A fate for love

Chapter 33: Unexpected stay

Elina stared at Kevin, her heart skipping a beat. His eyes were red, swollen, as if he had been crying, and his clothes were drenched from the heavy rain. His voice, husky and raw, broke the silence between them.

"I'm sorry, but I had nowhere else to go," he began, his words faltering slightly. "My tires are punctured, and it's raining heavily."

It was only then that Elina realized just how hard the rain was falling, the sound of it now deafening against the roof. She had been so lost in her thoughts after the conversation with Jiya that the weather had slipped past her notice. The tension in the air felt thick, almost mirroring the emotions swirling inside her.

Kevin spoke again, pulling her attention back to him. "I won't take long. I just need to make a call."

Before Elina could even respond, a loud crack of thunder echoed through the air, causing them both to flinch slightly. She hesitated, glancing at Kevin's soaked appearance and the storm raging behind him. The storm outside seemed to match the one in her mind—unsettled and overwhelming.

"Come in," she said softly, stepping aside to let him in, her mind still spinning from everything that had happened between them and now this sudden, unexpected encounter.

As Kevin walked in, Elina closed the door behind him, unsure of what to say next. His presence, so raw and vulnerable, tugged at emotions she had been trying to suppress for so long.

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Kevin took Elina's phone in silence, dialing Liam's number. His fingers trembled slightly, whether from the cold or the weight of everything happening between them, Elina couldn't tell. After a few rings, Liam picked up.

"Hello?" Liam's voice came through the speaker.

Kevin cleared his throat, trying to sound normal despite everything. "Liam, it's me. My car's broken down, and it's pouring out here. Could ask the drive to come and pick me up from... Ms. Elina's place?" His voice wavered just slightly when he said her name, and he glanced at her before quickly looking away.

"Ms. Elina's place? Uh, yeah, I'll send him there as soon as I can." Liam replied, sounding slightly confused but understanding.

"Hm," Kevin muttered before ending the call. He handed the phone back to Elina, their fingers brushing lightly, which made both of them momentarily freeze.

Just then, a sneeze escaped Kevin, the cold from his drenched clothes finally catching up. Elina kept her gaze elsewhere, avoiding the connection in his eyes. "You can wait until he comes," she said, her voice steady but distant. Without another glance, she turned and walked into her room, leaving Kevin standing in the hall, wet and uncomfortable, both physically and emotionally.

Kevin stood there for a moment, staring after her, a mix of gratitude and awkwardness lingering. He whispered a quiet "Thank you," but Elina had already gone. He stood there, rubbing his arms to warm up, wondering how everything had gotten so tangled between them.

A few seconds later, the sound of a door opening made him look up. Elina emerged from her room, holding a towel, pant and a shirt in her hands. She walked over and handed them to him without a word, her expression unreadable. "I think this might fit you," she said, her voice calm but detached.

Kevin took the towel, pant and shirt gratefully, drying his hair a little before holding the shirt in his hands. He was about to say something, but Elina spoke.

"But why did you come here?" she asked, her voice carrying a touch of curiosity, as if she herself wasn't sure why he was standing in her living room, dripping wet in the middle of a storm.