Where The Gaze Lingers

There was a flicker of awkwardness when our eyes met, an uncertain pause, the weight of unspoken things hanging between us, but it vanished almost instantly when Noah’s face broke into a broad smile. He crossed the room in two strides and wrapped me in a warm hug.

“Oh, I missed you so much, Elara,” he murmured against my hair, his voice slightly muffled.

I hadn’t expected that, not from him, not after everything. For a split second, I stood stiffly in his arms, caught off guard. But then that familiar scent hit me. The same cologne he used to wear. The way his arms always folded around me, like they remembered. And just like that, the hesitation melted. I hugged him back, my hands resting lightly on his back.

“I missed you, too, Noah,” I whispered as we pulled apart.

He kept his hands on my shoulders, eyes scanning my face with a softness I hadn’t seen in a long time. “How have you been?” I asked, my voice almost too quiet.

It was a simple question, but it carried a silent weight… I kn