Well dear readers as you can see...
We ended up going shopping together.
All of us.
It wasn't planned. Someone suggested it—probably Calvin—and before anyone could overthink it, we were moving from store to store in one loose group. The atmosphere was… surprisingly normal.
Too normal.
Calvin walked ahead with Amira, laughing loudly about something ridiculous. Aiden followed a few steps behind them. That left Xavier and me walking side by side.
Close. Again.
I could feel Aiden's eyes on us sometimes. Not sharp. Just curious.
Xavier stopped in front of a display and picked up a pair of sunglasses, turning them in his hands before holding them up to my face.
"These would look good on you," he said.
I blinked. "You think?"
"They'd suit you," he replied easily. "But honestly, you don't need them."
My cheeks warmed. "Why not?"
He met my eyes. "I like seeing your expressions."
I froze.
That wasn't accidental.
I felt heat rush to my face and quickly looked away. "You're being weird."
"I'm being honest," he said, tone calm, like he hadn't just sent my heart racing.
Aiden noticed.
He slowed his steps slightly, watching the way Xavier leaned closer to me, the way I smiled without meaning to. The way I didn't pull away.
Later, in another store, I reached for a hoodie at the same time as Xavier. Our fingers brushed.
"Looks like you have good taste," he said.
"Or you do," I replied, still blushing.
Calvin, passing by, caught the look on my face and grinned. "Wow. Someone's red."
"I'm not," I protested.
"You definitely are."
Aiden watched from a distance, expression unreadable.
It hit him then—not sharply, not painfully—but clearly.
Hinata wasn't stuck in the past anymore.
She was moving forward.
And Xavier…
Xavier wasn't hiding it anymore.
As we left the store, Xavier walked just a little closer, his shoulder brushing mine.
"Tell me if I'm making you uncomfortable," he said quietly.
I shook my head. "You're not."
He smiled—soft and real.
And this time, I didn't look away.