The world around me was tinted blue, a soft glow of light shimmering off the surface of water as we wandered through the quiet corridors of the aquarium. It felt like we were underwater ourselves, surrounded by the gentle hum of the tanks and the vibrant flashes of fish swimming lazily by. I couldn’t help but smile as I walked beside Lukas, his hand warm and steady in mine.
We stopped in front of one of the largest tanks, where a giant manta ray glided gracefully through the water, its wings undulating like it was dancing. Lukas squeezed my hand gently, pulling me closer until I was tucked against his side. I looked up at him, and the soft glow of the aquarium lights caught in his eyes, making them sparkle like the water around us.
“Isn’t it beautiful?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. It felt like speaking too loudly would break the spell of the moment.
He nodded, his eyes still fixed on the tank. “Yeah,” he said, his voice soft and warm, “but not as beautiful as you.”
My cheeks flushed, and I tried to hide my smile, looking away from him and back at the manta ray. But I could feel his gaze on me, and it made my heart race. His hand let go of mine, and for a moment, I missed the warmth of it—until I felt his arm wrap around my waist, pulling me even closer.
We stood there in comfortable silence, watching the sea creatures glide effortlessly through the water. There was something so peaceful about the aquarium, like time had slowed down just for us. It felt like we were the only two people in the world, wrapped in the quiet beauty of the ocean and each other.
Lukas leaned down then, pressing his lips softly to the top of my head. I closed my eyes, letting the warmth of the moment wash over me. His breath was gentle against my hair as he whispered, “I’m really glad we’re here.”
I turned to face him, my heart fluttering in my chest. His face was so close to mine, his eyes locked on me with an intensity that made me forget to breathe for a moment. The soft glow of the aquarium lights bathed him in a warm, ethereal light, making him look even more perfect than usual. I felt like I was floating.
“I am too,” I whispered back, my voice barely audible as I looked up at him.
Without saying anything else, Lukas leaned in, closing the distance between us. His lips brushed against mine, gentle at first, but with a warmth that sent shivers down my spine. The world around us seemed to melt away, the soft hum of the aquarium fading into the background as all I could feel was him, his touch, his presence.
We pulled back after a moment, and I couldn’t help but smile. Everything felt perfect. It felt like we belonged here, in this peaceful, quiet world where nothing else mattered but us.
He smiled back at me, his hand lifting to gently brush a strand of hair from my face. “I could stay here forever,” he murmured, his voice soft and full of affection.
I nodded, leaning into his touch. “Me too.”
We continued walking, hand in hand, down the quiet halls of the aquarium. Every corner we turned revealed something more magical—colorful coral reefs, schools of bright fish darting in every direction, jellyfish that glowed like lanterns in the water. It was like stepping into another world, and with Lukas by my side, it felt even more surreal.
We found a small bench tucked away in a corner, right in front of a massive tank where sharks circled slowly, their movements graceful and silent. We sat down, my head resting on Lukas’s shoulder as we watched the sharks swim by. His fingers traced small, lazy circles on the back of my hand, and I felt a warmth spread through me that I never wanted to end.
“This is perfect,” I whispered, barely audible, as if speaking too loudly would shatter the peace of the moment.
“Yeah,” Lukas whispered back, his voice low and soothing. “It is.”
We sat there for what felt like hours, wrapped in the quiet of the aquarium and each other. The world outside didn’t matter. Time didn’t matter—there was only this, only us. I wanted to freeze this moment, to live in it forever.
But just as I closed my eyes, sinking deeper into the dreamlike calm, everything shifted. The peaceful hum of the aquarium grew louder, distorting into something unnatural. The light dimmed, the water around us growing darker and colder. I felt Lukas’s hand slip away from mine, and the warmth that had surrounded me disappeared.
My heart raced, a cold shiver running down my spine as the once-beautiful world of the aquarium began to twist and blur around me. The soft glow of the water turned harsh, the gentle sway of the fish becoming erratic, frantic. I tried to reach for Lukas, but he was gone, his warmth replaced by an icy emptiness that made my chest tighten with fear.
I gasped, my eyes snapping open to the darkness of my room. My heart was pounding, the dream fading as reality came rushing back. I lay there for a moment, my breath coming in shallow, shaky bursts as I tried to calm myself. The dream had been so vivid, so real, and now it was gone, leaving me wide awake and alone in the stillness of my bedroom.
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Who had a shock moment?!
I definitely did, and I wrote this chapter, like... I was thinking, "What can I do to make the story more intense.." And then I was like, "Yeah, I'll make a date but make it a dream of hers."
YOU ARE READING
Twisted Feelings (Wattys 2024)
RomanceAnnika and Lukas have always known that their love was forbidden. The weight of their family names hangs over them like a dark cloud-Annika's father, a powerful business magnate, and Lukas's father, a ruthless rival, have been locked in a bitter feu...
