“This felt happy to you?” she asked, her voice soft but curious as she processed what he’d said. Renlin could understand the skepticism, considering the cabin’s dilapidated state; the peeling paint, the overgrown yard, and the creaky, broken-down furniture. To a stranger, it might look like anything but a place of happiness.
But to him, this was their place, where countless memories were tucked into every corner. “Yes,” he nodded, his gaze softening as he recalled those moments. What does it feel like to you? he wondered silently. He could still picture the times when she’d brought her camera, capturing the wild beauty of the pond, the trees, the sky, and even his quiet moments with his sketchbook. He remembered the days he’d dive into the pond on scorching afternoons, trying and failing to convince her to join him, always settling for splashing her from a distance. Or the endless card games of go Fish they’d right here on the couch, both of them laughing, their guards down in a way that didn’t happen anywhere else. Those memories remained untarnished in his mind, and he was determined to keep them that way.
“Yes,” he finally said aloud, “what does it feel like to you?”
Well, that was definitely not cheesy.”
“Oh no, it definitely was,” he shot back, his expression mock-serious. “But Thals, you know I love cheesy.” He grinned, his eyes twinkling with mischief. “I even write them down so I don’t forget. Before I came to your room tonight, I picked out the best ones, memorized them. So, are you impressed yet?”
Her teasing made him laugh, genuine, deep laugh that echoed through the cabin. And when she laughed too, it made him feel lighter, like she was shedding the layers of distance she’d put between them. Why was that shell back up? Had he done something to bring it on?
“Well, damn,” he said, watching her unwrap the gum and pop it into her mouth, “if a stick of gum is all it takes to get you going, then I’ll bring you a whole pack next time.” He leaned forward slightly as he spoke, watching the way she chewed the gum, the minty scent filling the air between them. For a brief moment, he wondered what it would taste like, and not just the gum. He caught himself and looked away, but the pull was still there, undeniable.
Oh, you texted,” she muttered, her fingers tapping away on her phone as if the conversation hadn’t even happened. Renlin watched her, the irritation bubbling just under the surface. A groan escaped his closed lips.
“Oh dear, I did more than a text,” he replied, putting extra weight on the word a, exaggerating it just enough to make his point. In reality, there had been at least 50 messages, texts, calls, DMs. Pathetic? Sure, he knew. But who would he even tell about it? Who could he confess to that she wasn’t responding without looking like a complete fool?
She quickly shifted the subject. “Your room is so comfortable,” she said, her eyes scanning the space.
He saw his opening and wasn’t about to let it slip. “The bed is the comfiest actually,” he grinned, raising a brow. “Want to try?” His voice dropped slightly as he leaned in, closing the gap between them. “I mean, you must remember, right?” His face was so close now that he could feel her breath, the air between them thickening. He pointed to her forehead, his finger hovering just centimeters from her skin. “Does your brain need a reminder?”
Before she could react, he let his fingers lightly brush her hair, pushing the strands that had fallen forward behind her ear, feeling the softness tickle his fingers as he did. As he moved back, he allowed his touch to linger, just grazing her shoulder as he sat up straight again, the smirk never leaving his lips. There was an unspoken confidence, a teasing glint in his eye, but he wasn’t going to push too fa, just enough to stir the tension between them.
When she called him picky, his smirk widened. He wasn’t picky, he’d never been called that in his life. Clothes, food, coffee… as long as it was black, he wasn’t hard to please. But when it came to her, maybe there was something he’d admit to being particular about.
“Or,” he replied smoothly, his voice low, “I just know what I want.”
@Kristi