In the land of humans...
Liam found himself grappling with his emotions for Lea, whose return stirred up a whirlwind of conflicting feelings within him. Suspicion lingered in his mind, wondering if she could truly be Aisha, yet uncertainty clouded his heart. His attempts to distance himself faltered, replaced by a tumultuous mix of jealousy and longing whenever she interacted with others.
Now, seated across from Lea in a cafe, Liam struggled to articulate the turmoil brewing within him.
"Liam, why are you sitting like that now? Answer my question" Lea asked looking at Liam who was sitting silently with his head bent down.
"Liam please tell me what happened? Why have you been behaving so differently since I came back? Did I do something wrong?" Lea added question over question looking at the silent Liam.
He felt her touch on his hand, a gentle plea for answers. Summoning his courage, Liam finally spoke, his words tumbling out in a rush.
"I...I think…I think I like you" Liam blurted out after stammering for a few seconds.
Lea just froze in her place.
"No it's not just like, I have fallen in love with you Lea" He confessed.
Lea's reaction was one of stunned silence, her emotions a turbulent storm within. She knew the risks of entangling her heart with a human, the danger it posed to both their lives.
After a few seconds of silence, Liam started speaking again "But this ca….".
But his sentence was completed by Lea's "This can't happen, I can't fall in love with you".
It was more like she was speaking to herself than telling him something.
"What?" Liam asked confused at her reaction.
She just said "I am Sorry" then took her bag and left the café.
Liam sat there just looking at the closed door of the café behind her.
After some time he chided himself, "I am such an idiot, how can I just blurt out my feelings like that?".
"I just hope this incident today won't affect our friendship at least. I could at least have a chance to speak to her even though I can't be with her" Alone, Liam berated himself for his impulsive outburst, fearing it might irreparably damage their friendship. Despite his yearning for a chance to speak with her, he knew the boundaries that now loomed between them.
In the days that followed, both Liam and Lea maintained a cautious distance, their interactions marked by an unspoken tension. Attempts to broach the topic of Liam's confession proved futile, their shared silence echoing the weight of unspoken words.
Noticing the subtle shift in dynamics, their friends devised a plan for a beach outing, hoping to provide them with a chance to find common ground. Reluctant at first, Liam and Lea eventually relented, drawn in by the promise of respite amidst the crashing waves.
As the day waned into evening, amidst the vibrant hues of a beachside sunset, they found themselves at a lively beach party, surrounded by the laughter of friends and the gentle lull of the ocean waves.