Chapter 7

Before he could do anything again.

I turned, and walked back into the event.

The tension there somehow felt better, than the tension around him.

The plan was to ignore him.

Act like nothing happened.

Behave like it wasn’t something to think much about.

But plans like this only works out when the other party is willingly to agree and comply

And he clearly didn’t.

I felt it before I saw him.

That familiar, unsettling awareness.

Like someone was watching me.

Like I was being pulled into something I didn’t understand.

I tried to ignore it.

Tried to focus on anything else.

But my body betrayed me first.

My heart started racing.

My thoughts slipping.

And slowly… I looked up.

He was already looking at me.

Across the room.

Unmoving.

Unapologetic.

I looked away immediately.

No.

I wasn’t doing this again.

I turned, grabbing a glass from the nearest table just to have something to do, something to hold onto.

Something normal.

But even then…

I could still feel it.

His gaze.

Heavy.

Persistent.

Like it refused to let me go.

“Are you okay?”

I flinched slightly at the voice.

My sister.

Of course.

I forced a small smile. “I’m fine.”

She studied me for a moment, her eyes soft but searching.

“You’ve been distant,” she said gently.

“I’m just tired.”

That excuse again.

It was becoming too easy.

She didn’t look convinced.

But she didn’t push.

Instead, her hand brushed lightly against mine.

“Try to enjoy tonight, okay?” she said softly.

“I will.”

Another lie.

Because enjoying anything was impossible when he was there.

Watching.

Waiting.

“I need to go greet someone,” she added, giving my hand a small squeeze before walking away.

And just like that…

I was alone again.

Or so I thought.

“You’re getting better at pretending.”

My breath hitched.

I didn’t turn this time.

I didn’t need to.

“Go away,” I said quietly.

There was a pause.

Then a soft, almost amused exhale.

“That’s not very polite.”

“I don’t care.” I said trying so hard to give a firm response.

Silence stretched between us.

Tense.

Uncomfortable.

Dangerous.

“You’re avoiding me,” he said.

“Yes.”

“At least you’re honest about that.”

I tightened my grip on the glass in my hand.

“You said you’d stay away,” I added.

“I said I wouldn’t argue,” he corrected calmly.

“That’s not the same thing.”

I turned then.

Finally.

And instantly regretted it.

Because he was closer than I expected.

Much closer.

“You shouldn’t be near me,” I said, my voice lower now.

“And yet…” he tilted his head slightly, his eyes holding mine. “You keep looking at me.”

My breath caught.

“I’m not..”

“You are.”

The confidence in his voice made it worse.

Because a part of me knew…

He wasn’t wrong.

“I don’t understand you,” I admitted quietly.

“Then stop trying to,” he replied.

“That’s not how this works.”

“Then how does it work?” he asked.

I didn’t have an answer.

Because nothing about this made sense.

Not the way I reacted to him.

Not the way he looked at me.

Not the way everything felt so… intense.

Wrong.

But still there.

“This needs to stop,” I said again.

“I told you,” he replied, his voice softer now. “It doesn’t just stop.”

His gaze dropped for a second.

To my lips.

Then back to my eyes.

Slow.

Intentional.

And that small, almost meaningless action..

Didn’t feel meaningless at all.

My heart started racing again.

Faster.

Louder.

Like it was trying to warn me.

Or betray me.

I couldn’t tell anymore.

“You’re engaged,” I reminded him.

“I know.”

“You’re with my sister.”

“I know.”

“Then act like it.”

“At least, respect her”

For the first time…

Something in his expression shifted.

Not much.

But enough.

“I am,” he said quietly.

The words didn’t match the moment.

Didn’t match the way he was standing.

The way he was looking at me.

The way he wasn’t leaving.

“No,” I whispered.

“You’re not.”

Silence.

Heavy.

Unavoidable.

And in that silence…

I realized something I didn’t want to admit.

Something I wasn’t ready to face.

He wasn’t the only one who couldn’t let this go.

And that scared me more than anything else.