It was 2:17 a.m.
The house was silent—except for the soft hum of the night and the sound of Tiana’s uneven breathing as she stood on the balcony.
She didn’t hear him come out.
“You always run away when you can’t sleep,” Alex said quietly.
She stiffened. “And you always assume you know me.”
He leaned against the railing beside her, close—but not touching.
“I know you pretend to be strong,” he said.
“But nights don’t lie.” She turned to glare at him, but the words caught in her throat. The city lights reflected in his eyes, softer than she had ever seen them.
“You shouldn’t be here,” she whispered.
“And yet,” he replied, “you didn’t ask me to leave.”
A cool breeze passed.
She shivered.
Without thinking, Alex gently draped his hoodie over her shoulders.
This time, she didn’t protest.
“Why do you care?” she asked, voice barely above a breath.
He looked away for a second—then back at her.
“That’s the problem, Tiana,” he said softly.
“I don’t want to.”
Her heart skipped.
Their eyes locked.
The space between them disappeared—not with a kiss, not with a touch—but with something far more dangerous.
Unspoken feelings.
She hated him.
He knew she did.
Yet at 2:17 a.m., under a quiet sky, both of them realized—
Enemies don’t look at each other like this.
Not at night.
Not when hearts are awake.
.........
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