All Chapters of DEADLINES AND HEARTBEATS : Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

Eli walked into the library, early as always. His bag was neatly arranged, his notebooks stacked by priority. He wasn’t sure why he even bothered to arrive so early. It was the same library, the same quiet hum of students typing and whispering. But he liked control. Liked having a corner where nothing unexpected could happen.Except, of course, for Noah.The table near the back, by the window, was empty. Eli’s stomach did a small, sharp twist. He had assumed Noah would already be here, probably chatting with someone else, relaxed and confident as always.Eli sat anyway. He opened his laptop and typed the headings for their project. He didn’t need Noah to start working, he reminded himself. He could do it alone.Ten minutes passed. Fifteen. Noah didn’t come.A part of Eli wanted to call, to text, to ask why he was late. But he didn’t. That small urge to reach out surprised him, and he buried it instead.Finally, Noah arrived, looking flustered and slightly out of breath. “Sorry, the bu

Eli hated group projects. But he hated the library more.Not because it was crowded, or because of the constant hum of typing and whispering. He hated it because it had become the place where his chest ached and his mind refused to stop spinning.Noah was already there, perched on the edge of the long wooden table, headphones around his neck, laptop open. He looked up briefly as Eli approached, a small smile tugging at his lips.Eli’s stomach twisted. He wanted to return the smile, but he didn’t. He couldn’t. Not today.“Morning,” Noah said softly.“Morning,” Eli replied, stiffly.Noah shifted his chair slightly to make room. Their knees brushed as Eli slid into his spot. Eli froze, heat rising into his face. He wanted to pull away, but it was too late. The contact was brief, a fluke, and yet it sent something sharp, restless, through his chest.He focused on his notebook, jotting down notes and formulas, trying to drown out the thought of Noah beside him. But every glance, every subt

Eli had been walking on autopilot all day, pretending everything was normal. Pretending that the tight knot in his chest didn’t exist. Pretending that the flutter in his stomach when Noah leaned slightly closer, or laughed softly, or brushed against him by accident, wasn’t slowly consuming him.But today, pretending wasn’t enough.It started in the library, as usual. Eli arrived early, choosing the farthest corner from Noah. He stacked his notebooks neatly, opened his laptop, and put on headphones. Safe. Controlled. Distant. Perfect.Noah arrived fifteen minutes later, sliding into the seat across from him. He didn’t smile. He didn’t comment. He just opened his laptop, calm and patient.Eli kept his gaze glued to his notes. He could feel Noah’s presence, calm and steady, but his proximity made Eli’s chest ache with every breath he took. Every subtle movement of Noah’s—the way he stretched his shoulders, the soft hum he sometimes made when concentrating—twisted something inside Eli he

Eli did not sleep much.Every time he closed his eyes, he felt it again. The warmth. The softness. The moment their lips met. It had been gentle, careful, but it stayed with him like a quiet echo.When morning came, his chest felt lighter than it had in weeks. Nervous, yes. Scared, definitely. But lighter.He lay on his bed staring at the ceiling, replaying the night before. The way Noah had waited. The way he had not rushed him. The way he had said we will go slow like it was a promise.Eli sat up suddenly.He was tired of running.Campus looked the same, but Eli felt different walking through it. His steps were slower. More aware. He noticed things he usually ignored. The sound of leaves under his shoes. The cool air against his face.His phone buzzed.Noah: Morning.Eli stared at the screen longer than necessary.Eli: Morning.Three dots appeared. Disappeared. Appeared again.Noah: You okay?Eli smiled to himself.Eli: Yeah. I think I am.That was true.They met in the library late

Eli noticed the change before anyone said anything.People looked at him longer now. Not obvious stares. Just pauses. Glances that lingered a second too long before looking away. Whispers that stopped when he walked past.He told himself he was imagining it.He usually did.By the third day, he knew he was not.He was sitting with his friends outside the student center when it finally came up. They were talking about nothing important. Classes,Deadlines, Someone’s bad presentation.Then Maya leaned closer.“So,” she said, casual but not really, “are you and Noah… a thing?”Eli’s stomach dropped.“I do not know what you mean,” he said.Jonah laughed. “Everyone knows you have been attached at the hip lately.”“We are working on a project,” Eli replied.“Sure,” Maya said gently. “But people are talking.”That word landed heavy.Talking.Eli shifted in his seat. “Talking about what?”Maya hesitated. “About how close you are. How he waits for you after class. How you leave together.”Jonah