A few days days passed and things were going really great. Aiden wasn't his cold and rude self with Adina anymore. Whenever they'll cross each other they'll give a smile and a nod of acknowledgement. One day when Ian was going towards her room Aiden stopped him and asked,"Where were you? I searched everywhere for you."
Ian shrugged saying,"I had gone to get the charms done for Adina's bracelet."
"Huh?"
"The one you gifted her on her birthday",he said rolling his eyes.
"Oh!... uh...wh-... i-..."
"It has mine and your initials on it", Ian told smiling genuinely, answering the question which Aiden was clearly hesitating in asking.
"I- .. nevermind I need to go somewhere. I-I'll be back before dinner",Aiden said quickly avoiding any type of eye contact before leaving. Ian didn't fail in noticing the light blush creeping up his skin before he left. Ian laughed but nonetheless found it cute. He shook his head and then went to give her the charms so she could put them on her bracelet.
There wasn't a single time in the whole day when she would take off that bracelet. Whenever she used to sit idly lost in her thoughts or looking out the windows, she would always fiddle with the charms unconsciously and their clinking sound made a smile appear on her lips.
Ian saw the changes in both their behaviours and did what he thought was right to do to make them come closer to each other and realise their feelings which were rapidly developing but went unnoticed by them or maybe ignored. The next day, he excused himself from home saying he has an important friend cum business partner to meet urgently and told Aiden to be with her. This made the two of them end up silently working together in a room beside each other. It was awkward at first but then Adina took the initiative to start a conversation and work long forgotten, they were sitting in the library talking and laughing, getting to know each other better.
It was night time and they were standing outside Adina's room when she said,"Well, today was nice. That was the first time I talked so much with you. I hope we won't go back to our past selves, either fighting or ignoring selves I mean." She chuckled after finishing.
"I hope so too..." silence engulfed them. Aiden cleared his throat breaking the intense eye contact they were sharing and said,"It's late. Good night then."
She nodded as he turned around to leave but soon stopped and looked back at her when she said,"Aiden ... can we be friends?" She extended her hand for him to shake. She was hesitating but still showed boldness in her eyes.
He smiled a little looking at her extended hand and took it in his, giving a light squeeze of assurance saying,"Sure... friends!" She broke in a face splitting grin which made him inturn giver her a toothy smile. Adina gasped so he asked worried,"What's wrong?"
She shook her head saying nothing and entered her room, closing the door in his face. Aiden got confused but shrugged and left for his room.
Inside the room Adina hit herself on the head with her first saying,"What is wrong with you Adina?" She then put both her hands on her chest saying,"Calm down dammit! You are not competing in a bloody race Slow down for goodnesses sake!" Her heart was doing a marathon and she didn't understand why or maybe she did. She thought,'His smile.. Fuck! Stop...stop blushing'. She put her hands on both her cheeks that's when she realised that all this time her cheeky grin hasn't left her face. The feeling was different, something new but she loved it. She slept with a smile on her face yet again 'cause of Aiden. She had no idea what her fate had in store for her, what more is out there waiting for her.
The next day Adina found herself in the library, laughing at something that Ian said when Aiden barged in there with a smile on his face which dropped seeing the two. She controlled her laughter and said," Good morning Aiden. Come join us. Ian was telling me your childhood stories."
"I-.. no thanks. I have some work to do",he smiled bitterly and left the library.
"Uh... what happened? Did I say something wrong?" Adina asked looking at Ian who was still looking at the library doors.
He sighed then said," It's probably nothing." He gave her a tight smile which made Adina furrow her brows but she decided to let it go.
The next few days Ian tried to make the two spend more time together and when they got comfortable enough he didn't had to make any efforts at all. They would eventually find some time to talk and spend with each other everyday. They weren't unaware of the feelings that were developing but they weren't just ready to accept it or more like scared to accept it.
One day Adina and Ian were busy doing some office work and were discussing about it when Aiden barged in but then angrily left the room slamming the door behind him. Both of them just looked at each other then Ian said,"I'll go talk to him." He sighed and got up from his chair.
Adina tried to say,"Talk? but a-"
He cut her off and said looking in her eyes with seriousness written all over his face,"Adina, I hope you are not in denial like my brother is!"
"D-denial? About what? What are you talking about Ian?"
"About you feelings. I know for a fact that the feelings you've developed for him are not the same as mine and you know that too."
"I-... I... w-what?" She stuttered.
Ian took a seat in front of her and took both her hand in his. He said looking straight in her eyes,"Look in my eyes and tell me how do you feel about Aiden? Is it the same how you feel with me, how you look at me, how you think about me? Just friends? Are you two just friends?
"I..", she couldn't look elsewhere. Those amber eyes were too intimidating for her at the moment. "No" was all that left her lips like a mere whisper.
Ian broke into a smile and said,"I knew it!" He again stood up from his seat and made his way towards the door leaving a blushing mess of Adina behind. As he opened the door, he looked back, his hand still on the door's knob," You know Adina, he liked you from the very beginning and that feeling just grew deeper and deeper. Now I dare say he might've even fallen in love with you."
"I- WHAT!?" The shock was crystal clear on her face.
"It was because of your scent. The forest. When we were little he told me once while we were strolling in the forest that the forest was his safe place and he loved it there. The smell of the woods, the dampened ground, the trees made him calm. That thing never changed and that's why you grew a soft spot in his heart from the starting." He smiled knowingly then continued,"But that's not the only reason... and I think it's better if he tells you everything, it's not my place." He then left the room.
Adina couldn't believe that Aiden also liked her, that also from the very beginning. She was having a hard time believing it. Also, on the other hand she couldn't believe that she accepted, even though indirectly, that she had romantic feelings for Aiden. She knew deep down in her heart that it was true but still she tried to deny it everytime that feeling tried to resurface. Now though, there was no running away from it. There was no denying anymore.