Chereads / Afterwarmth of the Collide / Chapter 15 - Chapter 15

Chapter 15 - Chapter 15

As she stared at the night sky , her mind drifted back to the events of the previous day . A boy had helped her out when she was in a tough situation , but everything about the incident felt blurry in her memory . She could hardly recall his face . The situation had been so chaotic that she hadn't even properly thanked him for his help .

Next time I see him, I'll make sure to thank him , she thought . After all , he had saved her from a dangerous situation . She owed him her gratitude .

The more Flora thought about it , the more frustrated she became with herself . She wished she had been more present in the moment , but everything had happened so quickly . She closed her eyes , trying to picture his face, but it was still too fuzzy to make out .

After what felt like an eternity, Flora finally let out a deep sigh and closed her eyes again . The cool night air brushed against her skin as she sat quietly on the balcony , lost in her thoughts .

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Meanwhile, at the party , Lia emerged from the changing room in her new black dress . She rejoined the group, feeling much more comfortable now that she blended in with the others . Eden noticed her return and gave her an approving nod .

"You look great ," he said with a smile .

Lia blushed slightly. "Thanks."

The rest of the night passed in a blur of laughter , conversations , and music . Lia found herself enjoying the party much more than she had expected , especially after meeting new people like Liana and Leon .

As the night drew to a close, Lia realized it was time to leave . She glanced at Eden , who seemed to sense her thoughts .

"Ready to go ?" he asked .

Lia nodded . "Yeah , it's getting late ."

With that , the two of them said their goodbyes and made their way back to the car , the night's memories lingering in the air as they drove home in comfortable silence .

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Back on her balcony , Flora remained lost in thought . The moon shone brightly above her , a constant companion to her quiet contemplation . As she sat there , she hoped that one day soon , she would cross paths with the boy who had helped her . Until then , she would keep replaying the blurry memory in her mind , hoping that the details would become clearer over time .

For now, all she could do was wait .

Lia's POV :

"Lia, Liana . . . "

Liana glanced at Lia , her eyes lighting up as she took in her friend's appearance. She gave a playful whistle and exclaimed, "Wow, Lia! You look really sexy . That dress suits you so perfectly !"

Lia smiled softly, trying to brush off the compliment . "Thank you, Liana ."

Liana wasn't having any of it , though . She grabbed Lia's hand and tugged her towards the door . "Come on , let's go outside . Everyone's going to be staring at you ."

Lia hesitated, suddenly feeling self-conscious . "What are you saying ? I'm not that beautiful ," she protested .

"Oh, trust me ," Liana said with a wink . "Once we're outside, you'll see ."

Despite her protests, Lia allowed Liana to pull her out of the changing room, and together they made their way into the party . As they entered, the room seemed to slow down for a moment, and that's when Eden's gaze landed on Lia .

For a split second, Eden was frozen in place, his eyes locked on Lia . She looked breathtaking, and he couldn't look awayb . He placed his drink on the nearby table, feeling a sudden urge to walk toward her . Each step he took felt heavy with purpose, and with each inch he got closer, Lia could feel the heat rising in her cheeks. She wasn't used to this kind of attention .

Eden approached her, and Lia , sensing his presence, took a small step back, nervous . When he finally reached her , he leaned in, his breath warm against her ear as he whispered , "You look really beautiful ."

Lia's heart raced . His words, so close, made her flustered, and she could only manage a shy , "Thank you ." Her voice was almost a whisper .

Eden didn't say anything else ; he just looked into her eyes, his gaze intense and unwavering . Lia's cheeks flushed a deeper shade of red as she felt the weight of his stare .

Liana, standing a few feet away, couldn't resist teasing them . "Looks like Eden has fallen head over heels for Lia !" she said loud enough for the whole group to hear. Everyone erupted into laughter .

Lia felt her face grow even warmer as all eyes turned to her and Eden. Eden, too, looked slightly embarrassed, but he played it off with a small smirk .

"Okay, okay, guys ," Liana said, waving her hands to calm the crowd . "Let's get back to the party . There's still a lot of fun to be had !"

Eden turned to Lia, extending his hand toward her . "Shall we dance ?"

Liab, trying to ignore the pounding of her heart , smiled softly and placed her hand in his . They made their way to the dance floor , and soon , they were moving in rhythm with the music .

As they danced , they moved closer and closerb, the space between them shrinking with every step . Eden's hand found its way to Lia's waist , pulling her gently closer . Lia felt her breath catch , and she wasn't sure if it was because of the proximity or the way Eden was looking at her—as if she were the only person in the room .

Suddenly , Eden's grip tightened just a bit , and he brought Lia even closer , their faces now only inches apart . Lia's heart was pounding in her chest, and she wasn't sure what was happening , but it felt. . . right . Eden's gaze dropped to her lips, and before she could think , his lips were moving toward hers .

She froze for a moment, feeling the world around them blur . Then, just as their lips were about to meet, the music abruptly stopped .

A voice boomed over the speakers , and Lia jumped slightly , snapping back to reality . She and Eden quickly pulled away from each other , both feeling embarrassed and unsure of what had just happened .

"I hope you all are enjoying the party !" the guy on the mic said . "Now, it's time for a fun couples' game ! The winning couple will get a surprise !"

From the sidelines , Liana and the rest of Eden's friends gathered around, shouting encouragement at both of them . "Come on, you two ! You have to participate !"

Eden shook his head, laughing it off . "Have you lost your minds ? Lia and I aren't a couple !"

Liana raised an eyebrow, her grin mischievous. "Oh really ? Then what was all that just now ? Looked like a secret romance to me ."

Her teasing made Lia blush furiously, and Eden was at a loss for words. The group's laughter filled the air .

Despite their protests, Liana and her boyfriend decided to join the game, and their enthusiasm eventually won Eden and Lia over . Reluctantly, they agreed to participate .