𝐏𝐎𝐋𝐀𝐑𝐎𝐈𝐃𝐒 𝐀𝐓 𝐒𝐔𝐍𝐒𝐄𝐓 ― rafe cameron

εβδομήνταπέντε ; 75

song of the chapter:
IN LOVE ; aaron may

Hours silently passed, the kind that slipped by unnoticed, where time seemed to lose its grip. JJ had arrived with his usual easy energy, cracking jokes and making her laugh without even trying. They sat side by side on her bed, a movie playing in the background, but neither of them paid much attention to it. Instead, they traded stories and jokes, their voices low and comfortable in the dim glow of the room.

Smiles were shared between them—real, unguarded smiles that felt like a breath of fresh air after the chaos Margarita had been through. Every now and then, JJ would catch her eye, and she'd feel a flicker of something she didn't fully understand. But she pushed it away, telling herself it was just the comfort of his presence, the relief of not being alone.

His laughter filled the room, contagious and light, and she couldn't help but join in, her own laughter mixing with his. It felt good. It felt normal, in a way she hadn't felt in a long time.

There were moments of silence, too, but not the awkward kind. The silence that spoke of comfort, where words didn't need to fill the space. They just were, existing together in a way that felt natural, effortless. It wasn't like the tension she had always felt with Rafe, the constant push and pull of emotions. With JJ, it was simple. Easy.

Yet, there was something beneath the surface now, something that made her more aware of how close they were sitting. How their knees occasionally brushed, or how his arm would nudge against hers when he shifted. Each touch, innocent as it was, sent a quiet spark through her that she tried to ignore.

At one point, JJ turned to her, his eyes soft and serious for once. "You doing better? Really?" he asked, his voice quieter than before.

Margarita met his gaze, feeling the warmth of his concern wash over her. She nodded slowly. "Yeah... I am. Thanks to you. And the others. But mostly you."

He smiled at that, but there was a flicker of something in his eyes—something that made her heart skip a beat. "You don't have to thank me, Mags. You know I'm always here for you."

"I know," she whispered, her voice catching slightly.

The air between them felt different now, charged in a way that made her more aware of the space—or lack of space—between them. JJ's eyes lingered on hers for just a moment longer than usual, and Margarita felt her breath hitch. Her mind raced back to her earlier thoughts, the possibility she had tried to ignore.

But before she could think too much about it, JJ broke the silence with a laugh, shifting back into his usual playful self. "Alright, enough of the sappy stuff. You owe me a win at Mario Kart."

Margarita grinned, grateful for the break in tension. "Oh, you're so going down."

They spent the next few hours racing virtual cars, laughing as they threw banter back and forth. But every so often, Margarita's mind wandered back to those quieter moments, to the look in JJ's eyes that made her wonder if she was the only one feeling this shift between them.

Maybe, just maybe, it wasn't all in her head.

As the hours slipped by, Margarita found herself more and more distracted. Not by the game or JJ's usual banter, but by the lingering thoughts swirling in her head—the possibility she had tried to bury earlier. She caught herself glancing at him when he wasn't looking, noticing things she hadn't before. The way his lips curved when he laughed, the way his blue eyes sparkled with mischief, and how his presence made her feel safe in a way that was terrifyingly unfamiliar.

But there was something more now, something she couldn't ignore. A pull, a magnetic energy between them that made her wonder what would happen if she closed the small space between them, just enough for their lips to meet.

She wanted that chance. She wanted that kiss.

The thought made her heart race. She had been so sure that nothing would ever happen between her and JJ, that they were just friends. But now, as the night wore on and the soft hum of their laughter faded into comfortable silence, she realized she wanted more. And she was scared. Scared of ruining what they had, but more scared of not taking the chance, of letting it slip away because of fear.

Margarita glanced over at JJ, watching him focus on the game, his fingers mashing the buttons as he tried to out-race her character. She knew she could brush it off, let the night end like any other, pretend the thoughts weren't there. But she also knew that if she didn't take this moment, she might regret it forever.

She paused the game, her hands trembling slightly as she put the controller down. JJ looked over at her, confused but smiling. "What, giving up already? Can't handle losing?"

She shook her head, forcing a laugh, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "No... it's not that. I just..."

JJ's teasing expression softened, and his gaze locked onto hers, suddenly serious. "What's up, Mags? You're acting weird."

Margarita swallowed, her throat dry. This was it—the moment she'd been dreading and wanting all at once. Her heart pounded in her chest as she leaned in, just a little, testing the waters. Her voice was barely a whisper when she spoke.

"I don't want to be just friends anymore."

The room fell silent. JJ blinked, his eyes widening in surprise, and for a second, Margarita wondered if she had completely misread the situation. Maybe he didn't feel the same. Maybe this was a mistake.

But then, JJ smiled—slow, soft, the kind of smile that made her heart skip a beat. His voice was low, almost playful. "So... what do you want, then?"

Margarita's breath hitched, her pulse quickening as she leaned in further, their faces only inches apart now. She could feel the warmth radiating from him, the tension in the air thick and electric. She hesitated for only a second, searching his eyes for any sign of hesitation. But there wasn't any. Only that same softness, that same warmth that made her feel like maybe—just maybe—this was right.

"I want to kiss you," she whispered.

JJ didn't say anything, but the look in his eyes was enough. He closed the gap between them, his lips brushing hers gently at first, testing, just like she had. And then, the kiss deepened, slow and sweet, as if they had all the time in the world. Margarita's heart raced, but this time, it wasn't from fear. It was from something else—something new, exciting, and real.

In that moment, everything else faded away. The past, the heartbreak, the confusion. All that mattered was this. Them.

When they finally pulled apart, JJ rested his forehead against hers, his breath warm against her skin. His voice was barely above a whisper. "Took you long enough."

Margarita laughed, her heart full in a way it hadn't been in a long time. Maybe this was complicated. Maybe it wasn't what she expected. But right now, it was exactly what she wanted.

--- end of chapter