightly, offering a quiet presence, allowing her to navigate the fragile space between them. No words forced, no gestures rushed—just the simple fact that he was there, quietly, safely.

Her heart thudded, and she realized that the storm outside was nothing compared to the storm building silently between them.

Words they hadn’t dared to speak before lingered in the quiet… something was about to change. Click Next to see what happens next?

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