Belita pov:
I walked into my room, letting out a sigh as I shut the door behind me. The soft, white walls, the delicate curtains, and the carefully chosen decor—all of it was calming, a reflection of the sanctuary I needed after everything that had happened today. The bed, covered in pristine white sheets, looked especially inviting right now.
I crossed the room, letting myself sink into the plush comforter, the weight of the day finally catching up to me. But even as I closed my eyes, the memories of the mission flooded back. Kai's face, his piercing blue eyes staring down at me, the intensity of his presence—it was all I could think about.
I groaned, collapsing back onto the bed and taking a pillow, shoving my face into it to muffle the frustrated sound that escaped me. Why was I thinking of him? Out of everything that had happened—the gunshots, the danger, the chaos—why was he the one thing that seemed to linger in my mind?
It made no sense. He was the enemy, someone I was supposed to hate, but there was something about him that wouldn't let me go. I remembered the way his touch felt, the closeness between us during the fight, how time seemed to slow for just a second, and I could feel his breath near mine. My heartbeat picked up at the thought, and I groaned even louder, burying my face deeper into the pillow.
"Get a grip, Beltia," I muttered to myself, trying to push those thoughts away. But no matter how hard I tried, the feeling remained—the warmth of his touch, the pull of his gaze—it wouldn't leave me alone.
With a sigh, I rolled onto my back, staring at the ceiling. I couldn't afford to be distracted by him, especially not now. But as much as I wanted to forget, it seemed my heart had other plans.
I was still staring up at the ceiling, lost in thought, when I heard my door open. I quickly sat up, startled, and saw Ashanti and Tiffany walking in. They exchanged a look—one that told me they knew exactly what was going on in my head. They could always tell when something was off with me, and today was no different.
They made their way over and plopped themselves down on my bed, Tiffany bouncing excitedly while Ashanti, as usual, took a more measured approach.
Ashanti narrowed her eyes, her expression serious but curious. "Did something happen between you and Kai?" she asked, getting straight to the point. "Because you looked... flushed when you came back."
I felt my face grow warm again, and I opened my mouth to respond, but before I could say anything, Tiffany gasped dramatically. "Oh my god!" she squealed, her eyes lighting up with excitement. "Does someone have a crush?? TELL ME EVERYTHING!"
She leaned in, her eyes wide, practically vibrating with anticipation. I groaned, covering my face with my hands. "No, it's not like that," I mumbled, though even I could hear how unconvincing I sounded.
Tiffany nudged me with her shoulder. "Come on, Beltia! You're blushing. There's no way it's nothing. Was it the fight? Was it the eye contact? Was there touching? Oh, there was totally touching, wasn't there?"
Ashanti just shook her head but didn't say anything, her gaze fixed on me, waiting for an answer. I sighed, slowly lowering my hands, my cheeks still hot. "It was... complicated," I said finally, glancing between the two of them. "We fought, and... yeah, it got intense. He's just so... irritating." I frowned, trying to ignore the way my heart was pounding even now.
Ashanti raised an eyebrow, her lips curling into a small, knowing smile. "Irritating, huh?" she repeated.
Tiffany clapped her hands together, her eyes sparkling. "Irritating in a good way, clearly," she teased, nudging me again.
I rolled my eyes, trying to push down the smile that threatened to form. "Okay, okay, can we just drop it?" I said, shaking my head.
But Tiffany wasn't letting up. "Oh, we're so not dropping this. Not until you tell me every detail."
