The silence in the room dragged on, heavy with unspoken tension. Celeste's blue eyes stayed locked on Ronan's face, her lips pressed into a thin line. Aurelia, sitting up in bed, finally broke the quiet with a hesitant question.
"Are you two… really kissing before?"
Her voice was soft, but the effect was immediate.
"Shut up!" Ronan and Celeste spoke in unison, their voices loud enough that Aurelia cringed. She quickly covered her mouth, her laughter muffled.
Ronan let out a deep sigh as he adjusted his collar. Celeste's face flushed as she tried to composed herself. "We're not kissing," she said sharply, her voice cracking.
Aurelia smirked and reached over to grab an apple on the bedside table. "Of course, of course. Whatever you say," she muttered before biting into it in one big piece.
Celeste pinched the bridge of her nose, took a deep breath, and turned back toward Ronan. She focused herself. "So, Aurelia's healing factors—"
