Hearts in Bloom

Chapter 5

The bus pulled up from the station, and Tobias watched as Aria stifled a yawn. The sun was setting, casting a soft, golden glow through the windows, and the day's activities were clearly starting to weigh on her.

"You look more tired than usual." Tobias said as they both boarded the bus, taking their usual seats at the back.

"Yeah," Aria admitted, resting her head against the window. "I didn't get much sleep last night, and today's been... a bit draining."

Tobias nodded, quietly watching her out of the corner of his eye as the bus rumbled down the road. Aria's eyes were already drooping, and within minutes, she had drifted off, her head lolling to the side of the window, hitting her head.

Tobias hesitated for a moment, his heart racing. He could see that she wasn't comfortable, and without thinking too much, he gently shifted to her side and lowered his shoulder to match her height and gently put her head on his shoulder, allowing her to rest against his shoulder comfortably. As soon as her head settled there, a strange warmth spread through his chest and he could feel the warmth spread to his ears and his cheeks. It was a simple, innocent gesture, but to him, it meant everything.

Minutes passed, and Tobias noticed that Aria's head was falling from his shoulder. So, he used his palm to gently hold her forehead and prevent it from falling from his shoulder.

After a few minutes, he felt that the temperature on the bus had dropped. The cool wind from the half-open windows was starting to make Aria uncomfortable. He noticed that Aria, in her sleep, had begun to shiver slightly.

Without hesitation, Tobias slowly removed his jacket, careful not to disturb her. He gently draped it over her, tucking it around her shoulders to keep her warm. His fingers brushed against her arm for a brief second, and he quickly pulled back, hoping she hadn't noticed, though her deep breathing reassured him that she was still asleep. Then he

He glanced at the window beside her, feeling the cold wind blowing in. With a quiet sigh, he reached over and shut it, sealing out the chill. And then he continued to hold her forehead so that she could have a good sleep. When his one hand was hurt from holding, he used his another hand to hold her forehead and kept doing this. Now the bus was warm and quiet, the only sounds the soft hum of the engine and Aria's steady breathing.

Tobias leaned back in his seat, stealing a glance at Aria. She looked both tired and peaceful at the same time, her face relaxed, strands of her hair falling gently across her cheek. Tobias carefully removed those strands of hair from her face. Her face which is always full of enthusiasm was now like a child's who is tired after playing all day and now is sleeping holding her favorite plushy. In moments like this, it was hard for Tobias to hide how much he cared about her. Every little thing she did made his heart beat faster, and being this close to her, protecting her even in such small ways, felt natural.

The bus ride passed quietly, and when they finally arrived at their stop, Tobias gently nudged Aria awake.

"Ari," he whispered. "We're here. Wake up."

Aria blinked awake, yawning and stretching as she realized where she was. She looked down at the jacket draped over her and smiled softly, a little confused. "Toby, did you...?"

"You looked cold," Tobias said quickly, rubbing his nose which had become his habit whenever he lied, his ears are still red. "I didn't want you to catch a cold or anything."

Aria's smile widened as she stood up, handing him back his jacket. "Thanks, Tobias."

Tobias shrugged, trying to play it off. "It's nothing. Just didn't want you to freeze." But when Aria noticed how red his ears were, so she decided not to say anything.

As they stepped off the bus together, walking side by side down the familiar street, Tobias couldn't shake the feeling that these little moments between them were becoming more important. They were just some simple gestures, but to him, they were everything.

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Next day,

Aria and Tobias were heading to class together when something unexpected happened. They were walking down the school hallway, laughing about something silly that had happened in class, when Aria suddenly slipped on a wet patch of floor.

It all happened so fast. One moment she was laughing, the next she was falling. But before she could even react, Tobias had already reached out, catching her effortlessly in bridal style.

For a moment, neither of them moved. Aria stared up at Tobias, her full face flushed from the sudden fall, and Tobias stood frozen, holding her as if she weighed nothing. His heart pounded in his chest, and the whole world seemed to fade away, leaving just the two of them in that moment.

"T-Toby," Aria stammered, her face turning even redder. "You... caught me."

Tobias blinked, suddenly realizing what had happened. He quickly set her back on her feet, his own face turning bright red and he felt the familiar warmth spread upto his ears.

"Uh, yeah... you slipped," he mumbled, trying to recover from the awkwardness. "I just... reacted."

Aria bit her lip, still flustered from the fall—and from being held so closely by him. She noticed that now his ears were scarlet red. "Thanks. I didn't expect that."

"No problem," Tobias replied, scratching his head and trying to ignore how fast his heart was beating. "Just... be careful next time."

They both stood there for a second longer, the air between them charged with something unspoken. The tension was palpable, and for a brief moment, it felt like something had shifted between them.

Aria gave him a shy smile, still feeling a bit embarrassed. "I'll try not to fall again."

Tobias chuckled, his voice soft. "Yeah, but if you do, don't worry I've got you."

And as they continued walking to class, the warmth of that little moment lingered, something sweet and delicate that neither of them was quite ready to admit. But deep down, Tobias knew that his feelings for Aria were only growing stronger—and he wasn't sure how much longer he could keep them hidden.

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My Random Silly Thoughts:

The Pickle Dilemma:
Little brother: "If I eat all my pickles, will I grow tall?"
Big sister: "Probably."
Little brother (after eating them): "So why am I still the shortest in my class?"
Big sister: "You ate the wrong brand of pickles."
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