Ella spent the following days trying to shake off the feeling that had settled over her since reuniting with James. No matter how much she tried to convince herself otherwise, her mind kept drifting back to him. She knew it was wrong, or at least not something people would understand, but she couldn't deny the strange sense of connection that had flared up between them.
It was nearly midnight when she wandered into the kitchen, hoping a glass of water might clear her head. She hadn't expected anyone else to be awake, but there he was, leaning against the counter with a mug of tea in his hand. He looked up when she entered, and for a moment, they simply stared at each other in the dim light, silence stretching between them.
"You couldn't sleep either?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
James shook his head, giving her a soft smile. "Guess I'm not the only one with a restless mind tonight." He gestured to the counter. "Tea?"
Ella nodded, watching as he poured her a cup. They stood close, their hands brushing briefly as he passed the mug to her. The warmth of his touch lingered, sparking a flutter of nerves that she couldn't ignore.
They sipped their tea in silence, but words hung unspoken in the air between them. Finally, James broke the quiet. "It's strange, isn't it? How you can know someone all your life and then..."
"…suddenly see them differently?" Ella finished for him, her heart pounding as their eyes met.
He nodded, his gaze steady. "Exactly."
In that moment, something unspoken passed between them—a quiet understanding, a silent confession. It terrified Ella, but at the same time, it was a relief to feel that perhaps he felt it too. Neither of them dared move or speak for fear of breaking the fragile moment.
But when Ella finally pulled her gaze away, she couldn't help the small smile that played at her lips. There was something thrilling, something dangerously exhilarating about this secret they shared, and for the first time, she wondered just how far they'd let it go.