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Chapter 5
Sam
The air tastes different here.
Back home, the city hums like it's trying to hold you in place, even when you're unravelling. But out here on the balcony, it's all stillness. A breath between thoughts. A pause in the noise.
I hug my arms tighter around my waist, the thin fabric of my nightgown doing little to keep out the early morning breeze.
It's stupid-standing here in the cold, half-awake, pretending I don't feel the weight of tonight's dinner still pressing against my chest with pressure.
The fact that Elias complimented my handwriting like that was a reason to marry me.
Jasper also kept asking me about my job applications, like he was taking notes for a future resume titled "Husband Material.""
It's laughable, really. If I wasn't so tired, I might actually cry.
A cold breeze filled the air
"Cold?" a voice says behind me.
I don't jump. I just know it's him.... Luca.
There's something gentle in the way he exists ,talks and glances at me ,like he's always slightly leaning away from danger, even when it's not there.
I nod, arms still wrapped around myself. He's already shrugging off his coat before I can protest. It's heavy with warmth, and when it wraps around my shoulders, I nearly sink into it.
"You always stand outside like this?" he asks, his voice low, not trying to fill the silence.
"Only when my brain needs to exhale."
He chuckles softly.
"That's poetic."
I look up. "Poetry's part of the job."
His expression flickers curious. "Right. Literature major. What are you working on now?"
"Still buried in romanticism. The good kind," I add with a smirk, "not the one that shows up in arranged dinners and polite conversations."
Luca smiles, but it's faint. The kind you wear when you want to ask something but aren't sure you should.
He hesitates.
"That guy....What's his name? The one you mentioned earlier... Zayn?"
My breath catches. Just slightly. Just enough.
"Oh," I say, voice too light. "He's no one."
"Didn't sound like no one."
I turn to face him, but the coat keeps me rooted. "Just someone I've seen around. We're not close or anything."
Luca studies me for a moment. "You talked about him like he mattered."
I don't answer. Mostly because I don't know what to say. Zayn does matter
in this quiet, undefined, inconvenient way.
I don't know him, not really. But his presence lingers. The way he sketches without looking like he's trying. The way he disappears into his thoughts, like the world's too loud for him. The way he looked up once-just once-and met my eyes like he was searching for something he didn't know he needed.
"He's just... interesting," I murmur.
Luca nods
"What about him that makes him ...interesting?"he asks
"I don't really know he keeps ..."i hesitantly sigh
"he just makes me interested in him ,he's difrent...."
"It's fine. You dont have to talk about it,"he smiles, not pushing any further. Instead, his jaw tightens.
I've noticed how luca seemed indifferent these past months ,he seems possessive but doesn't show it
he is usually the type who hardly show emotion but seeing him like this makes me some what happy
"However, if anything happens, call me. I am always available to come to you,"
With the light of the moonlight, I could see his ears turning red
"I will ,thank u."i smile
We stayed like that for a whilewrapped in someone else's coat, while Luca was glanced at a distance, thinking of who knew what.
The city stays quiet. The wind grows louder.
I wonder how long I can keep pretending I didn't care