We Shall Meet Again

Part 9

As Sabrina lay on the roof of the rundown bus, pretending to sleep, the cool night air brushed against her skin, but inside, she was a tempest of emotion. Her heart raced wildly, a wild drumbeat that echoed in her ears, yet she kept her breathing steady and calm, hoping against hope that Xavier wouldn't notice her tension. Each soft rustle of leaves seemed magnified in the silence, amplifying the palpable tension that hung in the air.

She could sense Xavier's presence drawing closer, the way the shadows shifted as he moved. Her heart pounded louder, each thud a reminder of the stakes in this fragile moment. She kept her eyes shut tightly, forcing herself to remain still, even as her mind spiraled with confusion and disbelief. What would he do?

Then, just when she thought her heart might burst from the anticipation, she felt his hand—a warm, strong hand—slip beneath her back. A shiver of surprise coursed through her, and she barely stifled a gasp. Was this really happening? Xavier lifted her into his arms, his movements deliberate and careful, as if she were the most precious thing in the world. Starlight nestled against her, safe and secure, a comforting weight against her chest.

Sabrina's mind raced with disbelief, a whirlwind of questions and emotions. What does this mean? She had imagined this moment a thousand times, but never like this. She kept her eyes closed, sensing the strength in his arms as he cradled her close. The warmth radiating from his body enveloped her, filling her with an unexpected sense of safety.

He carried her down from the roof, and she could feel the steady rhythm of his breathing, the rise and fall of his chest as he held her. With each step, he drew her closer, both physically and emotionally. Sabrina felt a strange mixture of fear and elation; she was terrified of the vulnerability she felt, yet exhilarated by the intimacy of the moment.

The world around them faded away, replaced by the sound of his footsteps echoing softly in the quiet night. Sabrina's heart soared and sank simultaneously. What did this mean? Was this an act of affection, or simply a moment of weakness? The uncertainty wrapped around her like a fog, but in that moment, all she could do was revel in the sensation of being held by him.

When they reached her front door, Sabrina's heart raced. The soft creak of the door opening was like a cue to her swirling thoughts, a reminder that reality awaited them on the other side. He carried her inside and gently laid her down on her bed, adjusting the covers around her as if she were fragile glass, making sure Starlight remained nestled securely in the blanket. His gentleness struck her deeply; it was a stark contrast to the guarded exterior he usually wore.

For a moment, he just stood there, hovering near her bed, his presence a tangible force in the room. Sabrina could feel the heat of his gaze on her, and an intense urge to open her eyes washed over her. But she held back, fearing that if she broke the facade she had created, the magic of the moment might dissipate like mist in the sunlight. What was he thinking?

The silence hung thick in the air, charged with unspoken words. Sabrina's heart raced as she waited, every second stretching out like an eternity. The questions she longed to ask bubbled to the surface, but she forced herself to remain quiet, curious about what he might reveal if she allowed him to speak first.

Then, just as he had done on the roof, Xavier reached out, brushing his fingers softly against her cheek. The gentle touch sent a wave of warmth coursing through her, igniting a spark of something she had longed for. He lingered there, and she felt the conflict radiating from him—the desire to connect battling against the walls he had erected around himself.

"Why do you always do this to me?" he whispered, his voice barely above a murmur, filled with a quiet anguish she had never heard from him before. His words struck her like a physical blow, their weight heavy with the unspoken pain that lay between them.

Sabrina's heart clenched, a rush of empathy flooding through her. She wanted to reach out, to tell him that she didn't understand either, but she couldn't break the facade. She needed to let him finish, to see what he would do next. The longing in his voice resonated within her, awakening the hope that had flickered in her heart.

After another long pause, Xavier sighed, the sound filled with frustration and a deep yearning that made her heart ache. He stepped back from the bed, his hand falling to his side, and in that moment, Sabrina felt a chill where his warmth had been. She wanted to reach out, to pull him back, but instead, she stayed still, a silent observer of the conflict unfolding before her.

Xavier turned away, his movements hesitant, as if he were caught in a battle between his heart and his mind. He hesitated at the door, glancing back at her one last time, and in that brief moment, their eyes met. There was so much unsaid in that glance—hope, fear, confusion. And then he slipped out into the night, the door closing softly behind him.

Sabrina lay there, her mind a whirlwind of emotions, heart pounding wildly in her chest. Xavier had carried her home again, just like before, but this time, there was a tenderness in his actions that made everything feel different. The wall between them was still there, but she had caught a glimpse of a crack in its surface, a sign that perhaps it wasn't as impenetrable as she once thought.

As she opened her eyes slowly, the world around her came into focus. The spot where he had stood just moments before seemed to hold his presence, the air thick with the remnants of his warmth. The questions burned in her chest, but now there was something else—hope. Whatever was between them wasn't one-sided. It was a tangled mess of emotions that they both felt, even if they struggled to articulate it.

With a deep breath, Sabrina turned over and pulled the covers up to her chin, letting the soft fabric envelop her like a cocoon. Her thoughts raced, but her heart felt lighter than it had in days. Tomorrow would come soon enough, and when it did, she would be ready. Ready to confront Xavier, ready to uncover the truth behind the wall he had built around himself.

For now, though, she let herself drift into sleep, hugging Starlight close, feeling the gentle rise and fall of the kitten's breathing against her chest. The lines between dreams and reality were starting to blur in ways she hadn't expected. As she closed her eyes, a sense of peace washed over her, and she allowed herself to believe that maybe, just maybe, there was a future waiting for them on the other side of all this confusion.

The stars outside twinkled brightly, a silent witness to the emotions swirling in her heart. With Starlight purring softly in her arms, Sabrina fell into a dreamless sleep, the hope of what could be lighting the dark corners of her mind. Whatever happened next, she was ready to embrace it, to navigate the tangled threads of their relationship, and to discover the truth behind Xavier's guarded heart