Whispers of Destiny.

CHAPTER 8

AUTHOR'S POV

Nina stifled a laugh, trying to keep quiet as Harsh straightened himself, brushing leaves off his shirt. His sheepish grin, a mix of embarrassment and charm, caught her off guard. Here he was, sneaking into her room in the middle of the night, and it felt both ridiculous and exhilarating.

"What are you doing, sneaking into my room like this?" she whispered, her eyes narrowing but with an amused glint.

He chuckled softly. "Couldn't sleep," he repeated, shrugging slightly. "Thought maybe I'd find someone else who couldn't either."

Nina rolled her eyes, but her heart sped up a little. "Well, congratulations, you found me," she whispered back. "Now what?"

Harsh hesitated, glancing around her room, taking in the dimly lit, cozy space. The faint glow of a small lamp on her bedside table cast a warm light over her face, making her look softer, a side of her he rarely got to see. She motioned for him to sit on the edge of the bed, and he did, awkwardly, like he didn't want to intrude but couldn't bring himself to leave.

There was a heavy silence between them as they both became acutely aware of each other's closeness. Nina noticed the way Harsh's fingers tapped nervously against his knee. She watched his profile as he looked down, and the thought struck her just how much had changed between them, so quickly, since he'd admitted his feelings earlier.

"Harsh..." she began softly, unsure of where the words were leading. "What you said earlier... it wasn't just the moment talking, was it?"

His head snapped up, and he looked at her with an intensity she hadn't seen before. "No," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I meant it, Nina. I've cared about you for a long time, even when we weren't talking. It's always been there, just..." he hesitated, choosing his words carefully, "...waiting."

They looked at each other, the weight of their words hanging in the air. Nina's hand moved without her thinking, brushing a stray lock of hair from his forehead. The soft, barely-there touch sent a current through both of them, and she felt her breath catch. He was close enough that she could see the light flecks of green in his eyes, could feel the warmth radiating from him.

"Harsh..." her voice was barely a whisper, just a breath. He was so close, and she didn't know if it was the late hour or the honesty of his confession, but she suddenly wanted to close that gap between them. The familiarity of his presence felt comforting yet electrifying.

His hand lifted, almost hesitantly, and brushed against her cheek, lingering there for a moment, his thumb tracing a gentle line. She leaned into his touch, her heart hammering in her chest. 

Neither one moved further for a long, breathless moment, caught in the thrill of being so close yet not quite there.

Their faces were mere inches apart now. She could feel his warm breath on her skin, her own growing shallow as her eyes drifted down to his lips, and then back to his gaze. A barely-there smile played on his lips as he leaned in, his eyes searching hers, giving her time to pull away if she wanted to.

But she didn't.

Their foreheads touched, the distance between them narrowing further. Nina felt her heart pounding, her hand reaching up to rest on his shoulder as she tilted her face toward his. She could feel the soft hum of tension building, inching closer to release with each passing second. 

Their breaths mingled, the anticipation hanging thick in the silence.

And then, the sound of footsteps echoed down the hall, coming closer to her room.

They both froze, pulling back slightly, eyes widening. Nina felt a rush of panic, and she stifled a laugh, pressing a finger to her lips to signal him to stay quiet. They listened, breath held, as the footsteps paused outside her door, lingered for a beat too long, and then moved on down the hall.

They let out a quiet sigh of relief in unison, glancing at each other with wide eyes before sharing a quiet laugh.

"Well, that was close," she whispered, her cheeks flushed.

Harsh chuckled softly, still catching his breath. "I should probably go," he said, the reluctance clear in his voice.

Nina bit her lip, glancing at him as he moved to stand. She didn't want him to go; this connection, this unspoken feeling between them felt so delicate yet so intense, and she didn't want it to slip away.

"Harsh..." she said softly, reaching out and catching his hand.

He paused, turning back to look at her, his eyes searching hers. She didn't say anything, but the way she held onto his hand said enough. He sat back down, this time closer, his hand wrapping gently around hers.

They stayed like that for a long moment, the silence filled with an unspoken understanding. It wasn't a kiss, not quite, but it was something equally as powerful. A quiet, steady acknowledgment that whatever was between them was real, and that it meant something to both of them.

She leaned her head against his shoulder, and he wrapped an arm around her, holding her close. They sat together in the stillness, feeling the weight of their emotions settle in, neither one willing to move and break the moment.

It was enough for now.

As they sat together in the quiet, a calm, almost sacred peace washed over them, something that no words or grand gestures could capture. The world outside had melted away, leaving just the two of them, wrapped in a moment that was all their own.

And as Nina closed her eyes, feeling the steady beat of his heart against her shoulder, she knew that something had shifted. They didn't need words to define it; it was already there, deeply embedded between them.

Tomorrow would come with its celebrations, with family, friends, and the noise of the world, but tonight, in the stillness of her room, Nina felt like she'd found something she hadn't even known she was looking for.

I know