Golden Melody

Chapter 5.1

*Third person POV*

Miexha sat on her bed, the soft glow of her tablet casting shadows across her room.

The scent of lily from her scented candle filled the air, a calming aroma that couldn't quite soothe the turmoil within her.

She pulled her knees to her chest, her fingers hesitating above the screen.
The name Zatariel Wov stared back at her from the Social media search bar, and her heart skipped a beat.

Her mind drifted back to the day before, their time at the Fantasy Resort-Zatariel's rare smiles, the way he'd looked at her like she was the only person that mattered.

She remembered the warmth of his hand in hers, the way his laughter had filled the air, the way he'd made her feel safe and seen.
Her heart ached with a longing she'd never known before.

Taking a deep breath, she tapped the "Add Friend" button, her hand trembling slightly.
Her fingers hovered over the screen, her heart pounding in her chest.

She felt a surge of excitement, but also a twinge of fear.

What if he rejected her?
What if he didn't feel the same way?
Just like back then
But she had to take a chance.
She had to see where this could lead.

Across town, Zatariel lay on his bed, aimlessly scrolling through his phone, his mind still tangled in thoughts of yesterday.

The memory of Miexha smiling at him, laughing with him, was etched into his brain, making his heart pound even now.

He could still feel the warmth of her touch, the scent of her perfume, the way her eyes had sparkled with laughter.
He had never felt this way about anyone before, and he was terrified of what it meant.

Then, a buzz on his phone pulled him from his thoughts.
He glanced at the notification, not thinking much of it, but when he saw her name, his eyes widened.

"Miexha Verra sent you a friend request."

Zatariel shot upright, staring at his phone as if it had just sprouted wings.

"Mimi had sent me a request?" His heart hammered in his chest, his palms suddenly clammy.

She wanted to be friends with him-online.

For a moment, he just sat there, staring at her profile picture.
She looked just like she did every day at school-sweet, calm, with those gentle hazel eyes that made him forget how to breathe.

He could still feel the warmth of her touch, the scent of her perfume, the way her eyes had sparkled with laughter.

His thumb hovered over the "Accept" button, his mind racing with possibilities.

What if she was just being polite?
What if he clicked too quickly and came off as desperate?
But he didn't have time to overthink-before he knew it, he had already accepted the request.

Miexha, her nerves bubbling up, picked up her tablet again after what felt like an eternity.
Her heart pounded when she saw the notification:

"Zatariel Wov accepted your friend request."

She let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding and smiled, the butterflies in her stomach fluttering with excitement.
He accepted.

She wondered if he was feeling as nervous as she was, or if this was just a casual thing for him.
It didn't matter.
To her, it felt like a small victory, a step closer to whatever was blooming between them.
But what now?
Should she message him first?

Her fingers danced over the screen as she typed, hesitated, and then erased, only to type again. Finally, she hit send:

"Hi, Riel! :) I just wanted to say thank you for yesterday. I had fun at the resort."

Zatariel's phone buzzed again, and this time, it nearly slipped out of his hands when he saw Miexha's message.

He swallowed hard, his mind going blank for a second.

She messaged him.

His heart raced as he read her words, the memory of their day together replaying in his head-the swim, the quiet moments they shared, and that accidental kiss that still lingered on his mind.

For a moment, he panicked.
What was he supposed to say?

He typed out a reply, deleted it, and then typed again, nerves making his fingers feel clumsy.
Eventually, he sent a simple message, one he hoped didn't sound too awkward.

"Hey, Mimi! Of course! I had a great time, too."

Miexha's tablet vibrated, and she quickly read his response.
Her smile widened.

It wasn't much, but just knowing that Zatariel had enjoyed their time together, too, made her heart soar.

Maybe this was the start of something more-something wonderful.

On both ends, the quiet buzz of the conversation continued, their hearts beating in sync as their worlds slowly started to intertwine, bit by bit.