The night air wrapped around Racheal as she stepped onto the porch, the soft glow of the porch light illuminating her path. Her chest still fluttered from the evening, her mind tangled with every glance, every word Declan had shared.
"You're walking home?" Declan's voice broke the quiet, startling her. She hadn't noticed him following her outside.
"I… yes," she stammered, clutching her bag a little tighter. "It's not far."
He fell into step beside her, the night unusually calm except for the faint rustle of leaves and distant city sounds. "Mind if I walk with you?" he asked softly.
Racheal hesitated. Part of her wanted to say no, to retreat into her safety. But another part—the part that had been racing all evening—whispered that maybe, just maybe, it was time to stop running.
"Okay," she finally whispered.
The silence between them was comfortable at first, filled only with the rhythm of their footsteps on the sidewalk. But soon, Declan spoke again, his tone low, deliberate.
"Racheal… about tonight…"
She looked at him briefly, trying to read his expression. His face was calm, yet his eyes held a warmth that made her chest ache.
"I mean, I know I can be… intense," he continued. "And I know I've probably made you feel like you had to stay away."
Her breath caught. She had feared this conversation for weeks, yet now that it was happening, she didn't know how to respond.
"I never wanted to scare you," he added quickly. "I just… care about you. More than I probably should."
Her hands tightened on her bag strap. The honesty in his voice was almost too much to bear. "Declan… I…" she began, her voice trembling. "I don't know if I… if I can trust my own feelings."
He stopped walking and turned to face her fully. The streetlight cast shadows across his face, but his eyes remained locked on hers, unwavering. "Then let's not think about the future yet. Just tonight, just here. Let me show you that I mean what I say. No games. No pretense. Just me."
Racheal's lips parted, but she couldn't speak. Instead, she felt the weight of his presence, the sincerity radiating from him, and something inside her softened.
"I've spent so long running," she whispered finally. "Running from the past, from people, from… feelings I didn't want to acknowledge."
He nodded slowly. "Then maybe it's time to stop running. Even if it's just a little."
Her heart pounded in her chest as they continued walking, side by side, in silence. For the first time, the quiet wasn't heavy—it was comforting.
"You know," Declan said after a few steps, a small smile tugging at his lips, "I've been trying to get you to notice me for months. Maybe years."
Racheal's eyes widened. "Years?" she whispered, more to herself than him.
He chuckled softly. "Not in a creepy way, I promise. Just… I've always known you were special, Racheal. And I wasn't going to give up until you realized it too."
She shook her head, a small laugh escaping her lips despite the storm of emotions inside. "You're impossible."
"And yet, you're still walking with me," he replied, voice warm and teasing.
For the first time in a long while, Racheal allowed herself to truly relax. The fear, the tension, the doubts—they were still there, yes, but in Declan's presence, they felt lighter.
As they reached her hostel, she stopped and turned to face him. "Thank you… for tonight. For everything."
He smiled softly. "You don't have to thank me. Just… don't run too far next time, okay?"
Her chest warmed at his words. "I'll try," she whispered.
And for the first time, Racheal felt like maybe… just maybe… she didn't need to run at all.