The Heart's Quite Beginning

Chapter 16: Ordinary Treasures

Once the food was ordered, we settled into a comfortable rhythm, laughter bubbling up like the warm spices wafting through the air. Nova was recounting a wild story about how she'd accidentally started a fire in home economics back in school.

"It was just a tiny fire! Barely noticeable!" she exclaimed, her eyes wide with innocence.

Iris couldn't contain herself, shaking her head as she leaned back in her chair. "Tiny? You set off the smoke alarm, Nova! That's a little more than tiny!"

"Okay, okay, maybe it was a little dramatic," Nova admitted, a cheeky grin spreading across her face. "But think of it this way: I was just adding some excitement to a dull lesson. Who wants to learn about measuring flour when you can have a fire drill?"

Ethan leaned back, arms crossed, clearly enjoying the time. "At least you didn't burn the teacher's hair off. That's a win, right?"

"Oh, please, that would've been a disaster," I chimed in, laughing. "But I bet it would have made for an unforgettable class."

As they joked and teased, I felt a brush against my knee under the table. Ethan's leg had shifted against mine—just the barest touch—but enough to send a spark up my spine. I glanced at him, wondering if it was an accident, but the soft smile he shot me said otherwise.

It was the small things with Ethan. The way he'd pull my chair closer, or how his leg would lean into mine like we were sharing a secret. It made my heart race, even though he was doing nothing overt. He didn't have to. These tiny, thoughtful gestures made my head spin in ways I wasn't ready to admit out loud.

"You okay, Lia?" Iris asked, snapping me out of my daze.

"Yeah! Yeah, just... thinking about festival stuff," I lied quickly, though the festival was the last thing on my mind. Nova raised an eyebrow like she didn't believe me for a second, but thankfully, she didn't press.

When the food arrived, the smell of warm spices filled the room, making my mouth water. Ethan helped distribute the containers, handing me mine with a little grin, as if he knew I'd been waiting for this moment all night. "Here you go, special delivery," he said, his eyes sparkling with mischief.

"Thank you!" I replied, trying to ignore the way my pulse jumped when his hand brushed mine. I was pretty sure he noticed.

"Alright, let's dig in!" Nova announced, clapping her hands together before diving into her food.

The first bite of my paneer tikka was heavenly—smoky, spiced just right, and oh-so-comforting. "Wow, this is amazing!" I exclaimed, savoring the flavors. "The spices are so rich! I think this might be my favorite takeout place ever."

Ethan nodded, his mouth full of butter chicken. "Agreed! They really nailed the flavors. And the naan? Perfect for soaking up all the sauce. No wasted curry here!"

"Ugh, I could bathe in this butter chicken," Iris said, dipping her naan into the golden sauce with a satisfied grin. "Seriously, this might be my favorite dish of all time. It's like a warm hug in food form."

Ethan chuckled, glancing over at me. "And what about you, Lia? How's the paneer treating you?"

"It's delicious!" I said, grinning back. "The marinade is so flavorful. I love how they char the cheese just enough to give it that smoky taste. Plus, it's perfectly spiced. Not too hot, but just enough to give it a kick."

"Speaking of kicks," Nova interjected, "I'm still waiting for my sushi fix. You're all denying me my dreams of raw fish here." She pouted dramatically, but it was hard to take her seriously with a mouth full of chana masala.