The morning after that charged encounter on the balcony, the house was unusually quiet. I had barely slept, my mind replaying everything Dax had said, every almost-touch, every word that had gone unsaid. But I had to push it all aside and pretend that everything was fine-because that's what I did. I kept moving forward, even when my world was falling apart.
When I walked into the kitchen, I found Theo already there, pouring himself a cup of coffee. He looked up as I entered, but something in his expression gave me pause. His usual easy smile was absent, replaced by something I couldn't quite place.
"Morning," I said, trying to sound casual as I grabbed a mug from the cupboard.
"Morning," he replied, but there was a coolness in his tone that sent a chill down my spine.
I glanced at him, but he was already turning away, his focus on the coffee machine as if it held the answers to the universe. My stomach twisted in knots. Had I done something to upset him? The conversation with Dax flashed through my mind, but I quickly shoved it down. Theo couldn't know about that. He couldn't.
Still, there was a tension between us that I couldn't ignore. Theo wasn't the type to hold back when something was bothering him, yet he hadn't said a word. It was like there was an invisible wall between us, and with each passing minute, it seemed to grow taller.
We ate breakfast together in near silence, the occasional attempt at small talk falling flat. Every time I tried to catch his eye, he looked away, focusing on his plate or the view outside the window. The distance between us was becoming more pronounced, and it was driving me crazy not knowing why.
After breakfast, Theo excused himself to go for a run, leaving me alone with my thoughts. The silence of the house only made things worse, every creak and groan of the old wood feeling like it was pressing in on me. I tried to shake off the uneasy feeling, telling myself I was just being paranoid, that Theo was probably just tired, or maybe stressed about something unrelated.
But deep down, I knew something had changed.
Later, when everyone gathered in the living room to plan the day's activities, Theo was there, but he was distant. He stood off to the side, his arms crossed, his gaze occasionally drifting to me, but never for long. It was as if he was deliberately keeping himself at a safe distance, and it made my heart ache with worry.
Dax, on the other hand, was his usual enigmatic self, blending into the background while somehow managing to dominate the room. Every time I caught sight of him, I felt the weight of our last conversation pressing down on me. He hadn't spoken to me since last night, and I wasn't sure if I was relieved or disappointed.
The day passed in a blur of awkward interactions and half-hearted attempts at fun. I could feel the tension mounting, the unspoken words between Theo and me becoming an almost physical barrier. By the time evening rolled around, I was exhausted-not from the day's activities, but from the emotional strain.
As the others settled in for a movie night, I found myself lingering in the hallway, unable to shake the feeling that something was about to happen. The air was thick with unspoken tension, and I felt like I was waiting for the other shoe to drop.
Theo emerged from one of the bedrooms, his expression unreadable as he walked past me without a word. My heart clenched, and before I could stop myself, I reached out, my hand brushing his arm.
"Theo," I said softly, "is everything okay? You've been... distant today."
He paused, his gaze flickering to where my hand touched him before meeting my eyes. For a moment, I thought he was going to open up, to tell me what was going on. But then he nodded, his expression carefully neutral.
"Yeah, everything's fine," he said, but the words felt hollow, as if he was just going through the motions.
I let my hand fall to my side, feeling more confused than ever. "Are you sure? You can talk to me, you know."
He hesitated, his eyes searching mine for something I couldn't quite grasp. "I know," he said finally, but there was something in his tone that sent another chill down my spine. He gave me a small, strained smile before turning and heading down the stairs.
I stood there, watching him go, feeling the distance between us grow even wider. Something had shifted between us, something I couldn't put my finger on, and it terrified me.
As the night wore on, Theo continued to keep his distance, joining the others for the movie but sitting on the opposite end of the couch, his attention seemingly on the screen but his mind clearly elsewhere. I couldn't concentrate on the movie, my thoughts spinning in circles as I tried to figure out what had gone wrong.
The realization that Theo was pulling away from me gnawed at me, but what scared me even more was the possibility that I knew exactly why.
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YOU ARE READING
Bonds Of Desire
Romansa" It doesn't matter how I feel Dax, being with you isn't proper" I stated whispering lowly as I stared into his eyes. There's only one thing I see, Lust. I can't deny the fact that a part of me wants him. A small part of my heart still beats for h...
