When I went to sleep last night, there had been a solid meter of space between Evelyn and me—plenty of room to avoid any accidental closeness. But when I woke up this morning, that invisible barrier had mysteriously vanished.
I was curled up against her like she was my personal body pillow. One arm was wrapped snugly around her waist, the other draped across her side. My legs were tangled with hers, my foot resting lightly on top of hers. The most mortifying part? My head was nestled into the curve of her neck, close enough to feel the soft rise and fall of her breathing.
I froze, my heart skipping a beat. How did this happened?
Fortunately, I was the first to wake up—though not by choice. The reason? Evelyn.
Why? Well, let's just say it's hard to forget what I have.
As she shifted in her sleep, her soft body pressed closer against me, completely unaware of the chaos she was causing. At first, it was innocent—just slight movements here and there. But then, she shifted just enough for her knee to land squarely in that spot.
The pain was instant and excruciating, a sharp, mind-numbing ache that shot through me like lightning. I almost cried out, but years of high pain tolerance saved me from completely losing my composure. Instead, I lay there, biting back a groan, trying not to wake her as I endured the brutal awakening Evelyn had unintentionally gifted me.
The woman in my arms smiled peacefully in her sleep, completely oblivious to the agony she'd just inflicted. Meanwhile, I was blinking back tears, silently cursing my predicament.
Yeah, this was definitely one way to start the day (｡ŏ﹏ŏ)
With shaky legs and a twinge of lingering pain, I mustered what strength I could, carefully extricating myself from her embrace. Each step toward the bathroom felt like a challenge, but I refused to let it defeat me!
A hot bath was the only thing on my mind—anything to wash away the ache and the embarrassment.
I had half-expected this place to lack a personal bathroom, like in those old anime I used to watch. You know the ones—where the protagonist either hauls water from a well or uses some kind of water magic to clean up.
But to my surprise, this inn had a fully functional bathroom attached to the room. No wonder it was so popular.
Of course, that convenience came at a price—the cost for a room with a private bath was to say in the least, expensive. Still, it was worth it. At least we didn't have to go outside just to freshen up <(￣︶￣)>
Don't expect any fancy shmancy fixtures though, everything was made of wood here, the toilet was the only one close to being like in modern times.
Anyway, a bath. Ever since I evolved, I've developed a strange preference for cold baths. It's oddly refreshing actually.
It reminds me of the days when I'd sneak out to a nearby lake to wash up as a young ogre just to try and get the stink of various sweat on me, I sighed.
It's kind of funny how I'm thinking back like it were ages ago, when it hasn't even been a full year since I arrived in this world.
When I finished my bath and stepped out, I noticed only Leah was still in the room.
I figured Titan and the others had already gone downstairs for breakfast, leaving just the two of us behind.
Being alone with Leah made the air feel... different. Awkward, even. Maybe it was because I'd recently learned she had feelings for me? Or maybe it was something else entirely. Either way, the silence between us felt heavier than usual.
Leah must have sensed it, too, because she suddenly broke the silence with a sigh and started to speak.
"Aria, just because I like you doesn't mean I'm going to force myself on you," Leah said, her tone steady but with a faint tremble that most people wouldn't catch. Most—but not me. To my ears, it was as clear as day, even if we'd been a mile apart.
"I don't know how you came to that conclusion, but... don't worry," she continued, her gaze briefly flickering to the floor before meeting mine again. "And, um, if it's possible... I'd like to start as friends?"
There was a vulnerable edge to her words, carefully masked but not hidden enough to escape me.
Was that what she had been thinking all along? That I was... uncomfortable with her feelings?
Well, she's not wrong but it's not her I'm uncomfortable about. It's the unease I have that everything will just crumble down if I decide to let myself go.
Still, the thought hit me harder than I expected.
I sighed realizing that Leah had been trying to give me space, to let me prepare for something I wasn't sure I was ready for...
That gave me a rather strange but warm feeling as I looked at the fidgeting woman in front of me, this is the first time I see her being fidgety. Usually she would be sarcastic and show her usual sass but now?
I sighed. For the third time.
I have to make sure I change how I act around them from now on, take it from someone who's seen the dark side of love. But I know that acting distant with someone you know loves you will just hurt them more, especially since I just agreed to try it.
So, the best possible thing I can do right now would be...
I moved closer to Leah and nudged her side as I said "What are you talking about? Haven't we always been friends?"
Leah froze at that, her eyes flashing with conflicting emotions I couldn't quiet see before she went and walked out the door.
Eh? ( ╹▽╹ )