Diana sat cross-legged on Daniel's bed, adjusting the pillows behind her as Daniel dragged the small desk closer to the foot of the bed. His computer sat on it, the glow of the screen casting a soft light across the room. Once everything was set, he joined her, sitting down beside her, both of them leaning back against the headboard.
Diana picked up the mouse, scrolling through the list of movies with a playful smile. "What about this one?" she teased, clicking on a cheesy title.
Daniel leaned over to look, raising an eyebrow. "Absolutely not. I'd rather walk on hot coals."
She laughed, continuing to scroll. "You're so indecisive," she said, still chuckling. "Come on, just pick something!"
"You're the one who wanted to watch something!" Daniel shot back, smirking.
Finally, they settled on a movie—some action flick with a generic title that seemed like a safe, easy choice. Streets of Fury or something like that.
Daniel leaned back, letting out a contented sigh. "This looks good enough."
As the movie started, it delivered what they expected—fast car chases, flashy explosions, and dramatic stunts. The tension between them faded into the background as they focused on the screen, comfortable with the familiar action beats.
But about halfway through, the tone of the movie shifted. The camera lingered a little too long on the main characters' stolen glances, the music softened, and suddenly the explosions weren't the focal point anymore.
Daniel tensed, his posture stiffening as the romantic subplot came into focus. His eyes darted nervously to the screen, then quickly away, unsure where to look. His cheeks heated up slightly as the scenes became more intimate—small touches between the characters, close-up shots of their gazes locking in ways that felt… too intense.
"What's the rating on this again?" Diana asked, her voice quieter now, and Daniel noticed she wasn't laughing anymore.
"Uh… I think it was PG-16," Daniel mumbled, keeping his eyes glued to the corner of the screen as if not looking directly at the scene would make it easier to ignore.
Diana gulped lightly, glancing at him before looking back at the screen. "Might as well finish it now that we've started it."
"Yeah," Daniel agreed, his voice a little strained. He felt himself sinking deeper into the pillows, as if trying to disappear into the bed. His heart started to beat faster, and he wasn't sure why—was it because of the movie or because of how awkward he suddenly felt?
The romance on-screen intensified—close-up shots of the characters holding hands, their faces leaning in close, the soft lighting making everything seem more… intimate. Daniel felt heat rise up his neck. He glanced at Diana out of the corner of his eye, but quickly averted his gaze. Why was this making him so nervous? He tried to refocus on the movie, but his body was tense, and he could feel his palms growing sweaty.
His mind raced, trying to calm himself down. It's just a movie, relax. But when the scene escalated to a near kiss, Daniel practically jumped. His hands tightened into fists, and he forced himself to look away, staring hard at the far side of the room as if that could block out what was happening on the screen.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Diana shift, adjusting her position. She didn't seem to be moving casually—he could hear her breathing change, her body tensing too. It was like the room had suddenly gotten hotter, and Daniel couldn't stand it. He swallowed hard, feeling a tightening in his chest that made him more uncomfortable with each passing second.
Diana shifted beside him again, and her hair brushed against his shoulder. The soft touch jolted him, his breath catching slightly. The sensation, coupled with the growing awkwardness of the movie, was too much. He kept sneaking glances at her, noticing how her face was slightly flushed, and her breathing a little heavier. She looked just as uncomfortable as he felt.
What is happening? His mind was a mess, unsure if it was the movie or their closeness that was making him feel so off-balance. His body felt tense, like he was waiting for something to happen, but he didn't even know what.
By the time the movie ended, Daniel had barely registered what had happened on-screen. The credits started rolling, and he finally let out a breath he didn't realize he had been holding. But the unease didn't fade like he expected it to. If anything, the quiet made it worse. Without the movie to distract him, he became even more aware of the silence between them—of Diana sitting so close beside him.
He shifted uncomfortably, sneaking another glance at her. Diana was still watching the screen, her expression distant, like she was lost in thought. But the way her chest rose and fell a little quicker than usual made Daniel even more nervous. His heart was thudding, the tension from the movie lingering, and for some reason, he couldn't shake the feeling that something had changed between them.
"Diana," he said, his voice softer than he meant it to be.
She turned her head toward him, blinking slowly, her lips slightly parted. "Yeah…?"
For a second, Daniel's mind went blank. He didn't know why he had called her name, or what he was supposed to say. He swallowed hard, trying to calm the erratic beating of his heart. Why did it feel like the room was still charged with something even though the movie was over?
"Uh…" He fumbled for words, feeling like he should say something, but his brain wasn't cooperating. His eyes dropped briefly to her lips before he quickly looked away, shaking his head. "Never mind."
Diana blinked at him, her cheeks still a little flushed, but she smiled softly. "That was… quite an unexpected movie," she said, trying to break the tension with a light laugh.
"Yeah…" Daniel muttered, his voice distant, still feeling rattled. But even as the awkwardness eased, there was something else gnawing at him—a strange sense of disappointment that he couldn't explain. He pushed the feeling away, shaking his head.
Diana stretched, rubbing the back of her neck. "So… we could finish our homework now? For school?"
Daniel latched onto the change in topic like a lifeline. "Yeah, okay."
They moved to the desk, spreading their books and notes out in front of them. Diana started working right away, flipping through her notes and solving the problems with ease. Daniel, on the other hand, was still distracted, his mind replaying the awkward moments from the movie. He kept glancing at Diana, wondering if she had felt just as weird as he did, but she seemed focused—like nothing had happened.
His thoughts were still a mess, his mind unable to shake the tension from earlier. His palms were still slightly clammy, and his heart hadn't completely settled. He felt out of place, almost like he was floating outside of his own body, and he had no idea why.
After a while, Diana glanced up, raising an eyebrow. "What's gotten into you?" she asked lightly, noticing he hadn't done much.
"I guess I'm just tired," Daniel mumbled, though he knew that wasn't it.
Diana didn't press him. She just nodded and continued working while Daniel struggled to focus.
Finally, after what felt like forever, Diana closed her notebook with a soft thud. "I think we're done for the night," she said, standing up and stretching. "See you tomorrow?"
"Yeah, see you tomorrow," Daniel replied, watching as she walked toward the door. The sound of her descending footsteps echoed softly down the hall, and when she was gone, the room felt unbearably quiet.
Daniel leaned back in his chair, letting out a frustrated sigh. The empty feeling that had settled in his chest wouldn't go away. It gnawed at him, deeper and more frustrating than anything he had felt before. He ran a hand through his hair, wondering why everything felt so off.
"What is wrong with me?" he muttered under his breath, but no answer came.