Kismet [ENGLOT]

Chapter 19

Charlotte's POV:

After that night by the lake, something between us shifted irrevocably. It was as if we had unlocked a door that had been waiting for us all along, a door we had both been too afraid to open. Now, with the barrier shattered, there was no going back.

Engfa began to show her affection openly, her boldness catching me off guard at first. She no longer hesitated to walk beside me, her shoulder brushing against mine in the school corridors, her laughter filling the spaces between us like a melody only we could hear. She'd wait for me after class, a small smile tugging at her lips as if seeing me was the best part of her day. Her touches grew more natural, like the way her fingers would linger on mine when she handed me something or how her hand would settle briefly on the small of my back as we walked.

And she didn't care anymore—not about the stares, not about the whispered gossip that trailed us. The same Engfa who once guarded her reputation with an iron will now defied expectations with every lingering glance and tender smile in my direction. She was fearless, and her bravery pulled me along, stripping away my own hesitations piece by piece.

When the play finally wrapped up, I thought our moments together might dwindle, that the world might pull us back to separate paths. I couldn't have been more wrong. If anything, the end of the play marked the beginning of something far more profound.

That night at the party had done more than bring us closer—it had unravelled a thread between us, an invisible connection that neither of us could ignore. It was as if the universe had tied us together long before we realised it, pulling us closer with every moment, every smile, every shared word. And now, finally, we stopped resisting.

She made it clear in ways I could no longer doubt. The way her eyes softened whenever they met mine. The way she spoke my name, like it was something precious. And most of all, the way she made me feel—safe, seen, and more myself than I'd ever dared to be.

Engfa handed me a juice box she'd just opened, her eyes soft and her movements casual. But as I reached for it, I realised I had been staring at her. Her smooth features, the way the sunlight caught in her dark hair, the slight tilt of her lips when she wasn't smiling—it was as if every detail about her was crafted to draw me in.

Her brows furrowed as she caught my gaze. "Hmm, why? Is there something on my face?" she asked, tilting her head slightly in curiosity.

Snapping out of my thoughts, I shook my head, heat rising to my cheeks. "No, nothing. I was just...thinking," I replied, looking away to focus on the table in front of me, desperate to distract myself.

A knowing smile curved her lips as she leaned closer, her presence radiating warmth. Her fingers brushed mine, tentative yet deliberate, before settling over them. "What were you thinking about? Or rather, who were you thinking about? Was it me?" she teased, her voice playful but laced with something deeper.

I laughed softly at her infuriating and endearing boldness and gave her arm a light slap. "You wish. Actually, I was thinking of someone else," I replied, my tone feigning indifference, though my smile hinted at the game I was playing.

Her reaction caught me off guard. Her playful demeanour vanished, replaced by a shadowed expression. Her smile faded, and her eyes darkened with something unspoken. She pulled her hand away, her movements abrupt and almost clumsy. "Oh...well," she said, her voice quieter, tinged with something that sounded a lot like hurt. "I should probably get going then. I wouldn't want to ruin your daydreaming over...someone else."

She busied herself gathering her things, her sudden seriousness leaving an ache in my chest. I watched her, stunned for a moment, until realisation hit me. Was she...jealous?