After that evening, Tara and Selena never mentioned what had happened between them. Life returned to its usual pace, as if the tender exchange of words and glances under the moonlight had been nothing more than a dream.
Tara took a deep breath as she stepped out of the office building. She could feel the tension in her body ease with the coolness of the air and the city's warm golden sunset filtering through the skyscrapers. The sky was painted in a dusky red hue, visible just over the rooftops in the distance. Pulling out her phone, she took a quick photo of the sunset and sent it to Selena.
Selena's reply came swiftly: "Beautiful."
It was only one word, but it made Tara smile. Normally, she didn't have anyone to share these little moments with, and she felt an unexpected giddiness well up inside her. On a whim, she decided to stop by the market and pick up ingredients: fresh corn, ribs, and some vegetables. Tonight, she wanted to surprise Selena with dinner, a small way to show her own care.
She worked carefully, following the recipe instructions with precision, double-checking each step. It was almost eight by the time she set the last dish on the table. Just as she finished, she heard the front door rattle as someone attempted to unlock it. There was a moment of silence, then another jolt at the handle, this time more forceful. Remembering a warning from an older neighbor about a suspicious character roaming around the neighborhood, Tara instinctively grabbed a nearby rolling pin, her voice stern as she called, "Who's there?!"
A pause, then a familiar voice answered, "It's me, Selena."
Tara quickly put down the rolling pin and opened the door. Selena entered, shivering slightly from the cold evening air, her hair slightly tousled, and her breath uneven, as if she'd rushed all the way home. Tara took her bag and hung it up as Selena brushed her hair back, finally looking up to meet Tara's gaze. Her eyes flickered to the rolling pin Tara had yet to stash away, raising an eyebrow. "Were you…making dumplings with that?"
Caught off guard, Tara quickly hid the rolling pin behind her back, awkwardly smiling. "Uh, yes, I was. You're home early, by the way!"
"Just waiting on updates from Wayne, so I didn't need to work as late tonight." Selena paused, inhaling the aroma of Tara's cooking with a pleased smile. "Something smells incredible."
Selena followed her into the dining area, and Tara gestured for her to sit at the table, where the dishes were laid out. As Tara brought over two small bowls of soup, she watched Selena's face, eager for her reaction. "It's pork and corn dumpling soup. Try it!"
Selena looked at Tara, a faint glow in her tired eyes. She took a spoonful, blowing on it gently, and took a taste. "It's delicious," she said, savoring the flavor. "Sweet and so…fresh."
Relieved and delighted by her approval, Tara beamed and promptly gave Selena the rest of her own dumplings, confident Selena wouldn't mind the handoff. Then, she went back to the kitchen, bringing out a plate of glistening sweet-and-sour ribs and sautéed greens, setting them both down in front of her guest.
"Here, try these too, Selena. I didn't use much oil for the ribs—mostly slow-cooked with sauce. And I added garlic to the greens for extra flavor." Tara served the dishes with her usual meticulous care, her enthusiasm almost childlike as she watched Selena try each item. With each spoonful, she eagerly added another comment, "And this, it's light, but it has this great flavor. And…"
Selena listened to her, a warm smile gracing her face, her spoon still in her hand. Her eyes softened, and she said gently, "This… This must be what love feels like, doesn't it?"
Tara froze, nearly dropping her chopsticks. "What?"
"This, what you're doing. This is love, right?"
Tara swallowed, forcing herself to stay calm as the words registered. She recalled the promise she'd made to Selena, to help her understand what love was. She met Selena's gaze, her tone growing firm. "It is. Love doesn't have to be loud or complicated. Sometimes, it's just…quiet, like this." She paused, letting the warmth in her chest carry her words forward. "Love means showing someone they're cared for, without them even having to ask."
Selena let out a soft laugh. "You know, whoever ends up dating you will be very lucky, Tara."
The look in her eyes was playful, layered with a subtle, unreadable emotion, something that seemed to flicker like candlelight, keeping its true nature hidden. Tara felt her hand tense up around her spoon, forcing a steady tone into her voice. "What…what did you say?"
"Oh." Selena blinked, appearing to realize her slip. "I meant boyfriend. Lucky guy. I must be more tired than I thought."
Tara's relief was immediate, though it was oddly shadowed by a flicker of something almost like disappointment. She dropped her gaze, clearing her throat. "Let's just…keep eating, then."
After dinner, Selena handled the dishes and headed to the bathroom for a shower. Tara, still unsettled and restless, stayed in the living room, half-heartedly watching television. The thin walls of the apartment did little to block out the water's sound as it cascaded down. Each quiet click of the faucet, each faint rustle from the bathroom, only made Tara's mind drift further, her thoughts swirling in half-formed, vulnerable feelings she didn't fully understand.
Just then, a dull thud echoed from the bathroom.
Tara shot up, instantly alert, her voice firm. "Selena? Are you all right?" There was no response, only the sound of water running against tiles. Heart pounding, she knocked harder, her voice rising. "Selena, answer me! Are you hurt?"
When no reply came, Tara pressed her ear against the door, but still nothing. She turned the handle, entering quickly. The bathroom was filled with steam, thick and hazy, making it difficult to see. She fanned the mist away, eyes wide with horror as she took in the scene: the shower head was on the floor, water spilling freely, and just below it was Selena, motionless on the cold tile, her bare shoulder streaked with a dark, crimson line.
Without hesitation, Tara grabbed a towel from the rack, her hands shaking as she carefully wrapped it around Selena's body, dabbing away the water and keeping pressure on her shoulder, taking care not to press on the deep cut along her skin. Working swiftly, she reached for her phone, calling emergency services. "Please, help me—my friend fell. She's hurt—there's blood. I don't know what happened—just hurry!"
Minutes stretched out, agonizingly slow, before the ambulance arrived. In the back of the vehicle, Tara never once let go of Selena's hand, feeling the weight of each breath and the vulnerability in her stillness. A sense of helplessness clawed at her, her vision blurring with unshed tears as she held on, barely aware of her surroundings.
At the hospital, a doctor approached her. "Your friend is stable now," he reassured her. "She's got a congenital heart condition, so it's important not to let her overwork or get too stressed. Tonight, she fainted from exhaustion and emotional strain, but she'll recover with a bit of rest."
Tara nodded absently, grateful for the doctor's steady tone. Somehow, the words brought her back to herself, giving her a sense of grounding. Once she was allowed, she made her way into Selena's room, the quiet beeps and antiseptic scent of the hospital surrounding her as she finally let herself breathe again.
Selena lay there, her face pale against the white pillow. Tara sat beside her, clasping Selena's hand, her heart slowly calming down. She watched the IV line, tracing it from the plastic bag down to where it ended against Selena's hand, which was bruised from the injection site.
As she watched over her, Tara's mind filled with unanswered questions: Selena's relentless drive, the underlying sadness she carried. She wanted to protect her, to understand what had led her here, what was hiding behind her walls. She felt the weight of these thoughts settle on her heart, but for now, she simply held on, leaning her head against Selena's hand until exhaustion finally claimed her.