Miss nobody strikes back

Sweet texts.

Chapter fifty eight.

Dominic slowly pulled away, and we both stared at each other, breathless. "I guess I feel the same way," he murmured, his voice barely louder than a whisper. I smiled, my cheeks heating up as I lost myself in his ocean-blue eyes.

“And one more thing,” I added, gathering a bit of courage. “You should definitely smile more—you look even more handsome when you do.”

A warm smile spread across his face, softening his features and making my heart skip a beat. "I'll think about it," he said, his tone playful but sincere.

Just as we were lost in the quiet comfort of each other’s presence, a familiar voice interrupted the moment. "Well, well, well, what did we miss?" Jenny’s voice broke through, light and teasing. Startled, Dominic and I quickly turned toward her. She was grinning at us with that mischievous gleam in her eyes that meant trouble.

"Uh, nothing,” I stammered, suddenly feeling flustered as the memory of our “conversation” flashed through my mind. “We were just… talking.”

“Really? Just talking?” Jenny raised an eyebrow, her smile widening. “Good thing I have a picture to prove my point.” She held up her phone, waving it playfully.

"Wait, what?" I exclaimed, shocked. My eyes widened as I realized she must have snapped a photo of Dominic and me in our close moment. My heart started racing, a mix of embarrassment and panic flooding through me.

Before I could say anything else, Jenny turned and darted away with a laugh, her footsteps echoing down the hall. "Jenny, delete it!” I called after her, feeling my cheeks flush all over again. Without a second thought, I chased after her, determined to get that photo before she had the chance to use it for… whatever purpose she had in mind.

Dominic watched us in mild amusement, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. His eyes sparkled with a quiet humor, clearly entertained by the scene unfolding in front of him.

“Jenny! Come back!” I called out, my laughter mixing with the frustration of knowing she was faster than me. “If you don’t delete that, I swear…!”

“Oh, you swear?” Jenny teased, glancing back over her shoulder. “What are you going to do, Hanna?”

I sped up, but she darted behind Kai, using him as a shield. He looked back and forth between us, a bit confused but also smiling at the chaos. Jenny leaned around him, sticking her tongue out at me, still clutching her phone with a victorious grin.

Finally, I reached them, panting slightly. “Jenny, give it back,” I demanded, trying to snatch the phone from her hands. She just laughed and held it behind her back.

“All right, all right,” Kai cut in, holding up his hands to calm us down. “What’s going on here? Why is Hanna chasing you, Jenny?”

“Oh, just a little photo evidence of a sweet moment,” Jenny said, unable to hide her glee. Kai’s eyebrows shot up, and he looked between Dominic and me with a grin slowly forming.

“Well, I, for one, am thrilled for you two,” he said, his tone genuine. “About time, I’d say. Dominic, you’ve been holding back too long.”

Dominic shifted a little, the tips of his ears turning pink as he looked away. “I… guess so,” he muttered, a bit embarrassed by the attention.

Feeling just as shy, I nodded, smiling down at the floor. “Thanks, Kai.”

“All right, let’s give these two a little space, Jenny,” he said, throwing his arm around her shoulders and steering her away, much to my relief. “Come on, save the teasing for later.”

Jenny finally relented, sticking her phone in her pocket but not without giving me a wink as she left with Kai. I could still feel her amusement lingering in the air, but at least she was letting us off the hook for now.

With a deep sigh of relief, I glanced at Dominic, who was looking at me with a soft smile. We shared a quiet moment, both a little overwhelmed but undeniably happy.

“Thanks for… tonight,” I said, my voice low.

“Anytime,” he replied, his gaze lingering on me. “I should get going, though.”

I nodded, feeling a pang of disappointment but knowing it was probably for the best. We said our goodbyes, and as I watched him walk away, my heart felt strangely light and full at the same time.

Later that night, back at home, I couldn’t sleep. I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, my mind spinning with memories of our evening and the look in Dominic’s eyes. A part of me wondered if it had all been a dream.

Unable to resist, I picked up my phone and sent him a quick message.

Me: Are you awake?

After a few seconds, my phone chimed with a response.

Dominic: Yeah, can’t sleep either.

A smile tugged at my lips as I read his reply. Somehow, it felt comforting to know he was as restless as I was.

Me: So… today was interesting.

Dominic: Yeah, it was. There was a pause.

His words made my heart race again, and I took a deep breath before typing my response.

Me: Although, I could’ve done without Jenny’s photo session…

Dominic: She’s just excited for us. And I get it… I don’t know how long I’ve wanted to tell you how I feel.

My fingers hovered over the keyboard, unsure of what to say. Finally, I decided to be honest.

Me: I wanted to tell you, too. I was just… scared, I guess.

Dominic: You don’t have to be scared anymore, Hanna. I’m here.

Those simple words warmed my heart, soothing some of the lingering nervousness I hadn’t realized I was carrying. I smiled at my screen, feeling a new sense of peace wash over me.

Me: Thanks, Dominic. I… I really needed that.

Dominic: Anytime.

There was a pause, and then he sent another message.

Dominic: I should let you sleep, though. Big day tomorrow.

Me: Yeah, you’re right.

Even though I knew I should be getting some rest, I didn’t want our conversation to end. But after exchanging a few more goodnight messages, I finally set my phone aside, closing my eyes with a contented smile.

For the first time in a long time, I felt like I had something to look forward to. And as I drifted off to sleep, thoughts of Dominic filled my mind, comforting and exciting me in equal measure.

A/N: I'm really sorry for late uploads, I've been having serious network issues. Thank you @hamdyayodele and other fans for voting for my book.