The Whispers of Cupid

Chapter 7: Smiles Behind the Books

The sun streamed through the tall windows of the library, casting a soft glow over the rows of books. Sara stood behind the front desk, flipping through a stack of returns, while Ethan leaned casually beside her, a playful smirk on his face.

“Chocolate chip or blueberry?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Sara glanced up, grinning. “Chocolate chip. That’s always the go-to.”

He leaned a little closer, his arm brushing against hers, sending a small jolt up her spine. “I think blueberry deserves a chance. You can't just ignore it like that.”

Sara’s heart did a little flip at the closeness, but she shrugged it off. “Convince me, then. Make me a blueberry muffin, and I might switch sides.”

Ethan’s grin widened, his eyes lighting up. “Challenge accepted.”

They laughed together, their voices echoing in the quiet library. But as the laughter faded, Sara noticed how Ethan was still looking at her, something unspoken hanging in the air. Her heart fluttered, unsure if it was just their usual playful vibe or if there was more going on—something neither of them was ready to admit.

She turned back to the books, trying to ignore the rush of emotions. What’s happening here? she thought. Why does it feel like there’s something else?

Ethan broke the silence, leaning on the counter. “You good? You zoned out for a sec.”

Sara blinked, caught off guard. “Huh? Oh, yeah, totally. Just… sorting through these returns.” She waved the book in her hand as if that explained everything.

He raised an eyebrow, giving her that look—like he wasn’t buying her excuse for a second. “Right… sure,” he said, dragging out the words with a smirk.

She looked up at him again, feeling the space between them somehow got smaller, even though neither of them had moved. It was weird—how a simple conversation about muffins could suddenly feel like it carried so much more weight, like every word had a deeper meaning. Are we both trying to figure this out? she thought, her mind racing as fast as her heartbeat.

“You know, it’s way too quiet in here,” Ethan said, breaking the silence again. His voice was softer this time, almost like he was testing the waters.

“Yeah,” Sara replied, her heart still fluttering in her chest. “Feels kinda… different today.”

Ethan’s smile softened too, and there was something about the way he looked at her that made her feel both at ease and nervous all at once. The air between them felt charged, like they were standing at the edge of something they weren’t quite ready to name.

Before either of them could say more, the library door creaked open. A visitor walked in, interrupting the moment. Sara quickly straightened up, putting on her usual friendly, welcoming smile.

“Hi! Welcome to the library!” she called out, trying to sound as professional as she could, though her heart was still racing from the almost-moment she’d just had with Ethan.

The visitor nodded and headed towards the shelves, leaving Sara and Ethan alone again. As soon as the coast was clear, Ethan stepped right back to where he was before, close enough that their arms almost brushed. The tension that had been hanging in the air returned just as fast.

“So,” he said with a playful smirk, clearly trying to pick up where they left off. “Muffin domination, huh?”

Sara couldn’t help but laugh, grateful for the lighter shift in conversation. “Yep. You better be ready to bring your A-game.”

Ethan raised an eyebrow, leaning in just a little closer. “Oh, you know I always do.”

They cracked up again, their laughter blending with the soft sounds of the library. But even as they joked around, Sara couldn’t ignore the way her heart seemed to react to every little look, every slight brush of his arm. It was like their playful back-and-forth had taken on a new layer, something neither of them had acknowledged yet but was clearly there.

The visitor wandered deeper into the library, and the two of them were left standing there, side by side, the sun casting a warm glow over them both. Sara glanced at Ethan out of the corner of her eye, wondering if he felt it too—the shift in the air between them.

Ethan stretched his arms above his head casually, breaking the silence. “So… chocolate chip muffins, huh?”

Sara rolled her eyes, trying to play it cool. “Yep. Still better than blueberry. I don’t make the rules.”

Ethan laughed softly, his voice lowering again. “I’ll make you the best blueberry muffin you’ve ever had, and you’ll never want chocolate chip again.”

There was that teasing smile again, but this time, it felt different. Sara wasn’t sure if it was the light streaming in through the windows or the fact that they’d spent so much time together lately, but something had shifted between them.

She glanced down at her hands, unsure of what to say next. The playful banter was easy, but the emotions underneath were way more complicated. She wasn’t sure if she was ready to deal with them yet—wasn’t sure if he was either.

But as Ethan stood there, still smiling at her, she couldn’t shake the feeling that maybe, just maybe, they were both thinking the same thing.

And in that quiet corner of the library, surrounded by shelves of books and golden sunlight, it felt like something was starting. Neither of them was ready to say it out loud just yet, but Sara could feel it. Something was happening between them.

And for now, she was okay with just letting it unfold.