Silent Notes

Chapter Sixteen: Silent Gestures

Asher sat in the middle of a long, dull lecture, watching the professor's pointer move across the screen without processing any of the information. His notebook lay open in front of him, half filled with notes he didn't even remember writing. The words on the screen blurred together as his mind wandered elsewhere-somewhere outside the classroom, somewhere he wasn't ready to admit he always ended up thinking about.

Nastasia.

Asher absentmindedly flipped his pen between his fingers, trying to focus on the class, but his thoughts kept circling back to her. He wondered if she was okay, how she was settling into university life, and if she ever thought about him as much as he thought about her. The thought of her crept into his mind again, like it always did when he let his guard down, and suddenly the lecture seemed even more pointless than before.

Later that afternoon, he found himself at home, sprawled across the couch with his phone in hand. The familiar sound of his mom's favourite drama on TV provided a comforting backdrop to his swirling thoughts. She glanced over a playful gleam in her eye.

"Asher, what do you think I should get Nastasia for her birthday?" she asked, casually flipping through the pages.

His eyebrows raised in surprise. "Nastasia? What brought that on?"

"I just think she deserves something nice. Any ideas?"

He thought for a moment, letting the words roll around in his mind. "How about a necklace? Something simple yet meaningful."

His mom's expression shifted, mischief glimmering in her eyes. "A necklace? Sounds a bit personal, doesn't it?"

He met her gaze, a slight smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "It's not that deep. It's just... I think she'd appreciate it."

She studied him for a second, the playful challenge in her eyes, but then she nodded. "Alright, but I might mention it was your idea when I give it to her."

"Please don't make it weird," he chuckled. But inside, he felt a tension in his chest, a familiar feeling that came whenever he thought about Nastasia.

He sat at his desk, textbooks sprawled around him, but his focus had long since drifted. It was her laughter he heard, the way it rang out in the café, bright and infectious, pulling him in despite the chaos around them.

He shook his head, trying to clear the distraction. It was ridiculous how easily she could shift his focus, leaving him restless and on edge. Looking at his desk, he forced himself to study, but the words blurred together, replaced by thoughts of her.

His sister's voice interrupted. "I heard you suggested a necklace. What's that about?" she asked, breaking through the silence with a teasing lilt.

"Yeah," he replied, his tone casual but his heart racing. "Something simple." The words felt heavy on his tongue, layered with unspoken intentions. He wanted her to know he saw her, that he recognized the strength behind her gentle demeanour, even amid the noise of their lives.

"Maybe you should give it to her," she smirked, arching an eyebrow.

"Yeah, right. I'm not giving her that satisfaction," he shot back, a small smirk playing at the corners of his lips. The hint of possessiveness crept into his voice. He didn't want to lay it all bare; the tension between them felt crucial. It was a dance he was still figuring out, and revealing too much could disrupt the balance.

He cared about her deeply, and the thought of anyone else getting too close stirred something inside him. It wasn't just about the gift; it was about ensuring she felt valued, even if it meant keeping his feelings slightly veiled.

He leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms thoughtfully. "Look, she's... unique."

"It's just a gift," his sister replied, her tone playful. "But I can tell it means more to you than that."

It was a small gesture, a way to acknowledge the bond they shared. A subtle way to show her that he noticed her, to hint at the depth of his feelings without fully revealing them. For now, that balance felt right, allowing the space between them to linger with unspoken promises, enough to remind her she was cherished.