The veil of hearts

Love & fear at 30,000ft

A/N : Listen to the music

I'll tuck it away, like a secret wish made on a shooting star.

22

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Aina's POV

The hum of the airplane engines fades into white noise as I gaze out the small oval window. The night sky stretches endlessly before me, a canvas of deep blue velvet studded with diamonds. As I watch the stars, memories of the past few days in Finland flood my mind, each one a pinpoint of light leading to a realization I can no longer deny.

"Oh no," I whisper, my breath fogging the cold window. "No, no, no."

But denying it doesn't make it any less true. The realization crashes over me like a wave: I'm falling for Professor Joshua.

My heart races, a dizzying mix of exhilaration and terror. I close my eyes, remembering his voice, low and filled with an emotion I couldn't name at the time.

"Aina, there's a place... a place that's calling to me."

The small hill, the breathtaking view of Helsinki spread out before us. The way he looked at me, his eyes reflecting the city lights, filled with something that made my heart skip a beat.

"I just knew I wanted to share this with you," he had said. "That somehow, it wouldn't be complete unless you were here to see it too."

I open my eyes, staring at my reflection in the window. "What have I done?" I murmur, panic rising in my chest. "He's my professor. This can't happen. It shouldn't happen."

But even as fear grips me, another memory surfaces. The hospital, the strange familiarity of the halls, the way my hands seemed to know instruments I'd never touched before. And Joshua, always there, a steady presence at my side.

"Just a bit dizzy," I had told him when the flood of memories became overwhelming. His hand on my arm, steadying me, grounding me. The concern in his eyes, mirroring my own confusion.

"You must be freezing," he had said, concern etched on his face. Before I could respond, he was draping a warm muffler around my neck, his movements gentle and careful. Then came the gloves, and a steaming cup of coffee pressed into my hands.

"You didn't have to do all this," I had told him softly.

His smile, gentle and caring, had made my heart flutter. "I wanted to," he had replied simply.

The memory of his kindness, the warmth of his presence beside me on that cold bench, sends a wave of emotion through me stronger than any turbulence.

A patch of turbulence shakes the plane, and I grip the armrests tightly. It feels like a physical manifestation of the turmoil inside me.

I chance a glance across the aisle. Joshua is there, his head bent towards Professor Meghan as they discuss something in low voices. The soft glow of the cabin lights catches the silver in his hair, and my heart performs a somersault that has nothing to do with the plane's movement.

Quickly, I turn back to the window, feeling heat rise to my cheeks. "This is wrong," I whisper to myself. "It's inappropriate. Dangerous, even."

Dr. Nieminen's words echo in my mind: "You two make quite the team. It's rare to see such... synchronicity between a professor and student."

Fear coils in my stomach. Did others notice? Are we that obvious? What if this jeopardizes everything - my education, Joshua's career?

And beneath it all, a deeper fear lurks. With all the uncertainty in my life right now, all the questions about my past and my identity, how can I trust these feelings? What if they're just a result of my confused state, my gratitude for his help and support?