A veil of hearts

•unspoken currents•

"In the whisper of a concerned voice, the boundary between mentor and protector fades, leaving only the beating of two uncertain hearts."

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10

Aina's POV

The soft hum of Professor Joshua's car engine filled the silence as we drove through the night-shrouded streets. My heart rate had finally begun to slow, but my mind was far from calm. I snuck a glance at Joshua's profile, illuminated intermittently by passing streetlights. His jaw was set, eyes focused intently on the road ahead.

"Are you sure you're okay, Aina?" he asked, his voice softer than I'd ever heard it in class. The concern in his tone made something flutter in my chest.

I nodded, realizing a moment later he couldn't see the gesture. "I'm fine," I managed, my voice slightly shaky. "Thank you for... for being there."

Joshua's hand tightened on the steering wheel, his knuckles whitening slightly. "I'm just glad I was around," he said, a hint of something I couldn't quite identify coloring his words. "The thought of you in danger..."

He trailed off, but the intensity in his unfinished sentence hung in the air between us. I felt my cheeks warm, and I quickly turned to look out the window, watching the city lights blur past.

"It's probably nothing," I said, trying to convince myself as much as him. "I'm sure I was just being paranoid."

From the corner of my eye, I saw Joshua shake his head. "Trust your instincts, Aina. If you felt threatened, there was likely a reason."

His free hand moved as if to reach for mine, but he seemed to think better of it, returning it to the steering wheel. The aborted gesture sent an unexpected jolt through me. I pushed the feeling aside, reminding myself sternly that he was just being kind, just being a concerned professor.

But as we stopped at a red light, I caught him looking at me, his eyes filled with an emotion I couldn't quite decipher. Our gazes locked for a moment, and I felt my breath catch in my throat. There was something in that look, something that seemed to go beyond mere professorial concern.

No, I told myself firmly. You're imagining things. The stress of the evening is making you see things that aren't there.

"Where should I take you?" Joshua asked, his voice breaking the charged silence. "Your apartment?"

The thought of being alone sent a shiver of fear through me. Joshua must have noticed, because his expression softened further. "Or... would you prefer somewhere else? Somewhere you'd feel safer?"

The implication in his words – that he was willing to take me wherever I needed, to ensure my safety – made that flutter in my chest return full force. It was more than just kindness, wasn't it? The way his eyes lingered on me, the gentleness in his voice, the almost-touch in the car...

But no. He was my professor. This was just him being responsible, looking out for a student in distress. Wasn't it?

"My friend Bella's place isn't far," I said finally, pushing away the confusing thoughts. "Could you... would you mind dropping me there?"

"Of course," Joshua replied, relief evident in his voice. Was he glad I hadn't asked to go home alone, or disappointed I hadn't suggested somewhere else? I shook my head slightly, annoyed at my own racing thoughts.

As we drove on, I couldn't help but notice how Joshua's eyes kept darting to me, checking on me. Each glance sent a warmth through me that I struggled to ignore. By the time we pulled up outside Bella's apartment building, my mind was a whirlwind of confusion and conflicting emotions.