Lucas watched Elora sobbing softly, his heart aching as though gripped by an invisible hand.
He gently caressed her face, tenderly wiping away her tears. "Darling, please don't cry. I won't leave you, but right now, you need to rest. Get in the car, I'll take you home, alright?"
Elora, as though soothed by Lucas's tender voice, nodded in a dazed, almost hypnotic manner. "Then, come with me."
"Of course!" Lucas couldn't bring himself to refuse Elora in this moment.
Elora clung tightly to his arm, as though afraid he might vanish, and Lucas allowed her to.
She leaned her head against the backseat, her head tilting slightly, on the verge of tipping over.
Suddenly, the car hit a bump, and Elora's body lurched uncontrollably toward Lucas. Instinctively, Lucas wrapped his arms around her waist. In the movement, Elora lost her balance, toppling into him, her soft lips brushing against his sensual ones.
As though sensing something, Elora lifted her head and gazed at him, her eyes half-open in a dazed, affectionate gaze. "Lucas?" she murmured, her voice almost like a lover's whisper. Her hand, without thought, gently traced his face, mapping the contours of his brow and eyes. Her feelings for Lucas erupted uncontrollably in that moment.
Lucas, mesmerized by her porcelain skin, her lips as red as cherries, and the smoldering affection in her eyes, had only one thought—he had to kiss her.
His hand threaded through her hair, gently pressing her head toward his, and he kissed her soft, inviting lips.
Elora didn't resist. She closed her eyes, delicately parting her lips to trace the outline of his mouth with her tongue. Lucas followed her lead, soon taking the initiative. He tenderly kissed her, his lips gently sucking hers, and as the kiss deepened, an electric thrill spread from their lips. The sensation, like a jolt of electricity, made them forget the world around them.
"Ding... Affection level of the target +10. Current affection: 72."
Only when Elora was breathless did Lucas reluctantly pull away. He softly tucked her disheveled hair behind her ear. "Rest for a while. I'll wake you when we're home."
Elora, utterly exhausted, nestled into his arms and immediately drifted off to sleep.
The moment their lips met, Lucas felt a void in his heart, long untouched, fill completely. The anxiety that had plagued him earlier in the week was instantly soothed, and he finally understood his feelings.
...
"Ugh... my head hurts," Elora groggily muttered when she awoke the next morning, finding herself lying in her own room. "Wait, didn't I fall asleep in Lucas's car? How did I end up here?" She tapped her head, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't recall the events.
"Lora, are you awake?" Her mother entered, carrying a bowl of hangover soup. "Drink this, it'll help you wake up."
"Mom, how did I get home last night?" Elora asked, sipping the soup, gazing at her mother with a confused expression.
"Lucas brought you back and even carried you upstairs himself. You two didn't... do anything, did you? He's been so attentive to you, I'm starting to get envious," her mother teased with a sly smile.
Elora's face turned bright red, and she lowered her head in embarrassment.
"Don't be shy, tell me everything," her mother continued, clearly enjoying Elora's flustered reaction.
"Mom, stop! I'm so tired. I need to sleep," Elora muttered, quickly wrapping herself in the blanket and hiding under it.
Her mother chuckled softly, picked up the empty bowl, and left the room.
Elora smiled to herself, her face still flushed. Just the thought of Lucas carrying her made her heart race with excitement.
"Elora, it's not a big deal. He just carried you. Why are you so worked up over it?" she scolded herself inwardly, but her excitement only grew.
Her fingers gently brushed her lips as she recalled last night's kiss. Her mind kept repeating the thought:
Lucas kissed me...
He kissed me...
He kissed me...
Elora, blushing furiously, rolled under the covers, unable to stop thinking about it. "I can't think about it...!" she thought, burying her face in the pillow.