HEART BEAT

CHAPTER THREE

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**Chapter 3**

Kira stared at Alex, the world around them narrowing to the space between their gazes. His words echoed in her mind, stirring emotions she had tried so hard to bury. She opened her mouth to speak, but the words wouldn't come. A thousand thoughts raced through her head, yet none seemed right.

The silence stretched out, and Kira could see the vulnerability in Alex's eyes. He had laid his feelings bare, taken the first step toward something that could change everything between them. And now, he was waiting-waiting for her to respond, to either move forward with him or retreat back to the safety of their friendship.

Kira swallowed hard, feeling the weight of the moment pressing down on her. She cared about Alex deeply-more than she had ever admitted to herself. But the idea of crossing that line, of risking their friendship for something that might not work, terrified her.

Finally, she found her voice. "Alex, I... I don't know what to say."

Alex's expression softened, and he took a step closer to her, his hand reaching out to gently cup her cheek. His touch was warm, steadying the chaos in her mind. "You don't have to say anything, Kira. I just needed you to know how I feel. Whatever happens, I'm here. We'll figure it out together."

Kira closed her eyes, leaning into his touch for a moment, savoring the warmth and comfort he always brought her. She wanted so badly to give in, to let herself believe that this could work, that they could be more than friends without losing everything they had built.

But fear held her back. Fear of the unknown, fear of what might happen if things didn't work out, fear of losing the one person who meant more to her than anyone else.

When she opened her eyes, she saw the uncertainty in Alex's gaze-the same uncertainty that mirrored her own. But there was also hope, a quiet hope that maybe, just maybe, they could make this work.

Taking a deep breath, Kira took a step back, breaking the physical contact but not the connection between them. "I need some time to think, Alex," she said softly. "This is a lot to take in, and I don't want to rush into anything without being sure."

Alex nodded, his hand falling to his side. "Take all the time you need, Kira. I'm not going anywhere."

His words were reassuring, but Kira could see the tension in his posture, the slight clench of his jaw. He was giving her space, but that didn't mean he wasn't affected by her hesitation.

They resumed walking, the air between them thick with unspoken words. Kira was grateful that Alex didn't push her to talk further, instead letting the silence settle over them as they continued down the quiet street. But the silence wasn't the same as before; it was charged with the knowledge of what had just been revealed, what now lingered between them like a delicate thread waiting to be pulled.

As they neared her apartment building, Kira felt a pang of regret. She didn't want the night to end like this, with so much left unresolved. But she also knew that she needed time to sort through her feelings, to decide if she was ready to take the leap into something more with Alex.

When they reached her door, Kira turned to face him, her heart heavy with the weight of her indecision. "Thank you for walking me home," she said, forcing a small smile.

Alex returned the smile, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Anytime, Kira. You know that."

She hesitated, then stepped forward to give him a quick hug. It was brief, almost too brief, but it conveyed what she couldn't put into words. Alex held her close for a moment, his arms wrapped around her in a way that felt safe, comforting. But when she pulled back, the tension was still there, hanging in the air like a question that had yet to be answered.