"Oh my god!" Norah's gasp snapped them back from their reverie, and Ziana playfully nudged Zayden, slipping out of his grasp. "Are you alright? I heard a loud noise," her mother inquired, her attention drawn to the fallen grates and the scattered items on the floor.
"I, uh, tripped, but Zayden caught me," Ziana replied, scratching her neck and attempting to appear composed, although her entire being was ablaze with an unfamiliar intensity.
"Are you injured?" Norah, positioned near the doorway, asked, glancing over at Zayden, who had turned to face her. He shook his head, inwardly sighing with relief when Norah didn't pry any further. The room, cluttered with possessions and racks, shielded Norah from fully entering and sensing the awkward tension between them. Zayden had sensed a peculiar undercurrent between them earlier, something unsettling enough to make him question his actions.
